European Tour 8- Baltic Sea Darts Open Day 2 Picks 2026 (Saturday 30th May)

There are some really good looking matches to be played at the European Tour event in Kiel as the Seeded players join the Baltic Sea Darts Open.

However, it feels like the margins are pretty tight and only two selections will be made from the two Sessions to be played.

Both Picks are from the Day Session, but there will hopefully be stronger options to get behind on Day 3 when the tournament is completed.

Luke Woodhouse to win & over 1.5 180s v Andrew Gilding: In the space of three Players Championship tournaments played earlier this month, both Andrew Gilding and Luke Woodhouse won titles for the first time on the floor.

The latter of those saw Luke Woodhouse beat Andrew Gilding 8-4 in the Final, but both disappointed days later at the European Tour event last weekend.

Luke Woodhouse is one of the Seeded players here and so joins the Baltic Sea Darts Open in the Second Round, but Andrew Gilding does have a win under his belt from the Day Session on Friday. That will at least make himself feel better after the very early loss at the International Darts Open against a struggling opponent, whereas Luke Woodhouse came up short against Kevin Doets having rallied to force a decider.

Both players are capable of heavy scoring, but Luke Woodhouse has perhaps found that treble 20 bed with a bit more regularity and that should see him edge past Goldfinger.

He will have to score well and Luke Woodhouse can add a couple of maximums on his way through to the Third Round.

Joe Cullen to win & over 1.5 180s v Dave Chisnall: Three years ago, Dave Chisnall won the title here, but it has been a tough season for the World Number 26.

Dave Chisnall has lost five of the last six matches played and looked completely out of sorts when being beaten 6-0 by James Wade last week.

His head to head with Joe Cullen will give Dave Chisnall some confidence, but the former has won a match in the tournament and was very unfortunate to loss to Ross Smith last week at European Tour 7. The fact that Ross Smith went on to win the title last time out will at least mean Joe Cullen can believe he is playing well having come up short against the eventual Champion.

As stated before, Joe Cullen can be very difficult to trust with his inconsistencies, but he has produced more positive recent form compared with Dave Chisnall and that could show up in this Second Round match.

MY PICKS: Luke Woodhouse to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Joe Cullen to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Baltic Sea Darts Open: 3-1, + 2.29 Units (4 Units Staked, + 57.25% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 7 Picks 2026 (Saturday 30th May)

Jannik Sinner was beaten and Carlos Alcaraz never made it to Paris and so many Novak Djokovic fans would have been hoping the quest to win a 25th Grand Slam title would end in Paris over the next several days.

At 2-0 ahead in the Third Round, all seemed to be going to plan.

However, Jose Fonseca was able to fight back and outlast the 39 year old and become just the second player to ever beat Novak Djokovic from that position.

Over the next few days and then weeks into Wimbledon, fans will question whether Novak Djokovic will ever have a better chance to win another Grand Slam- even Djokovic has to be wondering if there is enough left in the tank to put together a seven match winning run to do that.

Despite the loss of some big names, the French Open will continue moving forward and the first week of the tournament officially comes to a conclusion on Saturday when the Third Round is completed.

There are some quality players looking to cement their own berths into the second week of this Grand Slam, but they will have to manage what is forecasted to be the one last day of challenging hot conditions. Rain is expected in Paris on Saturday evening and that is going to cool things down, although the roof on the main show court at Roland Garros could be getting significant use over the next several days.

Aryna Sabalenka - 6.5 games v Daria Kasatkina: After seeing the likes of Elena Rybakina and Jannik Sinner dumped out of the French Open before the end of the first week, Aryna Sabalenka and her fans will be happy with the relatively comfortable progress being made.

The wins have not stood out, but they have seen Aryna Sabalenka work herself into the matches and then go through the gears in the second set and the World Number 1 should not have been overly taxed through two Rounds. The match up in this Third Round contest is one that should appeal to Aryna Sabalenka and she has been set as a big favourite, which is not going to be a surprise to anyone.

It has been just shy of two years since Aryna Sabalenka last faced Daria Kasatkina on the Tour, but the former has won seven of the previous seven matches, including the last four in a row. Those have been one-sided wins, although Daria Kasatkina may feel her best chances of upsetting the top Seed will be on a clay court.

She represents Australia these days and at 29 years old, it does feel like Daria Kasatkina's best days are behind her- the World Ranking reflects that with Kasatkina outside of the top 32 having been a top 20 Ranked player twelves month ago.

Over the last twelve months on all surfaces, Daria Kasatkina holds a 20-18 record and that is down to the two wins she has produced at the French Open. Beating opponents Ranked 66 and 218 is not going to prepare Kasatkina for the challenge of facing the very best player on the Tour, while she holds a 6-4 record on the hard courts when facing top 100 Ranked players this season.

Only one of those players has been Ranked inside the top 20 and Daria Kasatkina will be well aware that she is going to have to play some of her best tennis in recent times to offer up a challenge to Aryna Sabalenka.

It should be noted that Aryna Sabalenka had limited clay court preparation ahead of the French Open this season, but that match up against Daria Kasatkina should give the top Seed the confidence to roll through this Third Round match.

Aryna Sabalenka has broken the Daria Kasatkina serve at least four times in each of the last eight matches played against one another and there is a vulnerability to that part of the latter's tennis.

Both previous clay court matches have been won by Aryna Sabalenka too, including once here at Roland Garros, while the heat of Paris should make the Belarusian's serve a key difference between the players.

Amanda Anisimova - 5.5 games v Diane Parry: There is no telling how things may have changed within a match if Julia Grabher was fully healthy, but that is not Amanda Anisimova's issue and she has made it through to the Third Round at the French Open having needed to win just three sets.

After missing the entirety of the clay court season, there will be a concern that Amanda Anisimova will be undercooked the longer this tournament goes on. That is especially the concern if the American is not having to win full matches to progress, although Amanda Anisimova has previously enjoyed enough positive runs at the French Open to feel very confident in her ability.

It probably helps that Amanda Anisimova is moving through a pretty comfortable portion of the draw.

Next up there will be the challenge of facing a home player on what can be rowdy French Open courts, but Amanda Anisimova is rightly set as the favourite she goes up against Diane Parry in the Third Round at Roland Garros.

Diane Parry had shown little form on the clay courts with four straight defeats on the red dirt, but things turned around in Paris, albeit at a 125 level event played earlier in the month. She won the title there and looks to have found some confidence, despite a Second Round exit in Strasbourg last week.

The tournament could have been over for Diane Parry in the First Round when she failed to win a game in the first set against Anhelina Kalinina, but the confidence earned over the last three weeks perhaps turn that match back around. A much more routine win was produced in the Second Round against a Seeded American, but Diane Parry will know that Amanda Anisimova brings a different level of test.

The key for the World Number 92 is going to be serving well and seeing if she can put some pressure on Amanda Anisimova.

However, that would also need Diane Parry to pick up her level on the return and this Third Round match could be one in which Amanda Anisimova is able to turn up the heat to eventually overwhelm the home player.

Covering will be a test, but Amanda Anisimova can find the Breaks needed to edge past this number.

Flavio Cobolli - 1.5 sets v Learner Tien: The upset of the tournament in the Second Round saw Jannik Sinner leaving the French Open draw and that has opened up the top half of the Men's draw at this Grand Slam.

Italians will be very disappointed that the World Number 1 has exited before the start of the second week, but Jannik Sinner's pain could be his compatriot's gain- Flavio Cobolli is the second highest Seed left in the top half of the draw and he has made comfortable progress through the first couple of Rounds.

Flavio Cobolli has not dropped a set in two wins in Paris, but neither player he has beaten have been Ranked higher than Number 92 and that means this is a significant step upwards in the Third Round.

Pressure will have intensified on all in the top half knowing that a huge opportunity has opened up to reach a Grand Slam Final and that is something that Flavio Cobolli will have to deal with. Last year he reached the Quarter Final at Wimbledon, but the clay courts should be a more comfortable surface, although Cobolli has to respect the talent of the player standing on the other side of the net.

In the sole previous match between these players, it was Learner Tien who came through very comfortably, but that was a match played on the clay courts.

Learner Tien did win the title in Geneva in the week leading up to the French Open, and he has now won six clay court matches in succession having previously been just 3-3 on the surface in 2026. Winning the title in Geneva really came out of left field and before this run of wins, Learner Tien had been just 8-14 in clay court matches in his career and that suggests Flavio Cobolli should have perhaps been set as a harder favourite.

In the Second Round, Learner Tien needed five sets and over four hours on the court and that is a potential factor for a player who did not take the week away from action directly before this Grand Slam tournament began. In matches played against top 50 Ranked opponents, Tien had been 1-6 before the run in Geneva when he won three such matches, but he is going to have to dig pretty deep to beat Flavio Cobolli on this surface.

There is so much to like about the way Learner Tien approaches his tennis, but it is Flavio Cobolli who has the edge when it comes to the serving numbers and that could be key.

The lower Ranked player has shown a bit more resiliency in the return, but Flavio Cobolli should be the fresher player on the court and that can see him find a way to win this one, most likely in four sets.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 6.5 Games @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Amanda Anisimova - 5.5 Games @ 2.05 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Diana Shnaider - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Coco Gauff - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Flavio Cobolli - 1.5 Sets @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)

Raphael Collignon - 1.5 Sets @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Frances Tiafoe - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 William Hill (2 Units)

French Open Update: 14-10, + 2.88 Units (46 Units Staked, + 6.26% Yield)

European Tour 8- Baltic Sea Darts Open Day 1 Picks 2026 (Friday 29th May)

The long Premier League Darts season which covers the majority of the opening five months of the season has come to a conclusion with Luke Littler regaining the title he lost last year.

Once again it was a Final featuring Littler and Luke Humphries and that has led to new calls for the Premier League format to be changed.

The criticism is that we are seeing the top players face one another far too often in the current format and that is something that will lose the uniqueness of those battles- we all want to see the best face off, but they become special battles when they are not occurring every other week and that is something the PDC should be noting.

The Premier League is over, but the next several weeks are pretty busy on the PDC Tour.

Another European Tour event begins on Friday with the First Round played over two Sessions and this tournament will be competed on Sunday.

Before the next big Ranking event- the World Matchplay in July- there are a number of events taking place that will feature some big names.

The World Cup of Darts is played on the opening weekend of the 2026 Football World Cup, but there are also three European Tour events, two Masters tournaments, and six Players Championship events scheduled to be played.

The cutoff point for entry into the World Matchplay tournament is early July and that means there are plenty of players competing at events to build up their Ranking Points so they can compete.

And that means we are in for another important weekend for those competing, especially as the Baltic Sea Darts Open is missing big names that were involved in Premier League action on Thursday.

Ross Smith took advantage of that last weekend with his first European Tour title and there will be plenty of players involved this weekend who will certainly believe they can pick up the trophy when all is said and done.

Ryan Joyce & Krzysztof Ratajski double: For the second week in a row, Ryan Joyce and Christian Kist meet in a European Tour event, although this time it is a First Round match.

Last week Kist was a late entry into the International Darts Open as he took the place of a Seeded player withdrawing, but he was well beaten by Ryan Joyce.

Relentless is expected to have enough to get the better of Christian Kist again, especially if he can build on last weekend when reaching the Quarter Final.

In the Afternoon Session, Joyce can be doubled up with Krzysztof Ratajski who has plenty of European Tour experience and can edge out Daniel Klose.

The World Number 143 has been playing pretty well, but Ratajski should have a couple of gears to go through and he should be able to reach the Second Round after a bit of a battle.

Niels Zonneveld to win & most 180s v Richard Veenstra: An all-Dutch First Round match should be a decent watch, but the edge has to be with Niels Zonneveld, even if he has not been at his best over the last few weeks.

He is still playing well enough to beat Richard Veenstra, who has lost four matches in a row, and Niels Zonneveld should have the edge in the maximum hitting.

Kevin Doets to win & most 180s v Lukas Wenig: The recent form produced by Lukas Wenig is going to have to be improved significantly if he is going to win this First Round match at the latest European Tour event.

He is a capable player when putting his best foot forward, but the consistency has been lacking and that leaves Wenig vulnerable when coming up against Kevin Doets.

This may be one of the last few occasions when Kevin Doets is asked to play on the opening day of an European Tour event and he is definitely going to be targeting a place at the World Matchplay.

Kevin Doets will be disappointed to have been beaten in the Third Round last week at the International Darts Open, but he has the scoring power to make sure he begins another positive run at the Baltic Sea Darts Open.

Dirk van Duijvenbode to win & most 180s v Paul Krohne: Doubling is always going to be the key to winning any Darts match and it was the finishing that let Dirk van Duijvenbode down last week in his defeat to Rob Cross.

His scoring remains an important part of his game and the Dutchman should have enough of that to create more chances to win Legs and then Matches.

Paul Krohne has flashed his ability on European Tour events in 2026, but this is another level compared with his usual competition.

That has meant losing three in a row and Dirk van Duijvenbode can complete the Match Double within this First Round contest. 

MY PICKS: Ryan Joyce & Krzysztof Ratajski Double @ 2.09 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Niels Zonneveld to Win & Most 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Kevin Doets to Win & Most 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Dirk van Duijvenbode to Win & Most 180s @ 2.20 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 74-102, - 14.85 Units (173 Units Staked, - 8.58% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 6 Picks 2026 (Friday 29th May)

It felt unlikely that a higher Seed than Elena Rybakina would drop out of the French Open before the end of the first week, but the incredibly hot conditions ended up being a huge factor in Jannik Sinner's demise at the tournament.

At 6-3, 6-2, 5-1, the top Seed looked to be making routine progress into the Third Round.

Suddenly the heat got on top of him as Jannik Sinner mentioned feeling dizzy and sick and he then lost 18 of the next 20 games to be dumped out of a tournament in which he was a clear favourite after Carlos Alcaraz was unable to travel to Paris.

At the start of the tournament, it felt like the Women's Tournament was wide open, but the Men's now feels the exact same way.

Alexander Zverev will be favourite, but there is going to be a huge amount of pressure on all those competing knowing the opportunity that has come up and the bottom half of the draw looks much tougher to negotiate than the top.

The remaining ten days at this event are going to be fascinating.

It was not a very good day at all for the Tennis Picks- a couple were simply poor selections, while one retirement and a player losing their way in the second set after taking the opener contributed to a poor day in the office.

Overall the French Open remains in a positive position, but Friday is about bouncing back as the Third Round gets underway.

Rafael Jodar - 5.5 games v Alex Michelsen: The inspiration of Rafael Nadal means the top Spanish players are no longer considered clay court specialists, but capable of performing on all surfaces on the Tour.

Carlos Alcaraz has taken up the baton from Nadal, but he is missing at the French Open in 2026 and the Spanish media will be very much focusing on Rafael Jodar, the teenager who has enjoyed a really strong clay court season in the build up to Roland Garros.

It has been such a strong build up that Rafael Jodar has moved from World Number 89 in early April to one of the Seeding positions at the French Open. He is very confident on the hard courts too, but the clay is where he has made his move on the Tour and Rafael Jodar has to believe that the minimum expectation at this Grand Slam is reaching the Quarter Final.

Some will think that is overconfidence from someone who is playing in just his second Grand Slam tournament, but Rafael Jodar won a title in Marrakech before reaching the Semi Final in Barcelona and the Quarter Final at back to back ATP 1000 events in Madrid and Rome.

Suffice to say, he is feeling pretty good about his tennis and Rafael Jodar has dropped a single set through the first two Rounds.

There is an argument to be made that Rafael Jodar made life a little more difficult in the Second Round than he perhaps should have, but winning breeds confidence and no one should be surprised that he has been set as a big favourite in this Third Round match.

All credit has to be given to Alex Michelsen for finding his way through to the Third Round and the American could soon return to being a Seed at Grand Slam events having reached World Number 30 back in July last year. These days he is the World Number 42, which makes Michelsen one of those awkward early Round opponents that Seeds could run into, but he is at his most vulnerable on the clay courts.

The two wins at the French Open have been against the World Number 88 in the First Round and then the World Number 148 in the Second Round and the early loss for Taylor Fritz has opened things up for Alex Michelsen. Prior to the French Open, Alex Michelsen had compiled a 4-6 record on the clay courts and a player who is reliant on his serve finds it hard to deal with a 72% hold rate on the red dirt.

He wants to be aggressive, but that is not the right way to approach clay court tennis and it has put Alex Michelsen under pressure to deliver on the return, which is still a developing part of his game.

This is expected to play out in this Third Round match in Paris on Friday and Rafael Jodar should have a bit too much know-how on this surface for Alex Michelsen.

Rafael Jodar is 16-1 when facing opponents outside of the top 20 in the World Rankings on the clay courts this season- in the fifteen matches played before the French Open, Rafael Jodar has held 86% of service games in that situation and broken in 37% of return games and that is a level that should break down Alex Michelsen in this best of five set format and give the Spaniard every opportunity of covering a wide spread.

Alex De Minaur - 5.5 games v Jakub Mensik: These two players had extremely different experiences in the French Open Second Round and it is Alex De Minaur who HAS to be in better shape going into the Third Round.

The Australian received a Walkover into the Third Round, while opponent Jakub Mensik had to battle for twenty minutes shy of five hours to eventually prevail in five sets... That alone would not be an issue this early into a Grand Slam tournament, but Jakub Mensik was playing in incredibly hot conditions and had to be taken off in a wheelchair at the conclusion of the match.

Earlier in the week, Casper Ruud came through a five setter and won his next match having described himself as a 'zombie' on the court in what have been crazy conditions in Paris. At 20 years old, Jakub Mensik is likely to have pretty good recovery and he has admitted that he felt much better having spent some time off of a court that had almost no shade from the blistering heat of Wednesday.

On Friday it is expected to still be very humid in Paris, but overcast conditions may help- the sun beating down on anybody makes a big difference and so Jakub Mensik is going to feel he is ready to compete.

A bigger challenge is the opponent who reached the Semi Final in Hamburg and Alex De Minaur made pretty comfortable work of Toby Samuel in his sole match at the French Open. The Australian is unsurprisingly happier on the faster surfaces of the Tour, but over the last couple of years, Alex De Minaur has shown he can battle on the clay and his speed and effort around the courts will make it tough for any opponent to break him down.

Prior to the French Open, Jakub Mensik was only holding a 3-3 record on the clay in the lead up to the second Grand Slam of the season. The World Number 27 does bring a dangerous serve into play, but you do have to wonder if there is not going to be some impact on his ability to show patience that may be needed to break down Alex De Minaur.

Jakub Mensik is much happier on the hard courts, but he has lost all five previous matches against Alex De Minaur and all of that surface, which should aid his game more than the clay courts.

They have played nine completed sets against one another and Alex De Minaur has won eight of those, including a straight sets win at the United Cup leading up to the Australian Open earlier this season.

A statistic that is almost certainly going to end in this Third Round match is the fact that Alex De Minaur has NEVER been broken by Jakub Mensik- on a clay court, that is close to impossible to happen again.

However, it does tell you that the match up is pretty good in favour of the higher Ranked player and Alex De Minaur has also broken in 26% of return games played and on faster surfaces. Any time the World Number 7 sees the second serve, Alex De Minaur is going to feel he can win the rallies and the extra strength he should have in this Third Round match is likely going to be a critical factor as he looks to move past Jakub Mensik in a good looking contest.

MY PICKS: Rafael Jodar - 5.5 Games @ 1.60 William Hill (2 Units)

Alex De Minaur - 5.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 1.5 Sets @ 1.66 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Karen Khachanov - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Belinda Bencic - 4.5 Games @ 2.05 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Sorana Cirstea - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

French Open Update: 11-7, + 3.80 Units (34 Units Staked, + 11.18% Yield)

Premier League Darts Finals Night Picks 2026 (Thursday 28th May)

Sixteen Premier League Nights have been completed and half of the field have been eliminated ahead of Finals Night.

You would say that the four best players have made their way to the O2 Arena where the Semi Final and Final will be played over the course of a few hours.

Defending Champion Luke Humphries is going to be involved in the second Semi Final having moved past Gerwyn Price and that means facing Jonny Clayton rather than Luke Littler.

Anyone who thinks that means we are definitely getting the Luke vs Luke Final for a third year in a row in the Premier League should be careful about overlooking two proud Welshmen, but it is no surprise that the layers have set that as the favourite outcome of the two Semi Finals.

None of these four players decided to take in the European Tour event played last weekend and that means there should be no excuses about fatigue with a big title and big prize money to be decided on the night.

Luke Littler to win & over 5.5 180s v Gerwyn Price: Twelve months ago, there was a real feeling that Luke Littler did not like playing Gerwyn Price and it did feel like the Welshman was winning just as many matches as the teenage star of the PDC Tour.

Fifteen of the last sixteen meetings between these players have now ended in Luke Littler wins- some have been competitive, but those are numbers that begin to get into a player's head and that has to be the case in this Semi Final.

The last eight matches between the players have all been won by Luke Littler and you have to believe the World Number 1 is going to be more focused on Finals Night than he has seemingly been in the last month.

Even then he has won matches and it would be a big surprise if Luke Littler is not competing in the Premier League Final later in the evening.

Gerwyn Price has been battling through some kind of health issue, although he has not mentioned exactly what he has been dealing with.

He sounded more positive about his status ahead of the Premier League Finals Night when stating that he would not be playing on the European Tour this weekend, but will be back looking to pick up Ranking Points after a short holiday. That is good news for Gerwyn Price and his fans and he should push Luke Littler, which will give the World Number 1 enough time to reach at least six maximums in any winning effort he can produce.

Luke Humphries to win & most 180s v Jonny Clayton: This is the sixth meeting between these players in 2026 and it is Jonny Clayton who has three wins compared with two for Luke Humphries.

That alone may make some believe there is value in backing Jonny Clayton as a significant underdog- he also finished seven points clear of Luke Humphries in the Premier League standings.

However, it should be noted that the last meeting between the players was in early April and there is no denying the quality that Luke Humphries has put together in May.

Luke Humphries reached the Final of the last four Premier League Nights and the defending Champion of this tournament has also won a Players Championship title in that time. Some consider Luke Humphries' recent form as being the best on the Tour and he will certainly be arriving at the O2 Arena with a lot of confidence.

Throughout this season, there has been little wrong with the power scoring produced by Luke Humphries, but the real turnaround of the form has been down to the doubling.

Misses almost cost him a chance to defend his title at the O2 Arena, but Humphries has shown some confidence at the Doubles and that is likely going to give him the edge.

On his day, Jonny Clayton is more than capable of matching any player on the Tour, but Luke Humphries has lifted his level considerably since they last met and the World Number 2 can book his place in the Premier League Final after completing the match double.

MY PICKS: Luke Littler to Win & Over 5.5 180s @ 2.15 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Humphries to Win & Most 180s @ 2.60 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 73-101, - 15 Units (171 Units Staked, - 8.77% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 5 Picks 2026 (Thursday 28th May)

On the 6th April 2014, the Undertaker's winning streak at Wrestlemania was ended by Brock Lesnar.

I could understand how he may have felt after seeing the very strong winning run to open the French Open ended when Andrey Rublev failed to cover in his Second Round win, despite winning the first set 6-1.

Fun aside, it was never going to be a tournament when every selection was going to return a winner, but putting another positive day on the board is not a bad thing.

Continuing to build on the early numbers is the key and this remains very early at the French Open.

Thursday looks a tougher day, but there are a number of selections that made appeal, which can be read below.

Stefanos Tsitsipas - 1.5 sets v Matteo Arnaldi: A retirement helped Stefanos Tsitsipas through to the Second Round without being pushed in the soaring Paris heat and he could make use of that to beat Matteo Arnaldi at the French Open for a second time in three years.

Two years ago, Stefanos Tsitsipas came through a couple of awkward sets before pulling away from the Italian in a Fourth Round match here in Paris.

While he is still the higher Ranked player in 2026, both players have slipped considerably from where they stood when facing off in that Fourth Round match in 2024.

Stefanos Tsitsipas was a top ten Ranked player, while Matteo Arnaldi was the World Number 35 and only just outside of the Seeded positions... Now they are the World Number 79 and 104 respectively and both players are in need of a big run to just rebuild their position and restore some lost confidence.

In the build up to the French Open, neither player impressed- Matteo Arnaldi did win a decent Challenger event that had a number of quality players in the field, but he has struggled in main Tour matches, while the same can be said for Stefanos Tsitsipas and the underlying numbers back that up for both players.

Matteo Arnaldi did take a set from Rafael Jodar in Rome, but he was the weaker player on the day and you cannot ignore the fact he spent over four hours on the court for his First Round upset of Tallon Griekspoor.

He will take huge encouragement from the performance, but in sapping heat, that time on the court could be the difference if Stefanos Tsitsipas can offer little to his opponent.

The former World Number 3 has struggled to turn the screw on opponents on the clay courts, which should be the favoured surface for Stefanos Tsitsipas, but he may have just enough to edge through in four sets.

Flavio Cobolli - 5.5 games v Yibing Wu: After making short work of his compatriot in the First Round, Flavio Cobolli is hoping to make use of his Number 10 Seeding and push for his best run at the French Open.

Flavio Cobolli reached the First Round in his first appearance in the main draw at the French Open and has followed up with a Second Round and then Third Round run at this Grand Slam event. Last year he reached the Wimbledon Quarter Final, which came as a surprise, but the minimum expectation here in Paris is making it through to the second week.

In reality, the draw could not have worked out much better for Flavio Cobolli, but the Italian had struggled for consistency in the build up to the French Open. Early losses in Rome and Hamburg will have felt like a blow, but Flavio Cobolli is a very comfortable performer on the clay and had previously reached the Final in Munich and Quarter Final in Madrid.

There is room for improvement- Flavio Cobolli has struggled on his return and that cannot continue if the World Number 14 is going to have the kind of run he expects from himself.

This French Open Second Round sees Cobolli facing Yibing Wu, who also came through in straight sets in the First Round, but who is a player that has struggled on the clay courts before this season.

Injuries have been a main factor in the career of Yibing Wu and it is the reason he is clinging onto a top 100 Ranking, although the win over Marcos Giron earlier this week is a boost.

Yibing Wu won a clay court tournament held in Sarasota, but that was at a much lower level than the kind of opponent he is facing in the Second Round at Roland Garros. Since then, Yibing Wu failed to Qualify for Madrid and reached a Quarter Final at another Challenger event, while his career has not been one to write home about when it comes to clay court tennis.

Serving well will give Yibing Wu a chance, especially when you consider the inconsistent returning performances of Flavio Cobolli this season, but the latter has to have the edge.

It could be a competitive match throughout with little between them in the sets, but you have to give the Seeded player the edge with the Cobolli experience on the clay courts an important factor. Flavio Cobolli will also believe he is the superior server and that may just put enough pressure on Yibing Wu to give up enough Break Points to give the former an opportunity to progress with a cover of this spread.

Anna Kalinskaya - 4.5 games v Alina Korneeva: There are almost ten years between these two compatriots who meet in the French Open Second Round and it is Anna Kalinskaya, the 27 year old, who will enter the match as the Seeded player.

However, there is a huge amount of hope around 18 year old Alina Korneeva, who played against Mirra Andreeva in the Junior ranks, although Korneeva has yet to make the same kind of impact on the main Tour.

In 2023, it was Alina Korneeva who won the Girl's titles at the Australian Open and French Open and she was the Junior World Number 1. The win in Australia came against Mirra Andreeva, but the progress on the Tour has been slower and there have been a number of 'firsts' achieved by Alina Korneeva over the last month.

She played in the main draw at a WTA 1000 event for the first time and Alina Korneeva has won three Qualifiers to take her place in the French Open main draw for the first time. A win in the First Round has only given 'mini Sharapova' a real boost in confidence, although Alina Korneeva and her team will know that this is a stiffer test for the youngster.

Alina Korneeva has dropped a single set in her run at Roland Garros and winning the Junior title on these courts can only give the teenager belief in her tennis. There has not been a lot of experience of facing top 100 Ranked opponents on the clay in the build up to this Grand Slam, but Korneeva upset the World Number 38 in the First Round.

You have to believe that Anna Kalinskaya will know plenty about the young Russian players making their way on the Tour and the same applies with Alina Korneeva.

While earning a Seed in the main draw, Anna Kalinskaya has been a mixed bag on the clay courts this season and her opening Round win against Lois Boisson, a Semi Finalist last year, will have done her the world of good. Anna Kalinskaya will feel her own experiences will stand her in good stead, while the serving edge has to be with the older player who may be able to earn a few more cheaper points.

That is welcome on any day, but it could be hugely important in very hot conditions at the French Open and Anna Kalinskaya has produced some solid clay court wins in Charleston and Rome in the lead up to the French Open.

Out of all the defeats suffered, the early defeat in Madrid probably stings Kalinskaya the most, but she may be able to wear down Alina Korneeva in this one.

A competitive opening set would surprise no one, but at that stage, Anna Kalinskaya should take control against a player still learning her trade at this level.

Covering will not be easy, but in five wins on the clay courts this season, Anna Kalinskaya would have covered this mark four times and she can in a victory in the Second Round.

Amanda Anisimova - 5.5 games v Julia Grabher: Reaching the Final at Wimbledon and the US Open is obviously going to give any player a huge amount of confidence, but that also brings pressure and Amanda Anisimova has a lot of Ranking Points to defend in the second half of the season. That makes her recent injury a blow, but the World Number 6 feels like the wrist is about as healthy as it can be and Amanda Anisimova blew past her First Round opponent for the loss of four games.

Missing the entirety of the clay court season is far from ideal for a player who reached the Semi Final in Paris back in 2019, but Amanda Anisimova eased concerns about the injury and admitted that she was just being cautious to ensure she could compete at the French Open.

The early stages of the First Round win did see Amanda Anisimova struggle to find her feet, but she was rolling by the end of the contest and now faces another player Ranked outside of the top 100 in the Second Round on Thursday.

The 29 year old Julia Grabher is the World Number 121 and she is almost three years removed from her best ever career mark of just outside the top 50, which was set in June 2023.

Beating a Qualifier in the First Round will have given Julia Grabher some important Ranking Points, but it should be noted that she has only played two top 100 Ranked opponents this season the clay courts and lost both. In reality, Grabher was not very competitive in either of those defeats in Linz and Madrid and that has been the case in recent seasons on this surface as she has suffered nine losses in her last eleven clay court matches against top 100 Ranked opponents.

Those have come across a three year period and Julia Grabher is going to need to serve well to contain an aggressive Amanda Anisimova who will want to get on top of rallies.

Pressure is likely to be ramped up if Julia Grabher cannot improve her returning level against the better players on the Tour and this could be a French Open Second Round match that plays out very similarly for Amanda Anisimova as the First Round match did.

Namely that means it could be competitive early as Amanda Anisimova grows into the contest, but by the end the American should be clearly demonstrating she is the better player.

Amanda Anisimova has little in terms of clay court action this season, but she was very good last year and the opening Round win should give her the confidence to cover in the Second Round against another opponent Anisimova has the power to overwhelm.

MY PICKS: Stefanos Tsitsipas - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 William Hill (2 Units)

Flavio Cobolli - 5.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Anna Kalinskaya - 4.5 Games @ 2.05 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Amanda Anisimova - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Daria Kasatkina - 5.5 Games @ 1.66 Bet365 (2 Units)

Oleksandra Oliynykova - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

French Open Update: 10-2, + 12.06 Units (24 Units Staked, + 50.25% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 4 Picks 2026 (Wednesday 27th May)

The conditions have been very difficult for the players in Paris and that has led to a number of retirements in the First Round of this Grand Slam tournament.

It does not get any easier for those going out on Day 4 when the Second Round begins at Roland Garros and this is a time where the top names just want to continue to get through as easily as possible.

The selections from the Day 4 action can be read below.

Novak Djokovic - 6.5 games v Valentin Royer: Last week, Novak Djokovic turned 39 years old and all of his former rivals have long moved into retirement.

It is no surprise that the body is not able to stand up to the rigours of the Tour as much as previously, but Novak Djokovic reached the Australian Open Final in January and he is convinced there is still a Major left to win. There is a feeling that the window is closing and Djokovic is no longer a player who is going to be worrying about his World Ranking, but the absence of Carlos Alcaraz offers an opportunity and the former World Number 1 is still one of the top clay court performers on the Tour.

At least Novak Djokovic was in 2025- we simply don't know where he stands in 2026 with just one clay court match played in the build up to the French Open, while Djokovic had to dig in before beating home hope Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in four sets in the First Round. After a couple of tight sets that were split, Novak Djokovic moved through the gears and he will appreciate being off the court before three hours had ticked onto the clock, which means having enough time to appreciate the conditions without overburdening himself.

Another Frenchman will be standing in the way in the Second Round of the tournament, but Valentin Royer is going to have to pick up his level if he is going to be celebrating his 25th birthday in a Third Round match on Friday.

Valentin Royer made short work of his First Round opponent, but he had not been in great form prior to the start of the French Open.

In fact, Valentin Royer had lost five of six matches played on the clay courts and his biggest successes in the build up to the French Open have been at Challenger level.

This is going to be a big challenge for a player who has faced two top 100 Ranked opponents on the clay this season- Valentin Royer has won just 53% of service points played in those two matches, which have led to 63% holds of serve, while the Frenchman has struggled on the return in both to put himself under real pressure.

It does feel like a big ask to push Novak Djokovic- even this current undercooked version- and the latter looked to be rolling through the gears by the end of the First Round match.

If he can pick up from where he left off, Novak Djokovic may be able to produce the tennis in this Second Round match to make routine progress and not tax himself too much in what are likely to be brutal conditions on late Wednesday afternoon in this Paris heatwave.

Alexander Zverev - 6.5 games v Tomas Machac: It has been written in the Novak Djokovic preview for his Second Round match that the writer feels the absence of Carlos Alcaraz is a big boost for the former World Number 1 as he looks for a twenty-fifth Grand Slam title.

The absolute same can be said for the Number 2 Seed in the French Open draw as Alexander Zverev chases a maiden Grand Slam title.

Two years ago, Alexander Zverev was beaten by Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open Final after leading 2-1, although the World Number 3 has openly admitted he still feels Jannik Sinner is the clear favourite to win this title. However, being able to avoid the Italian until the Final and knowing that a big battle with Carlos Alcaraz is not needed should give Alexander Zverev confidence that he can finally pick up a big Grand Slam title.

Five sets were needed when Zverev was beaten by Alcaraz in the Australian Open Semi Final earlier this year, but the former has reached at least one Grand Slam Final in each of the last two seasons. Alexander Zverev made very comfortable work of Benjamin Bonzi in the First Round, despite the potential of that being an awkward draw, and he will enter this French Open Second Round match with real confidence.

In terms of World Ranking, a match up with Tomas Machac will feel like it has come a bit too early- the 25 year old was inside the top 20 of the World Rankings thirteen months ago, but dropped out of the Seeding positions as injuries have held back the Czech player.

Tomas Machac has produced his best tennis on the faster surfaces, but his First Round win over Zizou Bergs in straight sets shows the kind of level that he can produce when fully dialled in.

The 5-4 record on the clay courts prior to the French Open is one thing, but Tomas Machac has shown his inconsistencies within tournaments during that time- he has only managed to win two matches in a row on one occasion in a clay court tournament this season, while the Tomas Machac defeats have been against some of the stronger clay court players on the Tour, but also adding a disappointing defeat to Cameron Norrie to the ledger.

It is clear the serve is not nearly as effective on the clay as it is on other surfaces, although the very hot conditions in Paris should aid Tomas Machac.

He is 1-2 on the clay courts when facing top 20 Ranked opponents this season and Tomas Machac is now 2-9 in his career under those conditions. There have been some competitiveness shown, but the Machac serve is a big part of his tennis and in those matches against top 20 Ranked opponents, those numbers are heavily impacted on the surface.

As mentioned, conditions will help, but the same applies for Alexander Zverev, who is the much more comfortable player on the surface.

This Second Round match at the French Open has been scheduled for the Night Session, which may not be an issue for Alexander Zverev as much as Tomas Machac, and the higher Ranked player will take confidence from having beaten Machac on the clay courts of Roland Garros in routine fashion at the Paris Olympics in the summer of 2024.

Alexander Zverev can sometimes get bogged down in matches in Grand Slam events, but this is a Second Round opponent that should focus the former Finalist and that can see him put together the performance needed to avoid the upset as the German moves through to the Third Round on Friday.

MY PICKS: Novak Djokovic - 6.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Alexander Zverev - 6.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 5.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Belinda Bencic - 4.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Jasmine Paolini - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (2 Units)

French Open Update: 7-0, + 11.06 Units (14 Units Staked, + 79% Yield)