A brief glance down the list of past winners of the French Open makes for difficult viewing for British tennis aficionados, but there is always hope those fortunes could change in Paris next month.

You have to go back all the way to 1935 when Fred Perry was crowned champion to find the last British men's singles winner, while Sue Barker was the last British female to be crowned French Open champion in 1976. 

Andy Murray came closest to stopping the rot in 2016 but ultimately proved no match for Novak Djokovic in the final and has probably missed his chance now at 36 years of age. 

However, world number 13 Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans and Jack Draper are three other Britons capable of going on a deep run in the French capital. 

The absence of 2021 US Open heroine Emma Raducanu, who is to miss the French Open and Wimbledon after undergoing minor surgery on both hands and her ankle, means it could be left down to the men to carry the flag for Britain.

Norrie spearheads British challenge

Norrie made his first Grand Slam semi-final at last season's Wimbledon and there is every hope that in the campaigns to come he can go on and make a Major final. 

Whether that is at this year's French Open remains to be seen as he has yet to go beyond the third round in five previous trips to Paris. 

The presence of Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal makes things tougher for the 27-year-old, but he should be buoyed by his clay-court performances this season. 

Having finished runner-up to Alcaraz on clay in the Argentina Open in February, Norrie went one better next time out by beating the impressive Spanish youngster on the slower surface in Rio de Janeiro. 

That shows Norrie is capable of producing world-class performances on the clay and now at world number 13, the Briton is established among the game's elite. 

Recent performances have been slightly underwhelming but the South African-born star is a five-time winner on the ATP Tour and is the shortest priced of the British contenders at 66/1.

Evans showing signs of promise

Having risen to world number 24, Evans has put his past problems behind him and has been back showing what a talented player he is. 

To suggest the 32-year-old can win a Grand Slam title may be a step too far given he has never gone beyond the fourth round in one, but the Briton is certainly capable of putting up a strong display in Paris. 

Evans has won only one title on the ATP Tour and that came in an Australian Open warm-up event on a hard court in Melbourne in 2021. 

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But there is nothing wrong with his clay-court game and that has been evident this season. Not only did the Birmingham man reach the semi-final of a minor clay event in Marrakech in April, but he built on that with a run to the last four in Barcelona later that month. 

Having recorded respectable wins over Karen Khachanov and Francisco Cerundolo, Evans bumped into eventual champion Alcaraz in that Spanish event. 

However, it was a fine effort and he is 200/1 to reign supreme in Paris.

Murray hoping to roll back the years

While Norrie and Evans remain relatively unproven at Grand Slam level, Scottish veteran Murray has been there and done it, having won three Major titles. 

Twice a winner on the grass of Wimbledon and also the US Open champion in 2012, clay may be the weakest of Murray's surfaces but that didn't stop him finishing runner-up to Djokovic in 2014. 

Now 36 years of age, Murray is evidently not the force he once was but he is back at world number 42 and did win a clay Challenger event at the expense of Tommy Paul in Aix-en-Provence, France, earlier this month. 

That was a first title success since 2019 for the Scot and shows plenty of hunger and desire remains, something that should stand him in good stead in Paris. 

Murray did lose in the opening round in Rome most recently, but with a decent draw he would still be capable of putting up a bold show in the French capital. The former British number one has reached the semi-final in Paris on five occasions but is set for only his second appearance in the tournament in the last six seasons. 

Murray is 100/1 to roll back the years and win the French Open next month.

bet365 News Team

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