For the first time in exactly sixteen years, the French Open had a complete wipeout of a day thanks to the rain in Paris and now there will be some fingers being crossed that the rain will move on so the tournament can get on schedule for Tuesday.
With the way the day looks set to pan out, I think the organisers will simply be hoping to get the Fourth Round matches completed on Tuesday and then look to play the Quarter Finals all on Wednesday. There are a couple of Men's Quarter Finals scheduled for Tuesday that will potentially be played if there are enough breaks in the weather and the speed in which the earlier matches on those courts are completed, but the feeling is that Roland Garros will do well to get through all the Fourth Round matches.
Thanks to the rain, I am also waiting for a number of picks to be completed and I am providing a link to the picks for Day 9 which was completely rained out. You can read those picks here.
I am going to make a couple of picks from the two Men's Quarter Finals that have been scheduled for Tuesday as both Stan Wawrinka and Andy Murray hope to get a step on Novak Djokovic by getting through and earning plenty of rest ahead of the weekend. Of course Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Richard Gasquet will have plenty to say on Tuesday and both of those matches look like interesting ones while we wait for the rest of the Quarter Final line up to be completed.
Garbine Muguruza and Shelby Rogers might have expected to play too, but there are four ladies in the bottom half of the draw still waiting to complete their Fourth Round matches and the organisers have made the right decision in leaving all of the Women's Quarter Finals until Wednesday.
Andy Murray - 5.5 games v Richard Gasquet: The big Quarter Final for the home fans is the one involving their last hope in the Men's draw when Richard Gasquet takes on Andy Murray, the World Number 2. This is the furthest that Gasquet has reached in the French Open in his career and he has to make sure that he is not emotionally spent after beating Kei Nishikori on Sunday in the Fourth Round.
The rain might be a good thing for Gasquet who could perhaps do with another day off the court to compose himself and get ready for this Quarter Final from a mental standpoint even more than a physical one. There is a chance the Frenchman would get his wish to the disappointment of the fans who have tickets for the Philippe-Chatrier Court on Tuesday, but even with that in mind it will be a big test for him to beat someone like Andy Murray.
It is Murray who has won the last five matches between these players and Murray is also 2-1 up on the clay courts with both of those wins coming at the French Open. The last couple of Rounds at the French Open this season won't have been too taxing from a physical position for Murray, even if he had to deal with totally different players than the one he will see in the Quarter Final.
I do think Gasquet can win a set in this one on his current form, but beating Murray still looks a big ask for him. When the rallies get beyond the first four shots, you would think Murray is the more capable player and can wear down an opponent who has had physical problems in the past in the longer format of the game.
Murray has to improve the second serve if he is going to win this tournament, but I think he can eventually get the better of Gasquet in this one and come through with a 63, 36, 63, 63 win.
Albert Ramos-Vinolas + 6.5 games v Stan Wawrinka: The layers will have been as surprised as the fans to see Albert Ramos-Vinolas make it through to the Quarter Finals in Roland Garros. The Spaniard is most comfortable on the clay courts so perhaps it isn't as much of a surprise to himself, but Ramos-Vinolas will have to dig deep again if he is going to extend his stay at the expense of the defending Champion.
Stan Wawrinka has had some difficult moments through the draw, but he has come through those to reach the Quarter Final again. At this Stage of any tournament he begins to be really dangerous and Wawrinka might be the favourite to come out of the bottom half of the draw for the second season in a row.
He crushed Ramos-Vinolas for the loss of just two games when they met in Geneva ahead of the French Open, but that is the exception in his six wins over the Spaniard. The majority of those matches have been very competitive and I am going to put it down to a bad day in the office for Ramos-Vinolas who I think will be a lot better in this one.
The heavy conditions might not bother either player, but I can see Wawrinka making a few more errors than normal under these conditions. That should give Ramos-Vinolas a chance to perhaps win a set as he had in two of three matches against Wawrinka on clay before the beating he took in Geneva.
The Spaniard has a lefty serve that can put him in a strong position in points when he is in top form and I think the biggest issue for him may be dealing with the nerves of a maiden Grand Slam Quarter Final. I don't think he will have enough to beat Wawrinka in this one and surprise the defending Champion as he did Milos Raonic in the Fourth Round, but Ramos-Vinolas has enough to get within this number by forcing a tie-breaker and keeping himself competitive through this Quarter Final.
MY PICKS: Andy Murray - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Albert Ramos-Vinolas + 6.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet Victor (2 Units)
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