{"id":28596,"date":"2020-09-26T11:14:02","date_gmt":"2020-09-26T15:14:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/?p=28596"},"modified":"2020-09-26T11:14:14","modified_gmt":"2020-09-26T15:14:14","slug":"roland-garros-mens-singles-watchability-power-rankings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2020\/09\/26\/roland-garros-mens-singles-watchability-power-rankings\/","title":{"rendered":"Roland Garros Men&#8217;s Singles Watchability Power Rankings"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Late September, Wilson balls, no Fernando Verdasco for the first time since 2003, there\u2019s a roof\u2026this Roland Garros edition is shaping up to be quite bizarre. At the same time, Rafael Nadal will still teach free lessons to a couple of unlucky souls in the first week. Some things never change.<\/p>\n<p>But let\u2019s go straight to the point: it\u2019s impossible to watch all 64 first round matches of the men\u2019s singles draw, so I put together a list of 16 battles that you shouldn\u2019t miss, for diverse reasons.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Easy W? Pump the Brakes\u2026<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Cristian Gar\u00edn vs Philipp Kohlschreiber<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1275792540\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.32997% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1275792540?et=DMBufePiQsdD8YwlQvIUOw&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=zmUTppUvPwzNwHGgsAUi9oIPw_lvqB-8_vis5mDDlYA=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"394\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>True, Kohlschreiber has lost a step. He is a shell of his 2009 self, when he beat Juan Carlos Ferrero and Novak Djokovic back to back. He has only won one match in his last four trips to Roland Garros. Gar\u00edn is a trendy dark-horse pick. All these premises are true. Nevertheless, something doesn\u2019t smell right. As solid as Gar\u00edn is on clay, his 1-4 career record at the French Open including qualifying is a major red flag. Moreover, playing deep into the weekend in Hamburg could backfire. Keep in mind that Dunlop balls are being used in Germany, while <span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\">the criticized<\/span> Wilson is this year\u2019s official provider at Roland Garros. Will a couple of practices be enough to get acclimated? We shall see.<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 7\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Roberto Bautista Agut vs Richard Gasquet<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1270458592\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1270458592?et=3XJqbUf0Sf9-RgjnZBC_eg&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=tCl_blCkGShdhjVtDLuVhpfxNs0ox7AVGmQ8oeAakXo=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Some pundits are penciling in Bautista as a surefire quarterfinalist and potential threat to Novak Djokovic. I\u2019m a bit skeptical. Clay isn\u2019t the Castell\u00f3n native\u2019s natural habitat and he has never advanced past the round of 16 in Paris. Even though Gasquet doesn\u2019t appear to be in great form, the Frenchman is far from an appetizing first round opponent. In 16 Roland Garros appearances, Gasquet only <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player-classic.cgi?p=RichardGasquet&amp;f=ACareerqqDRoland_Garrosqq\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">failed to win a match<\/a> four times (2002, 2003, 2004 and 2010). For the record, he was a teenager in the first three and lost a five-setter to No. 4 seed Andy Murray in the latter one. While the expectations placed on Gasquet\u2019s shoulders aren\u2019t too high anymore, Bautista better bring his top game to avoid a scare.<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 8\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Miomir Kecmanovic vs Diego Schwartzman<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1276646427\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1276646427?et=pHGMJF8_Sh13F6EdTt81XA&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=BoWi2cDZWsBwuzBu-he8pjm4IISWWb6qnO8-LSJinik=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>I know Schwartzman played the best match of his life and dispatched Rafael Nadal in straight sets in Rome. I know he\u2019s been quite reliable at majors since his breakthrough <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player-classic.cgi?p=DiegoSebastianSchwartzman&amp;f=Acx2017050120200914qqC0\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">(28-13 record since 2017 Roland Garros)<\/a>. Nevertheless, I am also aware that <em>El Peque <\/em>crashed out of the US Open in the opener because he ran out of steam against Cam Norrie. He followed that up with a poor second round showing in Kitzb\u00fchel. And you know who won the Kitzb\u00fchel title, don\u2019t you? None other than Kecmanovic. Ok, fine, the only similarity between Roland Garros and Kitzb\u00fchel is the clay color. Literally nothing else. Schwartzman is still the favorite, but both players will struggle to generate pace in this conditions. This could be a dogfight.<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 6\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Daniil Medvedev vs Marton Fucsovics<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1202997673\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1202997673?et=PSEyPMdBSs1wggcUjJMxVw&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=j14JHg-SZLLENC58HxcoIU7dyOsWy9jsnapLj0PjBok=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Fucsovics is not a clay juggernaut by any means, but he is a pesky first round foe. The Hungarian managed to snag two sets off Diego Schwartzman last year, plus he boasts a strong 5-2 record at majors in 2020, including wins over seeds Denis Shapovalov or Grigor Dimitrov. In a different slam, Medvedev would likely neutralize Fucsovics. But his previous appearances at the French Open do not inspire much confidence. In fact, he is winless in three attempts. How about his overall clay results? Well, they are confusing. Last season, he teased us with a magical fortnight in April, racking up eight wins en route to the Monte Carlo semis and Barcelona final. However, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player-classic.cgi?p=DaniilMedvedev&amp;f=ACareerqqB1\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Medvedev\u2019s lost his last five matches<\/a> since. This matchup is a huge question mark.<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 7\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Did you Bring Clay Shoes, Coach?<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Matteo Berrettini vs Vasek Pospisil<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1271167069\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 71.88552% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1271167069?et=Smi3uuGOQCBrWdcgWixU-w&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=MFGekQFhvD9oWA4fREyOcnrEspad3i4Pp9vBYw4nwEM=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"427\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>As much as he likes to shorten up the points with his thunderous serve and forehand, Berrettini is deceivably good on clay. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.atptour.com\/en\/players\/matteo-berrettini\/bk40\/fedex-atp-win-loss\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ATP Tour<\/a>, the Italian wins two thirds of his matches on dirt, hence it\u2019s not surprising he pops up as No. 8 on Tennis Abstract surface-specific ELO Ratings. Meanwhile, Pospisil is riding a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player-classic.cgi?p=VasekPospisil&amp;f=ACareerqqB1\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">17-match losing streak<\/a> on clay in tour events plus Davis Cup, dating back to Roland Garros 2013. The Vancouver native barely bothers anymore with the warm-up events in Europe, having chosen to play hard court Challengers in Asia both in 2017 and 2018. ELO gives the Canadian an 8.6% chance to pull off an upset. I don\u2019t think it will be too lopsided though. Expect a serve-dominated affair.<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 6\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Antagonistic Southpaws<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Adrian Mannarino vs Albert Ramos Vi\u00f1olas<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1272462518\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 65.65657% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1272462518?et=TWUE35lmTg9VnI5LZ_5HuQ&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=rysrtYb0pOrY6oU6GG5L26GGsdf5hpY7ulnf35NRzXU=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"390\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>This clash features a pair of 32-year-old lefties who play nothing alike. Dating back to 2006, they\u2019ve faced each other seven times, one at the Futures level and the last six on the main tour. Unsurprisingly, the flat-hitting Mannarino dominated the four matches on hard, whereas the clay-specialist Ramos won their three meetings on dirt. Will the trend continue at the Bois de Boulogne?<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 8\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Who Said Pressure?<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Harold Mayot vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1270987921\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1270987921?et=E2vPvHRhTUBRWxKgzH0PsQ&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=t0lniyUo4OypIV3n0dnpn6O71c2XSAhPG77yIDJxpSA=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Following his breakthrough run at the US Open, Davidovich looked impressive in his three qualifying wins at the Rome Masters. His progress came to a halt against Dusan Lajovic, but the Malaga native is carrying momentum entering the French Open. Across the net will be a fearless prospect like Mayot, whom should not be underestimated. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/app.myutr.com\/top-players?tab=1&amp;level=1&amp;sublevel=\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Universal Tennis<\/a> (UTR), the Frenchman is the third best junior player in the world, trailing only Carlos Alcaraz and Lorenzo Musetti. Despite sitting in the outskirts of the Top 400, Mayot has already defeated a Top 100 player (Egor Gerasimov) in an official match before. The pressure fully lies on Davidovich\u2019s shoulders, so the reigning Australian Open junior champion will try to take advantage. In the worst case scenario, Mayot gets a great practice session ahead of the boys\u2019 event, in which he\u2019ll be the No. 1 seed.<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 8\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Litmus Test<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Denis Shapovalov vs Gilles Simon<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1206071052\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1206071052?et=N3U2MjfiRD9rohkP1SG0TA&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=H4bVpP7efaxsnZO-yaxgquRrsYRIGTAXNrmGzGe1ixg=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>One would have guessed that Simon, also known as The French Wall, would have enjoyed a glorious trajectory at Roland Garros. But that hasn\u2019t been the case. The 35-year-old has never gone beyond the round of 16 in Paris. He puts a lot of balls in play, sure, but his average shot is too neutral for clay. Shapovalov, in contrast, is capable of changing pace and opening up the court with sharp angles. I believe the conditions here could suit him well. His much-improved net skills are a game-changer. The Canadian will need to come in often to close out points against Simon.<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 9\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><em>Coronaspiracy<\/em> Theory<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Gregoire Barrere vs Grigor Dimitrov<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1228598795\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1228598795?et=N0GNEFKqScBn1VBQoj-k2w&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=GsAIoGcdfDFX6bwKWX2jyb8o-N0HXd7phJIPYcBCNKs=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>*Please don\u2019t take this one seriously*<\/p>\n<p>Dimitrov\u2019s positive for COVID-19 was the catalyst for chaos spreading across the Adria Tour specifically and the tennis <em>twittersphere<\/em> in general. Since the tour resumed, the Bulgarian dismantled Tommy Paul at the US Open, avenging his narrow loss to the American at the Australian Open. Right after the Aussie swing, Dimitrov dropped his opening match in Marseille against his namesake Barrere. Therefore, should Dimitrov prevail this time around, does that mean he plays better post-infection? Is the coronavirus in reality a performance enhancer? Is that why Verdasco was forced to withdraw from the French Open?<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 5\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Tennis du Soleil<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Gael Monfils vs Alexander Bublik<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1275793395\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 63.299664% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1275793395?et=x84FXwerQptY-K95cNNiKg&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=xeG91X17I3lzSRzXugl6k-dSdjqlht58dlYQKWa8AGU=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"376\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Three years ago, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2017\/05\/28\/monfils-brown-headline-french-open-watchability-power-rankings\/\" target=\"_self\">I argued the first round clash between Monfils and Dustin Brown should have been played in front of a packed house at Parc des Princes or Stade de France<\/a>. Unfortunately, the organizers didn\u2019t agree with my request.<\/p>\n<p>This match featuring a slumping Monfils and the unpredictable Bublik would be worth relocating. However, due to COVID-19, it would be futile to start a petition. I\u2019m down to play this drinking game, though.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Blatant tank in a meaningless point \u2013 one sip<\/li>\n<li>Over 200 km\/h second serve ace by Bublik \u2013 two sips<\/li>\n<li>Drop shot + peg \u2013 three sips<\/li>\n<li>Jumping 360 overhead by Monfils \u2013 full chug<\/li>\n<li>Underarm ace by Bublik \u2013 shotgun<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Who\u2019s joining?<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 10\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Underarm ace!<\/p>\n<p>And it didn&#39;t go down well&#8230;\ud83d\ude2c<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/HamburgOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#HamburgOpen<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/A7fl8fMrQX\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/A7fl8fMrQX<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Tennis TV (@TennisTV) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TennisTV\/status\/1309540897231699975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">September 25, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Star Power<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Stan Wawrinka vs Andy Murray<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1209181854\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1209181854?et=pfcmEs2AT5hinjYGS1fRSg&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=mawZJKY2Npa0c5rrqZI7lIVG9fLw0b9z2onBfIevMMU=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A few years ago, it would be unthinkable to see this match in the opening stages of a major. But this is 2020 and weird stuff happens, including a battle between three-time slam winners in a first round. Murray\u2019s latest match on clay dates back to the 2017 French Open semis\u2026against Wawrinka! <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2020\/09\/25\/andy-murray-stan-wawrinka\/\" target=\"_self\">A gruelling five-setter in which the Swiss hurt his knee and the Brit busted his hip<\/a>. Terrible memories. On paper, the humid and cold conditions favor Wawrinka, who can easily generate power off both wings, whereas Murray looked somewhat punch-less in New York. The jury is still out on Wawrinka\u2019s strategy to skip to US Open to prep for Roland Garros. He didn\u2019t shine in the Czech challengers he participated in, plus he played a putrid match against Musetti in Rome, where he trailed 6-0 2-0 at one point. For what it\u2019s worth, Murray leads their overall head to head 12-7, but Wawrinka holds a 3-1 edge on clay. In short, whoever claims to know how this match will unfold is lying.<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 9\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Marin Cilic vs Dominic Thiem<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1276794695\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1276794695?et=sV50oXBWTRZhzTQA-9hGoA&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=vhzSc77QLatFabBl2kc12JySO0ttFDU8ggygia2UY88=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Another first round featuring major champions? I\u2019ll take it. Barring a monumental collapse or a total lack of adaptation to the unusual conditions, Thiem should advance. Despite the fact his biggest titles of late have come on hard, clay is still the Austrian\u2019s top surface. In turn, Roland Garros is the only slam where Cilic has never reached the final (unless you count his 2005 junior title). The 2017 and 2018 quarterfinals mark his ceiling in the men\u2019s singles draw. He may be declining, but he can still produce lights out tennis on a good day as he proved in Rome against David Goffin, whom he steamrolled 6-2 6-2. Can he sustain that level versus Thiem? Probably not.<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 8\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Unexpected Precedents<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Federico Delbonis vs Juan Ignacio Londero<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1201947227\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1201947227?et=Ecpb9ZZuSb5G3y1LNKik_w&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=qGFw_cOEvQrzg_cp1FMwhcVneFKKNQzcbSH8kmtt1vY=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>One would imagine this match to be an extenuating grind between clay courters. Yet, their three previous encounters were flat out thrashings. Delbonis won 6-2 6-2 (2017 Buenos Aires Challenger) and 6-4 6-0 (2020 Kitzb\u00fchel), while Londero prevailed 6-1 6-0 (2019 C\u00f3rdoba). Nobody knows how this Argentinian duel will turn out.<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 6\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Endurance, Raw Power &amp; Stuff<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Jannik Sinner vs David Goffin<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1273308568\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1273308568?et=EB0WSzPZRrlarfA4V9sxow&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=egYuGIIfCIQXAxGpx1WV3NWzSMTuvQzHemx5QgUB-MA=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>One player whose clay court prowess should be hindered by the new balls and the fall weather in Paris is Goffin. \u00a0I anticipate the nifty Belgian to struggle mightily. Following his recent, straightforward loss at the hands of Cilic, can Goffin devise a plan to derail Sinner\u2019s big game? I\u2019m not sure. The Tyrolean youngster proved in Rome he has made huge strides on clay. But can he reduce his unforced error rate? Does he have enough stamina to play a long match or will he fall apart like at the US Open against Khachanov?<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 9\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Make Darwin Proud<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Daniel Evans vs Kei Nishikori<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1273193201\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1273193201?et=Qnwy0BicQspkQNe4U4wN5g&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=9B_8Io_pXGLaHDTxnJVOeYD-jkk5YruNlkqXxZEckdY=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Evans is not known for his clay court exploits, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player-classic.cgi?p=DanielEvans&amp;f=ACareerqqB1C2\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">having dropped his last eight tour-level matches on dirt<\/a>. Meanwhile, Nishikori is far from peak form after a yearlong injury layoff. In the past two weeks, he was thoroughly dominated by Musetti (6-3 6-4) and Gar\u00edn (6-0 6-3). Bad omen for the Japanese star. Whoever can adhere better to survival mode will win this match.<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 7\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Unforeseen Consequences<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Alex de Mi\u00f1aur vs Marco Cecchinato<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1272654371\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1272654371?et=qgR1yyXSSBV5mS-79BZOkQ&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=Xp4XIAVyQ2PVvOM8EIacUNNz59uulhkIu1sFHAVs5n0=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Excluding those who face each other, Cecchinato is the lone qualifier or lucky loser projected to win his first round match, per <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/current\/2020RolandGarrosMenForecast.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tennis Abstract<\/a>\u2019s ELO-based forecast. That\u2019s right, Daniel Altmaier, Jack Sock and Steven Diez are all somehow supposed to lose against Feliciano L\u00f3pez, Reilly Opelka and Mackenzie McDonald respectively. We\u2019ll see about that.<\/p>\n<p>But let\u2019s go back to our featured matchup. Remember how clay-specialist Cecchinato lost 12 out of 13 matches last year between Munich and Cincinnati? That win came against de Mi\u00f1aur in Rome. While the Aussie looked sharp in some post-lockdown matches on clay in Spain, they were mere exhibitions. I\u2019m not convinced he\u2019ll ever become an above average player on the surface. Conversely, it appears Cecchinato has found his old groove. The Italian mustered seven wins between Rome and Roland Garros qualifying. He\u2019s peaking at the right moment.<\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind Cecchinato has played 13 main draws at a major. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player-classic.cgi?p=MarcoCecchinato&amp;f=ACareerqqC0\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">He lost a whopping 12 times in the first round.<\/a> The exception? His semifinal run at the 2018 French Open, where he defeated No. 10 Pablo Carre\u00f1o Busta, No. 8 David Goffin and (\u00bf\u00bf\u00bf) No. 20 seed (???) Novak Djokovic.<\/p>\n<p>Last time I checked the draw, Cecchinato was in the fourth quarter. Nadal better hope de Mi\u00f1aur <em>upsets<\/em> Cecchinato or he could be in trouble next week. This is 2020. Just saying.<\/p>\n<p><em>Watchability Index: 9\/10<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo:<\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1276802097\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1276802097?et=YcPp6cPsTlxcAGAK1AtVHQ&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=nZYgbQXJd20U176Y40X1WJcApPiHwuq66zSWmgdI9ow=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Late September, Wilson balls, no Fernando Verdasco for the first time since 2003, there\u2019s a roof\u2026this Roland Garros edition is shaping up to be quite bizarre. At the same time, Rafael Nadal will still teach free lessons to a couple of unlucky souls in the first week. Some things never change. But let\u2019s go straight [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1663,"featured_media":28607,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5,3,2,11519],"tags":[10009,12522,1877,450,5338,564,510,16,6587,113,498,230,776,1124,208,353,204,144,1467,6394,411,10906,5862,4676,146,155,50,3692,1694,4359,467,190,447,896,115,775,4316],"class_list":["post-28596","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-french-open","category-atp","category-featured","category-tennis","tag-2020-french-open","tag-2020-roland-garros","tag-adrian-mannarino","tag-albert-ramos-vinolas","tag-alejandro-davidovich-fokina","tag-alex-de-minaur","tag-alexander-bublik","tag-andy-murray","tag-cristian-garin","tag-dan-evans","tag-daniil-medvedev","tag-david-goffin","tag-denis-shapovalov","tag-diego-schwartzman","tag-dominic-thiem","tag-federico-delbonis","tag-french-open","tag-gael-monfils","tag-gilles-simon","tag-gregoire-barrere","tag-grigor-dimitrov","tag-harold-mayot","tag-jannik-sinner","tag-juan-ignacio-londero","tag-kei-nishikori","tag-marco-cecchinato","tag-marin-cilic","tag-marton-fucsovics","tag-matteo-berrettini","tag-miomir-kecmanovic","tag-philipp-kohlschreiber","tag-richard-gasquet","tag-roberto-bautista-agut","tag-roland-garros","tag-stan-wawrinka","tag-vasek-pospisil","tag-watchability-power-rankings"],"modified_by":"Steen Kirby","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28596","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1663"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28596"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28596\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28607"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28596"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28596"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28596"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}