Expect plenty of exciting tennis on day one at the French Open. There are 20 first-round matches on the slate in Paris and, as ever, we here at LWOT are offering our predictions for every match, including Magda Linette vs Leylah Fernandez, Maria Sakkari vs Karolina Muchova, Aryna Sabalenka vs Marta Kostyuk and Daria Kasatkina vs Jule Niemeier. But who will book their place in the second round?
French Open Day 1 Predictions
Jessica Pegula vs Danielle Collins
Jim: This promises to be an entertaining clash. Jessica Pegula and Danielle Collins will both know the other’s game well and both have experience of going deep at a Major. Collins is probably the more gifted clay-courter, but right now it is undoubtedly Pegula who is playing the better tennis, even if the last few weeks have not been particularly productive.
Prediction: Pegula in 3
Damian: With no matches since Charleston, Collins is just a big question mark. The American has the kind of playstyle where she can sometimes come out with no expectations, swing freely and be unplayable. Pegula being way more solid for her is just a lot more likely though.
Prediction: Pegula in 2
Jack: Losing to Taylor Townsend in Rome has left many a little short-sighted on Pegula’s incredible accomplishments. She so rarely loses early at any tournament—she’s so comfortable repeatedly bludgeoning her opponents with her incredibly measured flat strokes. Couple Pegula’s reliability with Danielle Collins’ questionable form and health, this shouldn’t really be considered upset potential.
Prediction: Pegula in 2
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Mayar Sherif vs Madison Brengle
Jim: Ons Jabeur may have (deservedly) captured most of the headlines, but Mayar Sherif has quietly been blazing a trail of her own. The Egyptian is her country’s highest-ranked WTA player of all time and has established herself as a solid tour-level professional. On her preferred clay, expect her to have the edge here.
Prediction: Sherif in 3
Damian: Was Sherif’s Madrid run a flash in the pan? To an extent, but it’s not like she doesn’t have an excellent clay-court skillset with the heavy forehand. It should also help her that the opponent is a very passive player, who won’t be able to put that much pressure on her extreme grip.
Prediction: Sherif in 2
Jack: Mayar Sherif won in Parma last year but the result of her career has to be her fantastic quarterfinal run in Madrid just a few weeks ago. Wins against Garcia, Giorgi, Kalinina and Mertens showcased her incredibly strong clay court game. She has the power to take control of this match against Madison Brengle.
Prediction: Sherif in 2
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Anastasia Potapova vs Taylor Townsend
Jim: It has been an indifferent few weeks for Potapova since her impressive run to the semifinals in Stuttgart. But this looks like a relatively kind draw. Townsend is a real threat on faster surfaces and has been doing some damage on the clay of late, but the conditions tilt the odds in Potapova’s favour.
Prediction: Potapova in 3
Damian: Nasty matchup for both with Townsend’s unique playstyle and an amazing run of form (11-2 since Rome). It’s definitely not who Potapova would want to play, but the Russian really stands out from the crowd of talented players with how well-balanced her game is. This is something that could be an asset against a player like Townsend.
Prediction: Potapova in 3
Jack: Two unfortunate second round draws against Veronika Kudermetova shouldn’t detract from the fact Potapova is hitting a mean ball at the moment. Her opponent, Taylor Townsend, is in fine form and will be a fitting challenge for her. Potapova should get a great warm up for what could be a fruitful Roland Garros for the Russian.
Prediction: Potapova in 3
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Elise Mertens vs Viktoria Hruncakova
Jim: Elise Mertens’ progress appears to have faltered slightly of late, at least in singles, but she remains ranked inside the top 30 for a reason. She is a consistent performer and if she has not quite achieved as much as a player of her ability should, she does not lose that many matches that she should win. Which is a long way of saying she will probably beat Viktoria Hrunsakova.
Prediction: Mertens in 2
Damian: Hruncakova is here as a lucky loser and even before that, she had to pull off a crazy comeback in the first round of qualifying. Mertens isn’t doing anything special at the moment, but we all know how consistent she is/used to be in early Slam rounds. Knowing her, she’ll likely come through.
Prediction: Mertens in 2
Jack: Mertens is the dictionary definition of a player ranked between #20 and #30 in the world. She very rarely gets knocked out before the third round of a Slam but she also rarely progresses passed the fourth. Her game is more than reliable enough to dispatch lucky loser Viktoria Hruncakova.
Prediction: Mertens in 2
Main photo credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
