Two of the French Open contenders will be in action on day 4 with Qinwen Zheng and Iga Swiatek taking to the court for their second round matches. We have predictions for every day 4 match in Paris in both the men’s and women’s singles draw, as the tennis action heats up.
Iga Swiatek vs Emma Raducanu
Jordan Reynolds: Swiatek thrashed Raducanu for the loss of just one game at the Australian Open in January. The Pole’s form has dipped since then, but overcoming her at Roland Garros is a very challenging ask. Raducanu needs to be aggressive and show no fear to have a chance. Unfortunately for her, doing that is still unlikely to be enough to cause an upset. Swiatek in 2
Nurein Ahmed: On this court, Swiatek demolishes opponents with so much ease. Raducanu needs to shorten points. She’ll need to step up and take initiative to avoid getting drawn into those cat-and-mouse rallies that end with Swiatek tiring her opponent’s limbs and finishing off points with winners. With reports that Raducanu might be ill in this tournament, it makes Swiatek’s task easier. Swiatek in 2
Ilemona Onekutu: Swiatek dominated 6-1 6-0 in Melbourne, but clay could offer Raducanu more rhythm. Though the Pole hasn’t been as untouchable lately, her Paris prowess still makes an upset unlikely—unless Raducanu redlines her aggressive game. Swiatek in 2
Amanda Anisimova vs Viktorija Golubic
Jordan: Golubic defeated Petra Kvitova in the opening round, but it was a very scrappy match. Anisimova will win this comfortably if she finds some of her formidable hitting. The Swiss veteran does not defend as well as earlier in her career, making this matchup challenging.
Anisimova in 2
Nurein: This has been Anisimova’s best season, but she’s also suffered her fair share of surprise defeats. Golubic is the kind of player who can frustrate Anisimova with her slice-oriented, crafty style which works well on these slow courts. If Anisimova stays patient and finds a good balance of injecting pace and picking her spots, she’ll have enough to progress. Anisimova in 2
Ilemona: Anisimova’s explosive baseline game faces Golubic’s crafty slice-and-dice tactics on clay. The American’s power should prevail, but if Golubic disrupts rhythm with her variety and frustrates Anisimova into errors, this could get tricky. Expect a contrast of styles—with the winner determined by who imposes their game first. Anisimova in 2
Qinwen Zheng vs Emiliana Arango
Jordan: Zheng is a significant favorite, but still needs to be careful. She crashed out of last year’s French Open to Elina Avanesyan, who plays a similar defensive game without much pace to Arango. However, Zheng has won a Gold Medal at Roland Garros since that loss and should be prepared for the challenge. Zheng in 2
Nurein: Zheng is finally showing that top 10 level form. It took time, but clay was always her favorable surface to resuscitate her confidence. That opening win over Pavlyuchenkova was as good as it got, with Zheng getting it done in straight sets. She’s been proactive and that’s what she missed in the first quarter of the season. Expect her to power into the third round. Zheng in 2
Ilemona: Zheng’s powerful baseline game clashes with Arango’s tenacious defense in a classic offense-versus-grit duel. The Colombian’s ability to extend rallies on clay could test Zheng’s consistency, especially if she mixes in smart drop shots. Arango’s counterpunching might force errors under pressure, but Zheng’s first-strike aggression could dictate tempo if she finds her range early. Expect long, physical exchanges with momentum swings. Zheng in 2
Anastasia Potapova vs Yuliia Starodubtseva
Jordan: Potapova managed an incredible comeback from 2-5 in the deciding set against Linda Noskova in the opening round. Starodubtseva, like Noskova, will be the aggressor in this match. I think Potapova can rise to that challenge again and reach the third round. Potapova in 3
Nurein: Potapova’s shot selection under pressure can be hit or miss. But there is no doubt that the Russian is one of the most aggressive players. She loves to take risks with her shot selection, and maybe that will be rewarded here against the counterpunching Starodubtseva.
Potapova in 3
Ilemona: Potapova’s power faces Starodubtseva’s gritty defense. The Ukrainian’s speed could extend rallies, but the Russian’s aggressive game should prevail if she stays patient.
Potapova in 3
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
