The first round of men’s singles at the French Open wraps up on Day 3. To conclude the round, we are treated to 20 matches on Tuesday. As always, our writers here at LastWordOnTennis share their thoughts on all of the matches. We split the day’s 20 matches between this and four other articles. The other articles feature Novak Djokovic vs Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Casper Ruud vs Felipe Meligeni Alves, David Goffin vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, and Alexander Bublik vs Gregoire Barrere. Predicting today’s matches are Jim Smith, Jordan Reynolds, and Damian Kust. Who do you think will advance?
French Open Day 3 Predictions
Alex de Minaur vs Alex Michelsen
Jim:
Despite his excellent court coverage, Alex de Minaur simply does not have the weight of shot to mix it with the best of them on the clay. But he should be able to outlast or outmaneuver Alex Michelsen in their baseline exchanges regularly enough to book his spot in the second round.
Prediction: de Minaur in 3
Jordan:
Neither man plays their best tennis on clay. De Minaur has managed to make some improvements on the surface, while Michelsen has many years ahead of him to make adjustments on it. Right now, the Australian’s athleticism and consistency is likely to prevail in this matchup.
Prediction: de Minaur in 4
Damian:
It’s tough to know what to expect from de Minaur here. His clay game hasn’t quite made the leap he was hoping for and while Michelsen has even less pedigree on this surface, this is where the Australian can be pretty vulnerable and struggle to hit through the court. He’s the favorite, but it might be a bit of a slog.
Prediction: de Minaur in 4
Jaume Munar vs Roberto Bautista Agut
Jim:
Long rallies are set to be the order of the day here. But unlike many of his compatriots, Roberto Bautista Agut has always been more at home on faster surfaces rather than the European clay. Against a younger opponent at his best on the clay in Jaume Munar, this looks like a big ask for the veteran.
Prediction: Munar in 4
Jordan:
Bautista Agut is certainly past his best and his younger compatriot will feel he has a very good chance here. But I think Bautista Agut will find a way to get this done. He hits the balls very flat, even on clay. That is often a style that Munar struggles against and it could make a key difference.
Prediction: Bautista Agut in 4
Damian:
Anything to split the two Spaniards? Bautista Agut has been in pretty decent shape of late and it seems like he’s actually the one with a higher floor at the moment. Munar is a lot younger though and will not mind this one going very physical. If it’s five tight sets and that’s definitely a possibility, it’s Munar who might have the advantage.
Prediction: Munar in 5
Adrian Mannarino vs Giulio Zeppieri
Jim:
Adrian Mannarino hasn’t just been losing matches over the last few weeks, he’s been losing them badly. In fact, the closest he has come to winning a set, nevermind a match, was forcing a tiebreak in the first round in Lyon. That does not inspire much confidence in his chances against Giulio Zeppieri.
Prediction: Zeppieri in 4
Jordan:
Mannarino’s record on clay and at the French Open is really poor. This is not a bad draw for him and he at least has a chance against the big-serving Italian. However, I still think he will come up short. His less effective defense on clay will help Zeppieri to get many free points.
Prediction: Zeppieri in 4
Damian:
Is Mannarino the dream draw in this whole field? The Frenchman used to win about 25% of his clay-court matches in his prime, but this year he only really showed any fight in one performance. It was the most recent one vs Darderi in Lyon, but Zeppieri still needs to be looking at this as a massive opportunity.
Prediction: Zeppieri in 4
Holger Rune vs Dan Evans
Jim:
It has been a difficult season for Holger Rune, but his form has picked up slightly since the clay-court swing began. Dan Evans, in contrast, has found wins very hard to come by, despite some good previous results on the terre battue. He might be able to unsettle Rune with his sliced backhand and forays forward, but a comfortable win for Rune looks the likelier outcome.
Prediction: Rune in 3
Jordan:
Rune’s struggles this year have been well publicised. The Dane may feel like he is in a crisis if Evans beats him. The Briton is least effective on clay. Rune, despite his difficult year, should be able to exploit his one-handed backhand.
Prediction: Rune in 3
Damian:
Rune isn’t particularly strong at the moment and a second round match against Cobolli or Medjedovic could mean loads of trouble for him. But Evans is a draw he should come through regardless. The Brit is in struggle town right now and things will get even worse when he’ll need to defend that Washington title this summer (about 60% of his ranking!).
Prediction: Rune in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
