The first round of the French Open wraps up on Tuesday (weather-permitting, obviously). Day 2 saw much more in terms of upsets and surprises than Day 1 did. What does Day 3 have in store for us? We’ll find out Tuesday. Most importantly we at LWOT are predicting plenty of Day 3 matches for you. We have four matches in this set of predictions, as well as two full other sets. (One of those features Jelena Ostapenko vs Victoria Azarenka, while the other headlines Aryna Sabalenka vs Dominika Cibulkova.) Predicting these matches for you today are myself (Yesh Ginsburg) and David Gertler.
French Open Day 3 Women’s Predictions
Madison Keys vs Evgeniya Rodina
Head to Head: 1-0 Rodina
David:
Evgeniya Rodina made headlines at Wimbledon last year when she upset Madison Keys, can she pull off another stunner? Rodina has had a miserable clay court season, only winning one match in three sets against a qualifier in Lugano. Keys went 1-2 in Madrid and Rome, but did win the title on Charleston’s green clay, and made the semifinals last year before losing to Sloane Stephens, so she can be a threat this year in Paris. And given Keys’ history and Rodina’s poor form, you just have to trust Madison to get the job done in this match.
Prediction: Keys in 2
Yesh:
Rodina upset Keys last year, but it won’t happen again. The American will be out for revenge, and she’s much better than Rodina on clay anyway.
Prediction: Keys in 2
Karolina Muchova vs Anett Kontaveit
Head to Head: Never Played
David:
Karolina Muchova will be looking to pull the upset when she takes on Anett Kontaveit. Muchova has only played one tournament on clay this season, but it was a success, as she made the final in Prague, proving that she can play on the dirt. Kontaveit found a lot of success on the fast clay in Stuttgart, losing to Kvitova in the final, but ever since, has struggled. Kontaveit went 1-2 in Madrid and Rome. Nevertheless, last year proved that Kontaveit was a threat on clay, as she won multiple matches in Madrid, Rome, and Roland Garros, and Kontaveit has the game to take the racquet out of Muchova’s hands. Kontaveit gets the win.
Prediction: Kontaveit in 2
Yesh:
This match is honestly close to a toss-up. Kontaveit is the better player overall and has better results on clay in general, but this year it’s pretty close. Muchova’s current form will disrupt Kontaveit’s game a little. Don’t be surprised if this goes three.
Prediction: Kontaveit in 3
Daria Kasatkina vs Jasmine Paolini
Head to Head: 1-0 Paolini
David:
Last year’s quarterfinal appearance must feel long ago for Daria Kastakina, as she gets set to face off with Jasmine Paolini. Kasatkina has struggled this season, but recently seemed to start finding her form, winning consecutive matches in Rome. Jasmine Paolini did not drop a set in qualifying, and beat Kasatkina in Prague in 2018, during a clay court season in which Kasatkina was very much in form. Kasatkina will have to be weary of Paolini in this battle. However, Kasatkina seemed to be on the right track in Rome, and I expect her improving form to continue on to Roland Garros.
Prediction: Kasatkina in 3
Yesh:
I’m liking the upset here. Kasatkina has real potential, but she has struggled a lot in the past year. Her form is there, but she seems to lose track of things at too many times during all of her matches. She finally won two matches at a tournament in Rome, but Paolini is good on clay and somehow always can raise her level during her big matches. Give me the upset.
Prediction: Paolini in 3
Simona Halep vs Ajla Tomljanovic
Head to Head: 1-0 Halep
David:
Defending champion Simona Halep starts her title defense against upset-minded Ajla Tomljanovic. Halep is one of the favorites for this tournament, and made the final in Madrid, where she lost in a tight straight-set loss to Kiki Bertens. While she lost early in Rome, perhaps that was a blessing in disguise, giving her the rest she needs to make a real run at defending her crown. Tomljanovic won a couple matches on the green clay of Charleston, and made the semifinals in Rabat, showing she can play on clay. As a big hitter, Tomljanovic is a dangerous matchup for Halep. The head-to-head is 1-0 for Halep, as she won in three sets in Cincinnati last year. Expect another three-set victory for Halep, who might be feeling nerves early in the match.
Prediction: Halep in 3
Yesh:
Tomljanovic is a hard-hitting talented Australian, who is definitely a threat to go deep at Slams. Unfortunately for her, she isn’t ranked high enough be be seeded–which leads to this first-round matchup. Honestly, I think she really might upset Simona Halep here. Halep’s game is solid but not great right now, and Tomljanovic is going to come in guns blazing to pull off the upset. Still, it’s just too tough to predict the defending champion losing in the first round.
Prediction: Halep in 3
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
What do you think of our French Open Day 3 predictions? Feel free to leave your own thoughts on Day 3 in the comments.
