We are going into the third round of the French Open, and there are plenty of blockbuster rounds scheduled for Friday. Here are my thoughts on the men's singles matchups.
Andrey Rublev vs Matteo Arnaldi
It has been a pretty good week for Arnaldi, with wins over Fils and Muller, but the Italian is coming up against a tough opponent. After being disqualified in Dubai in March due to a dispute with the line judge, Rublev has become more and more grounded and consistent, going deeper into tournaments, and winning the title in Madrid. The favorite to win the match is Rublev.
Prediction: Rublev in 4 sets
Jannik Sinner vs Pavel Kotov
At his career high, Pavel Kotov is playing some pretty impressive tennis. With wins over two quality opponents (Norrie and Wawrinka) he will be confident going into the match. However, his opponent, Jannik Sinner, is playing the best tennis of his career. He is number 1 in the live rankings, and looks to stay there at the end of the two weeks. Even with doubts about his right hip, he hasn't dropped a set thus far into the tournament. The clear favorite to win is Sinner.
Prediction: Sinner in 3 sets
Hubert Hurkacz vs Denis Shapovalov
After a slow comeback from his knee injury, Shapovalov has strung together two wins over Francis Tiafoe and Luca Van Assche. He is playing well, but his opponent, Hurkacz is having the best clay season of his career. He won his first title in Estoril earlier this year, and is seeming to become much more comfortable on the dirt. The favorite in my eyes is Hurkacz.
Prediction: Hurkacz in 4 sets
Grigor Dimitrov vs Zizou Bergs
Dimitrov's career renaissance has carried on in Paris, he hasn't dropped a set in the two matches he has played so far. Zizou Bergs is very good at playing aggressively, so he will try to match Dimitrov's power, but the Bulgarian is a strong candidate for the win.
Prediction: Dimitrov in 3 sets
Sebastian Ofner vs Corentin Moutet
After playing some amazing tennis in a grueling 5 setter against Baez, Ofner will more than likely be fatigued. He will not have gotten even a days rest between the two matches, and as Moutet is the home favorite, he will also be against the inspired French fans. This is a great chance for one of these players to reach the second week of a Grand Slam, but the Frenchman will most likely come out on top.
Prediction: Moutet in 4 sets
Zhang Zhizhen vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
Zhang Zhizhen has become more and more consistent, and we are all getting used to seeing him at the tail end of tournaments. However, we can always expect to see Tsitsipas' best results on clay, making him the heavy favorite.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 3 sets
Ben Shelton vs Felix Auger-Alliasime
This matchup is one to be on the lookout for, although there is not clear favorite, here are my thoughts. After a not so good 2023 clay season, Ben Shelton seems to have found his footing. Having won his first clay court title in Houston, he will be confident in a tough his match against Auger-Alliasime. While the Canadian has had an inconsistent season, he reached the final in Madrid, and was very close to taking the title. This matchup is very up in the air, but I would give the American the edge especially because he will have been better rested because he was given a walkover by Nishikori.
Prediction: Shelton in 5 sets
Sebastian Korda vs Carlos Alcaraz
Korda's best surface seems to be clay, so we can expect him to play some pretty good tennis during this match. However, Alcaraz is looking pretty healthy despite concerns about a right arm injury. He may feel the need to hold back to avoid injuring himself again, so Korda may try to take advantage of that. The clear favorite in this matchup is Alcaraz, but Korda does have a chance.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 4 sets
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