Schiavone’s French Open pedigree deserves some consideration

Francesca Schiavone has real pedigree on the dust of Roland Garros and looks vastly over priced at 125/1 to claim her second French Open title.

The Italian was the champion here in 2010 as she blitzed her way past the likes of Li Na, Caroline Wozniacki and Maria Kirilenko, before making light work of Samantha Stosur in the final.

Her victory three years ago saw her drop just one set in the entire tournament. That came in her first round match-up, and if she can find her feet early in 2013 she is sure to attract some each-way action at her aforementioned price.

The 32-year-old proved that her 2010 performance was no fluke when she returned in 2011 and made her way to another showpiece in Paris only to be edged out by a vastly improved clay court operator in Li Na.

Schiavone’s third round exit in last year’s event should do little to worry potential backers, as she lost out narrowly in the third set to American Varvara Lepchenko.

Lepchenko produced the performance of her life as she held on against her more experienced opponent as Schaivone displayed her fighting qualities that make her price ever more enticing as she suffered a narrow 8-6 defeat in the deciding set

The Milan-born right-hander has already bagged a title on clay this season, emerging victorious in Marrakech at the end of April, where she prevailed without surrendering a single set, once more displaying her proficiency on the red stuff.

Experience can play pivotal role at this surface’s most prestigious event with the likes of Ana Ivanovic, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Dinara Safina, Kim Clijsters and Justin Henin all making multiple appearances in finals in the French capital since the turn of the millennium; buoying the spirits of Schiavone.

Serbian Ivanovic has also found a touch of form just in time for the second Slam of the year.

The 2008 champion made the semis in Rome and has lost only twice on her favourite surface this year, with both of those defeats coming at the hands of current French title holder Maria Sharapova (7/2), and could offer each-way value at 40/1.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.