Alexander Zverev enters his French Open first-round match against Benjamin Bonzi on 24 May 2026 as the clear favorite, and the betting angle points toward Zverev covering the games handicap. The matchup starts at 13:30 CEST, with a top-three player facing a French opponent who has come in on weaker recent form.
Zverev’s Roland Garros record
Zverev reached the Roland Garros final in 2024 and followed that with a run to the 2025 quarterfinals, where he lost to Djokovic in four sets. His most recent match ended in a three-set loss to Darderi in the 1/8-Finals in Rome, but he has still won three of his last five matches.
That profile is why the books make him the clear favorite here. He brings the stronger French Open record, the higher ranking profile, and the more reliable level over the recent stretch.
Bonzi’s recent losses
Bonzi has lost three of his last five matches, including a defeat to Griekspoor in the 1/8-Finals in Bordeaux last week. He also went out in the opening round of the 2025 French Open in five sets against Herbert.
This is the first meeting between Bonzi and Zverev, which leaves the French player trying to solve a far tougher opponent without any head-to-head history to lean on. The source’s read is blunt: Bonzi has no weapons to match Zverev’s game.
Games handicap value
For bettors, the stated value sits with Zverev covering the games handicap. That call follows the same logic as the outright favorite tag: Zverev’s top-three level and Roland Garros results line up against Bonzi’s recent losses and early exit in Paris last year.
The start time is set, the opponent is known, and the market has already made its position clear. Zverev carries the stronger case into 24 May 2026, while Bonzi needs a clean start to make this opener competitive.
