We are already through 5 days of the tournament and it remains intriguing. The weather took a turn for the worse yesterday as the blustery conditions made it difficult for players to perform to the levels expected of them.
Rafael Nadal still looks a little uncomfortable in his surroundings, surprising considering the Spaniard has won the title 5 times previously. He struggled at times in his straight sets win over Pablo Andujar and has been on court an awful long time considering he is yet to compete in Round 3.
Nikolay Davydenko's surprise loss opens the door for Nadal who will meet Antonio Veic instead.
The biggest winner of the day may have been Andy Murray who struggled through his Round 2 match with Simone Bolelli. However, Jurgen Melzer, a prospective Quarter Final opponent, was beaten in 5 sets and the bottom half of Murray's Quarter has opened up considering Nicolas Almagro has already left the tournament.
With Michael Berrer next in line for the British Number 1, I very much expect Murray to negotiate the match and progress to at least the Semi Finals- he will not get a better chance here.
The Women's tournament was where the big surprises were in store- Kim Clijsters exited the tournament in 3 sets, even after holding match point in set 2, while Maria Sharapova can count her lucky stars that she is still in the tournament.
So far, the best looking player (in terms of ability and not looks) is Victoria Azarenka, one of the favourites at the start of the tournament and it is Azarenka who has benefited most from Clijster's exit.
The picks had another good day with both Mardy Fish and Ivan Ljubicic covering the set handicap after winning their matches in straight sets.
Gilles Simon made life a little more difficult for himself after losing the first set to Jeremy Chardy 4-6. However, he turned the match around with his consistency and came through 6-4, 6-1, 6-4 to cover the spread in the gloom of the Paris evening.
So on to Day 6 Picks:
Caroline Wozniaki - 4.5 games vs Daniela Hantuchova: I have said many times, and I will say again, that Caroline Wozniaki is the worst Number 1 I have seen for some time. Dinara Safina had a lot of criticism in her time as Number 1, but at least she was reaching SOME Grand Slam Finals, Wozniaki doesn't even do that, reaching 1 Grand Slam Final in 2009 in her career.
Why the media seem to gloss over this is beyond me- its not like she is blue eyed, blond, and supposedly attractive is it?!!
None of that matters here as to why I have picked her to win and cover the spread. Wozniaki has the perfect game plan to disrupt Daniela Hantuchova, making her play 1 shot more than the Slovakian would like and that has led to Wozniaki leading the head to head 3-0 and yet to drop a set.
In only 1 of the 6 sets competed has Hantuchova won more than 3 games and I think we may see more of the same tomorrow.
Novak Djokovic win 3-1 in sets vs Juan Martin Del Potro: Surprisingly they have put this on last on the Philippe Chatrier Court- that is the equivalent of going to a top quality restuaurant, being given a 4 course meal, and then the waiter brings out the lobster and cavier last and expects the diners to appreciate it!
The crowd have been quiet and filtering away by the time the last match starts on court, but they wont want to miss this fascinating battle.
Novak Djokovic is arguably in the position many thought Del Potro would be in after the latter's win at the US Open in 2009. Instead injuries have derailed his progress and now Del Potro will want to make a statement.
The problem for me is Del Potro has not really got the same consistency in his game as he did have 18 months ago and while I expect him to get it back, it seems too soon to expect him to knock off the supremely confident Djokovic.
However, Del Potro has enough in him to cause problems and I would not be surprised if he forces Djokovic to win in 4 good sets of tennis.
Roger Federer - 7 games vs Janko Tipsarevic: Roger Federer has looked good so far this week as he makes easy progress through the draw, but now faces the man who pushed him to 5 sets in Australia in 2008.
Tipsarevic is a player that raises his game for the top players in the game, but clay is his weakest surface and makes me believe he wont be able to compete with Federer here. The Serb has losing records on the surface for the past 3 seasons before this one and it is hard to see him troubling Federer for long.
I expect the former World Number 1 to win this one in straight sets and cover the spread in the process.
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez to win vs Fabio Fognini: This is much to do with wanting to oppose Fognini as it is wanting to back Garcia-Lopez. Fognini may have dropped just 11 games on his way to Round 3, but I have a feeling he has just taken advantage of a really kind draw.
First he beat Denis Istomin who is having a bad season, and then Fognini knocked out Stephane Robert who obviously partied too hard after beating Tomas Berdych in Round 1.
Garcia-Lopez was particularly expended in Round 2 when he had to win 13-11 in the 5th set against Marsal Ilhan, but I think the Spaniard has been vastly underrated here.
Garcia-Lopez' best results do come on the surface and he has not had a losing record on the clay courts in main ATP tour matches since 2007. Fognini had a losing record just last season, and had lost 6 of his last 7 matches on the surface before this tournament began.
The head to head is 1-1, with Fognini winning on clay in 2008 and Garcia-Lopez winning on grass last season.
Personally I have more faith in Garcia-Lopez and think his odds should be much shorter.
MY PICKS: Caroline Wozniacki - 4.5 games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Novak Djokovic win 3-1 in sets @ 3.75 William Hill (1 Unit)
Roger Federer - 7 games @ 2.10 10Bet (2 Units)
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez win @ 2.50 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
FRENCH OPEN: + 14.82 Units
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