There should be plenty of thrilling action on day one at the French Open and, as ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the slate, including Victoria Azarenka vs Danka Kovinic, Simona Halep vs Sara Sorribes Tormo, Johanna Konta vs Cori Gauff and Eugenie Bouchard vs Anna Kalinskaya. Offering their predictions for this slate of matches are Jim Smith, Andrew Watson and Pablo Mosquera Hasselbaink.
French Open Day One Women’s Predictions
Ajla Tomljanovic vs Maria Sakkari
Jim: Ajla Tomljanovic has endured a nightmarish few weeks since the season resumed, with the Australian still looking for her first win since February. Unfortunately for Tomljanovic, she seems unlikely to find it against Maria Sakkari. The Greek may be at her best on hard courts, but she has posted good results on clay in the past and has impressed at the Majors this year, reaching the second week in both Melbourne and New York.
Prediction: Sakkari in 2
Andrew: The Australian is having a tough time of things at the moment and her draws aren’t helping her out. After getting Angelique Kerber first up in New York she now faces the fast improving Sakkari in the first round. The Greek has established herself as a consistent performer over the last two years and her power, movement and competitive spirit should prove too much for Tomljanovic here.
Prediction: Sakkari in 2
Pablo: Sakkari has reached a point in her career where she very scarcely loses to players she isn’t supposed to. And a struggling Tomljanovic, whose last six matches have been losses, is a major underdog against the Greek. Sakkari may drop a set due to rustiness, but that’s about it.
Prediction: Sakkari in 2
Embed from Getty Images
Kamilla Rakhimova vs Shelby Rogers
Jim: Kamila Rakhimova looks like a player with a bright future, but she has next to no experience of playing at this level, with the Russian set to make her debut in the main draw at a Grand Slam on Sunday. Shelby Rogers, in contrast, has plenty of experience to call upon and reached the quarterfinals at the French Open four years ago. Expect her to prove too strong for the teenaged Rakhimova.
Prediction: Rogers in 2
Andrew: Rogers arrives at the French Open after her wonderful US Open run and as a former French Open quarterfinalist she has proven that she is able to play on clay. Her opponent here is a young talent in her first main draw Grand Slam match. It will be a great learning experience for the Russian, especially as all of her ITF finals have been on hard courts. But Rogers should have a comfortable start to her French Open campaign.
Prediction: Rogers in 2
On paper, the former quarterfinalist (Rogers) should have no trouble defeating a 19-year-old debutant (Rakhimova). Especially when the youngster’s previous tournament was an ITF $25,000 event. Nevertheless, the fact Rogers hasn’t stepped on a clay court for a match since May 2019 is concerning. Upset brewing.
Prediction: Rakhimova in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Anett Kontaveit vs Caroline Garcia
Jim: This could well prove to be one of the matches of the day. Anett Kontaveit has impressed all season and will surely like her chances of making a deep run at the French Open, where she reached the fourth round last season. But Caroline Garcia, though far from consistent, is more than capable of springing an upset, as she demonstrated at the US Open by beating Karolina Pliskova. Still, Kontaveit will head into this match as the favourite and rightly so.
Prediction: Kontaveit in 3
Andrew: Both players may well believe that they can win this tournament, even if in reality they are on the fringes of the favourites. But although this may look like a tough match to call on paper, this pair met in the first round in Rome last week, where Kontaveit triumphed in straight sets. There doesn’t appear to be any real reason to expect a different outcome in Paris.
Prediction: Kontaveit in 2
Pablo: This is unquestionably one of the most high-profile clashes of the opening round. Garcia’s arrow is pointing up again after a few terrible months. And looking purely at ability, the 26-year-old is dramatically under-ranked at #45. Still, on clay this is Kontaveit’s match to lose, as she has swept through both of their previous meetings on dirt without dropping a set, including in Rome only a week ago.
Prediction: Kontaveit in 2
Embed from Getty Images
Yulia Putintseva vs Kirsten Flipkens
Jim: This looks like a very tough match on paper for Kirsten Flipkens. The Belgian’s all-court approach has seen her trouble some of the bigger hitters in the game, particularly on faster courts, but it is hard to see it serving her well against the consistent Yulia Putintseva on the slow clay courts at the French Open. Expect the Kazakh to enjoy a straightforward day at the office.
Prediction: Putintseva in 2
Andrew: The Kazakh has been catching the eye with some big results recently. She backed up her excellent run to the quarterfinals of the US Open with two great wins in Rome last week against Petra Martic and Elena Rybakina and has twice reached the last eight in Paris. Flipkens has had a long and distinguished career, but probably cannot match the physicality of the dynamic Putintseva.
Prediction: Putintseva in 2
Pablo: The 34-year-old Flipkens has had a superb career, but is no longer the player she once was. Besides, clay is her weakest surface, whereas it’s arguably Putintseva’s best. At full strength, this should be a straightforward victory for the Kazakh, but she retired from her Rome quarterfinal against Simona Halep owing to a lower back injury. Putintseva needs a strong start to feel comfortable about her chances. Fortunately, she should be able to manufacture one against the Belgian.
Prediction: Putintseva in 2
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
