Day 7 at the French Open will see the final eight third-round men’s matches. After Saturday, the Round of 16 lineup will be set in Paris. As always, our writers here at LWOT share their thoughts on all of the matches. We split the matches between two articles–with the other article featuring Frances Tiafoe vs Jaime Faria. Predicting these matches are Ateet Shrivastava, Harsh Bhoot, and Yesh Ginsburg. Who do you think will advance?
French Open Day 7 Predictions
Learner Tien vs Flavio Cobolli
Ateet:
Learner Tien saved two match points in the fourth set to come back and defeat Facundo Diaz Acosta in five sets. It was a big escape for Tien as he looked like the inferior player for most of this match. He once again showed how strong he is both mentally and physically, but he will need to play better if he wants to extend his stay here. Flavio Cobolli has more experience on this surface and should be up for this battle. I am going with the Italian here.
Prediction: Cobolli in 4
Harsh:
A tough match to call. Tien entered this tournament after winning Geneva but has struggled to dominate against opponents he should have. Cobolli, on the other hand, has breezed through the first two rounds and in the Paris heat that is an added advantage. Expect Cobolli’s ground strokes to have something extra and that should trouble Tien.
Prediction: Cobolli in 4
Yesh:
Is Flavio Cobolli the most under-appreciate near-Top 10 player in memory? Probably. No one tracked his move up the rankings, and he doesn’t have any huge results that left a mark. He’s just a solid player, but Learner Tien’s unmatched point construction and court coverage should wear him down.
Prediction: Tien in 5
Juan Manuel Cerundolo vs Martin Landaluce
Ateet:
Juan Manuel Cerundolo shocked the world with his upset over Jannik Sinner, and now there will be more eyes on him to back up his win. He has a very solid game and consistently makes good shots in rallies. He is not going to overpower anyone, but his game style matches up brilliantly on clay, especially in these hot conditions. Martin Landaluce has played back-to-back five-setters, and I don’t see him bringing his best in this one.
Prediction: Cerundolo in 4
Harsh:
Cerundolo will be thanking his lucky stars after beating Sinner as the Argentinian was visibly on the back foot for the majority of the first three sets. Credit to Cerundolo for sticking in. He now faces Landaluce who has had to endure five setters in both his first round matches. While Cerundolo is mighty consistent, Landaluce is definitely more aggressive and if he recovers well, he should be the one dictating play more often than not.
Prediction: Landaluce in 4
Yesh:
Juan Manuel Cerundolo is coming off the biggest win of his life. Will he be emotionally ready? In a completely neutral setting, I would think Cerundolo is a bit better than Landaluce right now, especially on clay. But he has momentum and should have serious crowd support. If he keeps his emotions in check, he’s advancing another round here.
Prediction: Cerundolo in 4
Raphael Collignon vs Matteo Arnaldi
Ateet:
Raphael Collignon eliminated #5 seed Ben Shelton with a fantastic performance. Collignon served brilliantly and did not face a break point all match, which is something. Matteo Arnaldi is going to be much more threatening from the baseline, but he doesn’t have a good serve, which gives the Belgian a big advantage.
Prediction: Collignon in 5
Harsh:
Both players have taken out high quality opponents already making this match a must watch. Collignon took out the fifth seed, Shelton, while Arnaldi has beaten Tsitsipas. Collignon is higher ranked and has had the better results this year and with the way he’s won the first two rounds, he should be the one dominating with his serve.
Prediction: Collignon in 4
Yesh:
Arnaldi is quietly a very impressive player, especially when he’s comfortable moving on the clay. This has been a breakout week from Collignon, but the Italian’s comfort on the surface should make him too tough.
Prediction: Arnaldi in 3
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Brandon Nakashima
Ateet:
Jannik Sinner’s exit has completely changed the dynamic of this year’s French Open, and Felix Auger-Aliassime can put himself in a prime position to benefit from it. He is the only Top 10 player remaining in the top half of the draw and looked in great touch for the most part in his second-round match. Brandon Nakashima overcame a tough five-setter, and I think he won’t have the level to beat the Canadian.
Prediction: Auger-Aliassime in 4
Harsh:
Auger-Aliassime is finding a way to get through the initial rounds having to fight very hard. The fourth seed now faces Nakashima who too had a lengthy first round. Expect both players to take their time to settle in as they would be definitely fatigued. Nakashima is pretty consistent overall but Auger-Aliassime brings the superior firepower which should see him through.
Prediction: Auger-Aliassime in 4
Yesh:
This is a huge opportunity for Felix Auger-Aliassime, but a bad matchup for him. Nakashima keeps the ball moving around the court and often creates awkward angles for opponents to hit from, something the Canadian has never been amazing with. I think he’s too talented to miss this change, but I expect this match to be far closer than most think.
Prediction: Auger-Aliassime in 5
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
