On day 2, our panelists had another solid and successful day, Stefano and Niall were both 4-1, and Steen was 3-2 with their picks. In day 3, there are some great men’s matches on deck, and here is a look at the best with Stefano, Niall, and freelance journalist Manuel Traquete.
Panelists Predictions for Roland Garros 2015 Men’s Day 3 Matches
(10)Grigor Dimitrov vs. Jack Sock
Manuel:
Dimitrov will be looking to avoid a second consecutive 1st round elimination at Roland Garros and he was handed a pretty tricky draw with Sock in round 1; the American has one of the biggest forehands in the game and he won a clay title in Houston this year. After that though, he won only one match in the lead-up for the French Open, while Dimitrov showed some solid form – reaching quarterfinals at both Monte Carlo and Madrid. Sock might make things difficult for the #10 seed, but you’d expect the Bulgarian to prevail in the end. Dimitrov in 4 sets
Stefano:
One of the most improved players of last 12 months Sock, against a player that had a disappointing start in 2015, Dimitrov. Dimitrov gave some decent signs lately and I think he is a more complete player, on European clay the difference in class between the two players should be quite clear, especially on backhand side. Dimitrov in 4 sets
Niall:
It’s getting to crunch time for Grigor Dimitrov as time is running out for him to make a breakthrough. The Bulgarian has shown great form on grass but his clay results leave a lot to be desired. Jack Sock possesses a huge top spin forehand that is I believe only second to Nadal in terms of the amount of spin he gets on the ball. That could translate well on the clay, but the backhand is a weakness to be exploited. This is a match where an upset could be made. Dimitrov lost to Karlovic last year, and Sock’s game suits clay more than Ivo’s. If Sock hits his forehand well I could see him prevailing in 4 or 5 sets. Sock in 5 sets
(16)John Isner vs. Andreas Seppi
Manuel:
Seppi scored arguably the biggest upset of the season in Melbourne when he took out Roger Federer in the third round, but it hasn’t been a good year for him aside from that. In fact, injury has sidelined him since Monte Carlo and there’s obviously questions about just how fit he will be for this tournament. Isner on the other hand has been playing very well after that shocking Davis Cup defeat to Ward – not only posting solid results but playing with the kind of aggressive mindset that can make him a threat to even the best players in the world on a good day. He should prevail here especially considering Seppi’s lack of match fitness. Isner in 4 sets
Stefano:
Isner performed quite well on European clay while Seppi didn’t play after Monte Carlo because of a hip problem. Seppi during his career has always had pretty bad starts changing surface and adapting to different conditions: I think he would have skipped Paris but it’s a Slam and it’s very difficult to say no. Seppi would need rhythm to find his tennis and Isner gives you everything but rhythm. Isner in 3 sets
Niall:
Seppi may not possess many weapons but he is consistent from the baseline, and has the better record at Roland Garros than his opponent. However, his build up was cut short at Monte Carlo. John Isner on the other hand possesses arguably the biggest weapon in tennis with his serve. His kicker translates well on to clay, and he has some decent results on the dirt this year.
With Seppi’s lack of match practice on clay this season I feel Isner will win this one in 4 sets.
Isner in 4 sets
Nicolas Almagro vs. Alexandr Dolgopolov
Manuel:
Arguably the best round 1 match, between two players who, despite being far from their best days, are very talented, aggressive and can hit great shots off both wings. Both have also shown some signs of revival in recent tournaments. It’s a genuinely tough match to call and no result or set score would really surprise anyone, but I’m going to go with the Ukranian in a very tightly contested match. Dolgopolov in 5 sets
Stefano:
Both players are far from their best career form. Almagro’s level and result if you don’t consider the 3 setter with Djokovic in Rome has been pretty poor while the Ukrainian has shown decent form on the European clay. Dolgopolov has more solutions and more confidence, I trust him . Dolgopolov in 4 sets
Niall:
Injuries mean that Nico Almagro’s ranking took a tumble but he is still a dangerous player. The Spaniard possesses a deceptively big serve and can play well on the clay as evident by his three quarter final runs at Roland Garros. Dolgopolov has one of the most varied games on tour, and there is not a shot he can’t hit. However he is wildly inconsistent and is prone to checking out mentally. Neither of these players are known for their mental strength, but with that said it will likely come down to who chokes the least. I will say Almagro gets through on this occasion. Almagro in 5 sets
Pablo Carreno Busta vs. Victor Estrella
Manuel:
Another very unpredictable match. Carreno Busta is a very consistent grinder and you more or less know what you’re going to get from him on any given day; as for Estrella his style is more prone to dips. I believe that if he is on a good day, the Dominican veteran will prevail, but if he isn’t Carreno Busta’s consistency is likely to prove too much. Estrella Burgos in 4 sets
Stefano:
When will Victor Estrella stop surprising the tennis fans? His last months have been unbelievable but it has to be noted that he is 0-4 in career at Roland Garros. Carreno is a very solid claycourter but as Estrella, he didn’t have any particularly impressive results lately. I go with his freshness in best of 5 sets. Carreno Busta in 5 sets
Niall:
Pablo Carreno Busta hasn’t made the transition for the challenger to the main tour particularly well, but clay is undoubtedly the Spaniard’s best surface, and he has shown some good results on this surface. Victor Estrella’s story has been one of the highlights of 2015 as the 34 year old won his first title in Quito and has achieved a career high ranking of 45 this month.
Estrella’s story has been incredible, but I just feel that youth may prevail this time around. Carreno Busta in 5 sets
(23)Leonardo Mayer vs. Jiri Vesely
Manuel:
Under normal circumstances, I’d pick Mayer to win this match, but the Argentine is likely to be quite tired after his run in Nice last week – which ended in a grueling 3-set loss to Thiem in the final. Players outside the top 10 having a letdown the week after a big results is a very recurring theme on the ATP tour, and Vesely isn’t exactly an easy first round opponent. Vesely in 4 sets
Stefano:
Mayer is at his career peak and in this Slam has always had decent results. I think this could be the chance of his life to make 4th round here and he is a more consistent player than Vesely. The Czech recently reached the final at Bucharest ATP with a weak field, he will have to play a perfect match to prevail. Mayer in 4 sets
Niall:
Leo Mayer comes into Roland Garros in good form after reaching the Nice final last week. He is in the form of his life, and will be looking to continue that this week. Jiri Vesely has a consistent game that translates well on to the clay. The Czech is only 21 so he is one to look out for in the future. Vesely is a tough opponent, but I feel Mayer’s form will see him through this tight match. Mayer In 4 sets
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