Day 7 at Roland Garros 2015 could very well feature multiple five set thrillers, as the matchups look enticing. Our panel today of Stefano Berlincioni, Chris de Waard and Jeff McMillan, both of Tennis Atlantic are here to break down the best 5 matches on the day.
Panelists Predictions Roland Garros 2015 Day 7
Jack Sock vs. Borna Coric
Stefano:
I picked Coric as an underdog in first two rounds and I am not going to leave him. Coric is surely a future star of this sport but also Sock has improved a lot during the last months and he is ready to attack the top 20 ranking. None of them has great experience at Slam level and the winner will be in the 4th round for his first time so this match is crucial for both. I don’t think tiredness is a factor at this stage and the way Coric played from 3-4* down in the fifth set convinced me about his extraordinary mental skills. Coric in 5 sets
Jeff:
The most interesting 3rd round matchup of the French Open comes to you in the form of two players stepping into unchartered territory thus far in their young careers. This is a match that could go either way and one that is a massive opportunity for both players. Sock’s monster forehand will dictate the ebb and flow of this match but I believe that it is Coric who will be able to defend effectively enough to break Sock down at times. Coric will be able to exploit Sock’s court position as the match wears on. Sock will undoubtedly have his moments and will win a lot of points based on his strengths alone. In the end I am envisioning the 18-year-old Croat raising his arms in triumph after a 5 set win. Coric in 5 sets
Chris:
This is a big opportunity for both youngsters, if you can still call Sock a youngster at 22. Neither have reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam and now they have about a 50/50 shot at making it. Sock posted a shocking and impressive straight set win over Grigor Dimitrov in the first round, after which he showed great clutchness against Pablo Carreno Busta in his four set victory, winning two tiebreak sets in which he saved a combined four set points. I do however feel that Coric will get through. Sock clearly struggled more with Carreno Busta’s game than Dimitrov’s and knowing that Coric is a lot more like the former and can do pretty much everything Carreno Busta does to a better extent, I think he will just snatch the win. Coric in 5 sets
(3)Andy Murray vs. (29)Nick Kyrgios
Stefano:
Murray is 5-0 in sets against Kyrgios and this looks like a really bad match-up for the Aussie. Murray came here with huge confidence while Kyrgios has still to demonstrate he has able to play top tennis also on clay. The Scottish is undefeated this year on clay and I think he will be also after this match. Murray in 4 sets
Jeff:
This is a mouthwatering 3rd round matchup between a red hot and suddenly adept clay wizard Andy Murray and one of the ATP’s most exciting young guns in Nick Kyrgios. Murray had a little bit of a struggle with Joao Sousa in the last round while Krygios got to kick his feet back and watch the match as his opponent Kyle Edmund withdrew before either player walked on the court. In this match I expect Kyrgios to bring everything he’s got and make a real match of it. I do not expect one-way traffic for Murray, but at the end of the day I do expect the Great Scot to win. Murray in 5 sets
Chris:
If I were to give betting advice, I’d say, go for the game handicap on Kyrgios, which is at +6.5 or +7. Kyrgios will keep it close, but this will be a completely different ball game than his win against Roger Federer in Madrid. Murray’s great return will enable him to neutralize Kyrgios’ big serve, forcing Kyrgios to take a lot more risks, on top of his already high risk game. Murray is slightly overrated in this match-up and Kyrgios slightly underrated, but the Australian won’t be able to win more than a set. Murray in 4 sets
(15)Kevin Anderson vs. (20)Richard Gasquet
Stefano:
Gasquet leads 4-2 over Anderson but they never met on clay. Surface and French crowd make him a clear favourite to my eyes, also this season his results on clay have been more positive than Anderson’s. The South African doesn’t like to move a lot and on clay will be difficult for him to shorten rallies, from the baseline Gasquet is much more rapid and solid. Gasquet in 4 sets
Jeff:
Both of these players are playing fairly well but have shown signs of weakness as well so far in Roland Garros. Gasquet has a positive head to head vs. Anderson even though Anderson won their last meeting in the Australian Open earlier this year. I expect Gasquet to take this match in front of his home crowd. Anderson will fade after a decent start. I expect two tight early split sets and then Gasquet to pull away in the final 2. Prediction: Gasquet in 4 sets
Chris:
Gasquet complicated matters immensely against Carlos Berlocq in the previous round, becoming too passive after going up 2-1 in sets, which led to Berlocq taking the fourth set and the match getting suspended until the next day. He had no problem winning the fifth set, 6-1, after starting to dictate again, so one has to assume he learned his lesson and won’t let the same thing happen against Anderson. Especially given the warning earlier this year at the Australian Open, when Anderson handed him a painful straight set loss. On clay and being a wiser man I think Gasquet will have enough quality to win. Gasquet in 4 sets
(7)David Ferrer vs. Simone Bolelli
Stefano:
Jeff:
Two players who love to play on the dirt. Bolelli is in great form following a straight sets blitzing of Viktor Troicki. The Italian shotmaker is always a pleasant treat to watch when he is firing on all cylinders. Unfortunately for him, David Ferrer is perfectly built to dismantle him. Ferrer will force a lot of errors and grind down Bolelli all day, which will lead to a straightforward 3rd round win for the veteran Spaniard. Ferrer in 3 sets
Chris:
There is not much to discuss here. Ferrer has never dropped a set against Bolelli in their five meetings and that is unlikely to change here, keeping in mind that Ferrer only dropped a combined eleven games in his first two matches. Bolelli will have to look for an opportunity to reach his first fourth round in a Grand Slam elsewhere. Ferrer in 3 sets
(9)Marin Cilic vs. (23)Leonardo Mayer
Stefano:
Cilic won their previous match here 5 years ago after a long battle. Claycourt season has not been great for him while Mayer played solid tennis last 10 days, he passed two difficult rounds here. I have never trusted Cilic so much and I think on clay the Argentinean has a slight edge. I am aware of the great record of the Croatian in 5th sets (19-9) but I see an upset here before a 5th set arrives. Mayer in 4 sets
Jeff:
Marin Cilic is finally starting to show signs that he is back in form, which is good news for everyone who follows the ATP. It is always good to have a slam winner playing well. But this match vs. the Argentinian Mayer will be a very tough test. Mayer is playing very well and has made himself into a legitimate top 25 player in the world in these last couple of years. I do not believe that Cilic is 100% back and Mayer will push him to his limits and steal an upset victory. Mayer in 5 sets
Chris:
This match is probably the hardest one to predict, with two really erratic players facing off. Cilic has not played a good clay season and victories over Robin Haase and a tired Andrea Arnaboldi hardly give a reason to think this has changed all of a sudden. Mayer on the other hand has been in good form, barely losing the Nice final to Thiem and surviving more than tough first and second round opponents in Jiri Vesely and Jerzy Janowicz, respectively in five and four sets. They already faced once at Roland Garros, in 2010, with Cilic winning in five sets. This time around I reckon Mayer will be victorious. Mayer in 4 sets
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