Line Calls, presented by FanDuel: Casper Ruud is worth his price to emerge from his quarter at Roland Garros

WATCH: Zach Cohen on why Casper Ruud is a safe, and smart, bet to reach the semis

Casper Ruud made it to the Roland Garros final last year, and even though he lost to Rafael Nadal in lopsided fashion—6-3, 6-3, 6-0—it was still a massive accomplishment for the Norwegian. Ruud then made it to his second Grand Slam final at the US Open, proving that he has what it takes to compete with the best players in the sport.

Hoping to find repeat success in Paris, the stars/the draw has aligned for him to do so. That’s why we’d suggest betting on the 24-year-old to make it to the semifinals at +300.

Ruud got a gift of a draw heading into this year’s tournament. Based on seeding, the best possible players Ruud would play before the quarterfinals are Alexander Bublik (second round), Botic van de Zandschulp (third round) and Tommy Paul (fourth round). Potentially tricky opponents, yes, but none of those matches should trip Ruud up. It’s a potential quarterfinal meeting with Holger Rune that could spells trouble for Ruud, but he can absolutely find a way through.

Ruud faced Rune in the semifinals of Rome last week. Ruud was up a set and a break, but Rune battled back and found a way to win. But Ruud’s game is a bit of a better fit at Roland Garros, where the size of the main courts favor a player that can really utilize topspin, as the 2022 finalist does. Ruud’s forehand is hit with a nice high bounce from the spin he uses, and that opens up the rest of the court for him. On top of that, Ruud is also a bit more proven in best-of-five tournaments at this point than Rune. The odds of a potential showdown between these two would have Rune as a very slight favorite, so you’d be able to hedge if this is the quarter-final matchup.

A couple of months ago, this play would have seemed somewhat outrageous. Ruud got off to a slow start to the 2023 season after opting to rest after the Australian Open. But he’s rounding into form right now, and he has reestablished himself as a legitimate threat at Roland Garros. I feel he’s being a little disrespected heading into this event, with seemingly nobody factoring in the run he made in Paris last year. But I’m not making that mistake, and I’m jumping on this value play. Ruud will be eager to show the world that he belongs amongst the game’s elite, and he couldn’t have asked for a better pathway.

Line Call: Ruud To Reach Semifinals (+300)