On what promises to be an entertaining seventh day at Roland Garros, 16 players will battle it out for a place in the fourth round. As ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the slate, including Bianca Andreescu vs Jasmine Paolini. But who will advance?
French Open Day 7 Predictions
Aryna Sabalenka vs Paula Badosa
Jordan: These two friends have had some great battles in the past. Paula Badosa’s powerful hitting has unsettled the world # 2 in some of their previous matches. However, Aryna Sabalenka was ominously good in the first two rounds and it will be tough for any player outside of Iga Swiatek to stop her in that form.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 2
Yesh: Sabalenka is hitting the ball hard and carefree. That’s a brutal combination for everyone else.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 2
Glenys: Second seed Sabalenka has cruised through the first two rounds. The Belarusian has only dropped seven games. Badosa has had to battle through to this stage, both the previous matches went the full distance. Sabalenka & Badosa have met a few times on tour, with the Belarussian leading the head to head. Sabalenka won’t worry about the Spaniard, although it could go the distance as a few of the meetings have.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 3
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Varvara Gracheva vs Irina-Camelia Begu
Jordan: This is likely to be a tough match for Varvara Gracheva, despite her excellent level so far in Paris. Irina-Camelia Begu showed how adept she is at soaking up powerful hitting against Linda Noskova in the last round. The Frenchwoman gets the narrowest of edges, but this could go the distance.
Prediction: Gracheva in 3
Yesh: What an opportunity for one of these women. Gracheva is slowly but steadily improving her career heights, while Begu has just two Slam second weeks to her name over a 15-year career (both at Roland-Garros). Can Begu get a third? Probably, but the French crowd might pull their woman across the line.
Prediction: Begu in 3
Glenys: Gracheva stunned the sixth seed in the first round, battling through a three set match. The second round was much easier and straight sets. Begu has had an easier ride so far. Both her matches have been straight set wins. Begu also defeated a seed en route. The pair have only met once on tour, back in 2020, which the Romanian won.
Prediction: Begu in 2
Elena Rybakina vs Elise Mertens
Jordan: Elise Mertens usually struggles in matches like this. She is very good at navigating herself through the early rounds but does not possess a major weapon to consistently hurt the very top players. Expect Elena Rybakina’s power to be too much for the Belgian.
Prediction: Rybakina in 2
Yesh: Rybakina has won Wimbledon and reached an Australian Open final. Is this her big French Open breakthrough? It’s looking pretty likely, given her clay form this year.
Prediction: Rybakina in 2
Glenys: Rybakina and Mertens have met five times. The Kazakh, who is the fourth seed, has eased through in straight sets to this point. Mertens has also progressed in straight sets. Rybakina dominated the last meeting, losing only one game. This could be a very interesting match.
Prediction: Rybakina in 2
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Zheng Qinwen vs Elina Avanesyan
Jordan: Zheng Qinwen won both her previous rounds very easily. Yet, an upset is very possible here. Elina Avanesyan was also impressive in her matches so far and she will make Zheng play a lot of extra balls. The Russian clay-court specialist has the craftiness to make this a difficult match for this year’s Australian Open runner-up.
Prediction: Avanesyan in 3
Yesh: Zheng came out of close to nowhere to reach the Australian Open final back in January. Her season since then has not been particularly impressive, but her form this week has been at an insanely high level. I’m trusting her here until her level drops.
Prediction: Zheng in 2
Glenys: Zheng and Avanesyan have not met on tour before. However, both have had similar routes to this stage. Both Zheng and Avanesyan have not dropped a set yet. Zheng is the seventh seed but Avanesyan is unseeded. This will be the match of the round of these picks
Prediction: Zheng in 3
Main photo credit: Susan Mullane – USA TODAY Sports
