Casper Ruud vs. Dominic Thiem – French Open, October 2, 2020

I thought that Dominic Thiem might struggle in the first week of the 2020 French Open because of the small period he had to prepare, but the Austrian has been amazing in his first two matches. It’s interesting to see if he can keep the same tempo against Casper Ruud in the third round.

The talented Norwegian barely made it here, but he is a dangerous opponent that could punish any complacency by the favorite.

I share my thoughts on both players and their chances in this Casper Ruud vs. Dominic Thiem betting preview. It also includes the latest odds and lines, my prediction, and a free betting pick for the match.

The Casper Ruud vs. Dominic Thiem odds of the best tennis betting sites you see above confirm the fact that the Austrian is the overwhelming favorite for the upcoming clash and I don’t think anyone would be surprised by that.

I would say that Casper Ruud was one of the most impressive players on the road to the 2020 French Open. He reached the semifinals in both the Italian Open and the German Open, beating a number of strong opponents like Karen Khachanov, Matteo Berrettini, Fabio Fognini, and Marin Cilic.

The Norwegian prodigy has always been dangerous on clay and he could be one of the best players on that surface in the near future. His first victory in the French Open came before he was 20, so the potential is there.

Ruud started the 2020 Roland-Garros with a quick victory over Yuichi Siguta before facing Tommy Paul in the second round. The match against the American went the distance and showcased how Ruud is still inconsistent in the best-of-five format.

17-4 on clay ?

?? @CasperRuud98 will face Dominic Thiem next in their first on-court encounter ?#RG20 pic.twitter.com/LkgfjX0hv6

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 30, 2020

Struggling at majors is only natural at his age and I assume it will be like that for at least a season or two more. I don’t expect him to beat Thiem on Friday and winning even a single set would be a massive achievement.

The only reason I’ve doubted Thiem’s form before the start of the 2020 French Open is related to his victory in the 2020 US Open. The triumph there meant he had little time to prepare for Paris, but this doesn’t seem to bother the Austrian so far.

He won both of his first two matches without losing a set and looked strong in the process.

Let’s not forget that Thiem reached two finals in the French Open already and would’ve probably won at least one of them if he didn’t face Rafa Nadal on both occasions. I would say that the Austrian is the best player on red courts after the Spaniard and based on his age, he’s bound to overcome the King of Clay soon.

I won’t be shocked if it happens this year after Thiem has the extra confidence from winning his maiden Grand Slam in New York.

I don’t think that Casper Ruud is ready to put up a real fight against a player like Dominic Thiem at this stage of his career, at least not in the 2020 French Open. The Austrian is just too good on clay and has hit his prime, so I expect a rather comfortable victory in three sets.

Based on that, I believe that the price of -112 for under 34 games in the match is the best betting pick.