World Cup 2026- Group Stage Match Day 1 Picks (Thursday 11th June-Wednesday 17th June)

The 2026 World Cup has seen the run up filled with controversy over ticket prices and immigration policies, while some of the teams and referees have had to change plans after having their visas rejected.

Instead of being the World Cup that most football fans would have targeted after Russia and Qatar hosted the last two Finals, this has been a summer tournament that has done its best to put fans off from travelling.

Pricing in the way that FIFA put together was seriously flawed- there is a big interest in football/soccer in North America where the games are being hosted, but it is those travelling into the countries that are hosting that really create the party atmosphere.

After spending a few days in New York City, it is clear that the NBA Finals is the big interest... That alone is not a surprise with the Knicks chasing a first Championship in fifty-three years, but the lack of coverage of a World Cup tournament that is beginning on Thursday was a real surprise.

Perhaps things will change in the United States, but locals seem to be disinterested with the politics around the event clouding all.

Things should be plenty different in Mexico where two previous Finals have been hosted and that is where the tournament will begin on Thursday before Canada and then the United States get to open up.

Fans of some of the stronger looking nations will have to wait a couple of days until they get going, but this may be an event that becomes largely forgettable if the heat and the likely delays caused by thunderstorms make it more of a marathon for supporters to get through.

Tournament Football brings its own drama though and over the next month the plan is to make a few selections from the 2026 World Cup Finals and hopefully return a positive number.

The threads will be split up for ease of navigating for readers- that should mean separate threads for each of the three Match Days of the Group Stage before further threads for the Last 32, Last 16, Quarter Final, Semi Final and then the showpiece Final that takes place in July.

Over the days, selections will be added to the threads and the tournament numbers will be updated after each day.

World Cup 2026- Match Day 1 Group Stage Picks

Thursday 11th June

Mexico vs South Africa Pick: These two nations opened up the 2010 World Cup hosted by South Africa and had to settle for a 1-1 draw, but this time it is Mexico who have the honour to open up the 2026 Finals co-hosted by three nations.

There is a huge amount of pressure on this Mexico team who will be well aware that the last two times they have hosted the World Cup Finals have ended in Quarter Final defeats. Between 1994 and 2018, Mexico competed at every tournament and all ended in defeat in the first Knock Out Rounds, but 2022 was a big disappointment as Mexico finished behind Argentina and Poland and were eliminated in the Group Stage.

Winning Group A will mean not having to leave the host nation until the latter stages of the competition and would also mean having a few more days of rest before the Last 32 tie and Mexico are favourites to do that.

They are unbeaten in 8 games and have won 6 of those and hosting should be a big advantage.

South Africa return for a World Cup Finals via the Qualifiers for the first time in over twenty years and there is a bit of inexperience around this squad that suggests the Group Stage is about as far as they can go.

Edging out Nigeria to earn a spot in North America deserves plenty of credit, but South Africa lost 2 of 4 games played at the African Cup of Nations and the recent form in friendly matches is not going to be inspiring a lot of confidence.

Opening fixtures in recent World Cup tournaments have featured plenty of goals and Mexico may have enough to secure a victory in a fixture providing at least two in their own favour. The conditions look like they will be decent enough for the players and Mexico can begin this 2026 World Cup Finals with a solid victory against what looks to be the weakest team in Group A.

South Korea vs Czechia Pick: The mathematicians suggest three points could be enough to earn a spot in the Last 32 of the World Cup as long as you have a neutral goal difference.

Four points will almost certainly be enough and that should mean South Korea and Czechia play with some trepidation believing they could earn the win against South Africa to move through.

With that said, both teams will be looking for a positive start, but a draw could be considered that and so a low-scoring contest is expected.

Czechia came through a couple of World Cup Play Off matches on Penalties in March, but they are usually a pretty compact team and that will make them dangerous. They will not want to give much away, but can be a threat from set pieces, while this South Korea team is not of vintage stock.

Coming through a weak Qualifying Group ahead of Jordan and Iraq suggests South Korea could be undercooked, while the friendly performances have been erratic since booking a spot in the Finals.

Whoever can best impose their style on the other will win- South Korea are likely to be a bit more fluent in the attacking area, but Czechia are a big, strong team that will exploit set pieces.

The draw looks a real runner, but the edge here may slightly fall in favour of the European underdogs when all is said and done and the first goal will likely be crucial to the final outcome.

Friday 12th June

Canada vs Bosnia-Herzegovina Pick: Two previous appearances in World Cup Finals have resulted in six games played and six games lost, including four years ago in Qatar when expectations were perhaps greater than they should have been.

However, in 2026, Canada are one of the co-hosts and they should be able pick up their first World Cup points during this Group considering the opposition that they have been placed with.

That is not to say they deserve to be short favourites to win any game, even if Canada are at home.

Over the last several months, Canada have won just 3 of 9 matches played and only one of those has been against a team that will be competing at the 2026 World Cup Finals. Quarter Final defeats at the last two Gold Cups and a Semi Final defeat in the last Nations League suggests Canada still have room for improvement, even with a squad that has some talent littered amongst it.

The home fans will give Canada a push, but they look short to beat a Bosnia-Herzegovina team that are plenty experienced and one that beat Wales and Italy on Penalties to earn a spot at the World Cup Finals.

Bosnia-Herzegovina have missed out on major tournaments since Qualifying for the 2014 World Cup Finals in Brazil where they were beaten in the Group Stage, although after picking up a single win. They will approach this opening fixture feeling like any positive result would give them a very good chance of progressing with a fixture against Qatar to round out the section, while Bosnia-Herzegovina are resilient at the back and that will be important throughout the Group Stage.

A couple of lacklustre performances in friendly games over the last few weeks will be a concern, but Bosnia-Herzegovina certainly look capable of avoiding a defeat against a host who are carrying bigger expectations.

USA vs Paraguay Pick: Back in 1994, the United States hosted the World Cup with the belief it could start an explosion of interest in the sport.

Competing against the MLB, NBA and NFL established sports has proven too difficult, although there is a bigger football fanbase in 2026 compared with 1994.

The United States made it out of the Group Stage in 1994, but 1990 and 1998 ended in early exits- it was in 2002 when the USA reached the Quarter Final that it felt like a real progress had been made, but they missed out entirely in 2018.

Three of the last four World Cup appearances have ended with Second Round defeats, but the United States are under a different kind of pressure in 2026 and they have been placed in what could be an awkward section if unable to make a  positive start.

Mauricio Pochettino will know that this opening fixture is going to be a difficult one against a Paraguay team that Qualified thanks to a resilient defensive formation.

Paraguay are back in the World Cup since reaching the Quarter Final in 2010, but a Group Stage exit in the Copa America hosted by the United States in 2024 will have been a big disappointment. They were the last of the South American teams to earn a direct spot in the World Cup Finals and the lack of threat in the final third could end up proving to be too difficult to overcome.

3 wins in the last 4 friendly games will give Paraguay confidence, but the likelihood is that they will sit back and try and frustrate the host before countering. That makes them dangerous, but the United States should be able to use the home crowd to push them forward and edge to an important three points to just give the nation a lift around these World Cup Finals.

Saturday 13th June

Qatar vs Switzerland Pick: A little under four years ago, Qatar hosted the World Cup and there were some genuine thoughts that the nation could compete and avoid joining South Africa as a host failing to make it out of the Group Stage.

Instead it was a really difficult experience for Qatar who lost all three games and looked way below the quality that would be needed at this level.

Credit has to be given to Qatar for making it back to the World Cup Finals, but they are once again expected to struggle.

Qatar finished way below Iran and Uzbekistan in the Third Round of Qualifiers, but edged out the UAE in the Fourth Round, and this is a team that looks like it may struggle for goals.

Opening up against Switzerland is going to be challenging with this squad looking like it has the potential to produce the best performance at a World Cup Finals since hosting in 1954 which ended in a Quarter Final defeat. More recent times has seen Switzerland beaten in three consecutive Second Round ties, but Switzerland reached the last eight in each of the last two runnings of the European Championship.

Switzerland have only won 1 of the last 5 games in all competitions, but this is a team that does not concede a lot of goals and they can open up with a victory behind another solid defensive performance.

Brazil vs Morocco Pick: The decision to appoint Carlo Ancelotti as the national manager will have been controversial and Brazil's Football Association will only be able to justify it if the team can win the World Cup for the first time in twenty-four years.

Despite the history of this national team, Brazil have only reached the Semi Final once since last lifting the World Cup in 2002 and that was when hosting the tournament in 2014, although one that will only be remembered for the manner of their Semi Final capitulation against Germany.

Quarter Final defeats in 2018 and 2022 will have stung, while Brazil were beaten in the Quarter Final at the last Copa America hosted in the United States in 2024.

Brazil finished 10 points behind Argentina in Qualifying and this is a squad that has some strengths, but may struggle to retain the ball in what are going to be testing conditions.

Making a fast start will be important to just build up some confidence and momentum and Brazil have won the last 3 friendly games against nations that will be competing here this summer.

However, first up in this Group Stage is a match against Morocco, who became the first African team to reach the World Cup Semi Final in 2022.

A quality team won the African Cup of Nations earlier this year, although Morocco were awarded the title when Senegal were controversially adjudged to have forfeited days after the Final had been completed. Despite that, Morocco will be happy with what they produced in a tournament hosted in their own nation, while they also made short work of Qualifying.

Morocco are enjoying a long unbeaten run, which deserves respect, and they have plenty of experience which should see them progress to the Knock Out Rounds again.

They will certainly test Brazil, but the expectation is that the South American giants will find a way with the attacking quality to come through what may be the most competitive fixture to date.

Haiti vs Scotland Pick: Steve Clarke has guided Scotland back to the World Cup Finals for the first time in almost thirty years, but this is a nation that has yet to find a way through the Group Stages of any major international tournament.

Two years ago, Scotland finished bottom of the Euro 2024 Group containing Hungary, Germany and Switzerland and they failed to earn a win, but the extra places on offer at this World Cup to find a way into the Knock Out Rounds gives the Scots a real opportunity.

There will be pressure though- failing to win this opener would mean having to likely beat one of the top two teams in the Group and so Scotland have to come out with intensity, even if Scott McTominay is not fit to begin.

Two very good international friendly wins will give them confidence and Scotland do benefit from opening the tournament against one of the weaker teams involved.

Haiti crushed New Zealand 4-0 in the build up to the Finals starting, but a 2-1 loss to Peru and a 1-0 defeat to Tunisia since Qualifying suggests just being here is a big achievement.

Having nothing to lose could make Haiti dangerous, especially for a Scotland team who will know the importance of winning this fixture. Some players have decided they are willing to represent Haiti in the World Cup Finals who have enough experience and quality to hurt Scotland, but the latter may do just enough to edge this one in what is going to be late night viewing for those tuning in back home.

Australia vs Turkiye Pick: The last time Turkiye Qualified for the World Cup Finals became a memorable time for supporters of the national team as they reached the Semi Final in Japan/South Korea in 2002.

A Quarter Final run at the last European Championships raised expectations around the current Turkiye team and they beat Romania and Kosovo in World Cup Play Off matches in March to earn their return. Turkiye were forced into that route after finishing behind Spain in the World Cup Qualifying Group, but they were beaten just once in that section against the current European Champions.

Turkiye are unbeaten in 8 games in all competitions and have won 7 of those since losing to Spain at home and that includes a 2-2 draw when visiting the latter later in that World Cup Qualifying Group.

Quality in the final third makes Turkiye dangerous and they have all they need to make it out of this section as Group Winners as long as they don't make self-inflicted mistakes at the back.

Opening up against Australia gives Turkiye a strong opportunity to get on track in this section with a victory.

After three consecutive Group Stage exits, Australia did manage to climb out of the Group Stage in Qatar, but the current squad are going to have to battle to do the same, even if with the extra eight places afforded to those finishing third in their section.

Australia did comfortably finish above Saudi Arabia in Qualifying, but they look like a team that is going to be more functional than fluid and strong defensive performances will be key in helping them out of this Group. A bit more quality will need to be found in the final third, but Australia's game plan in the opener has to be to frustrate Turkiye and try and exploit set pieces.

This could be successful, but Turkiye are expected to show their quality and the experience that was picked up through Qualifying and recent performances at Euro 2024 and the Nations League.

MY PICKS: Mexico to Win & Over 1 Total Goal @ 1.75 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Czechia Draw No Bet @ 2.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Bosnia-Herzegovina + 0.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

USA @ 1.95 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Switzerland Win to Nil @ 1.75 William Hill (1 Unit)

Brazil to Win & Over 1 Total Goal @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Scotland to Win & Over 1 Total Goal @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Turkiye to Win & Under 5 Total Goals @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Group Stage: 1-1, - 0.25 Units (2 Units Staked, - 12.50% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 15 Pick- Men's Final 2026 (Sunday 7th June)

The French Open is concluded on Sunday and the Men's Final selection can be read below.

Alexander Zverev - 5.5 games v Flavio Cobolli: The conspiracy theorists lined up to suggest Matteo Arnaldi had been asked to withdraw from the French Open Semi Final on Friday so that Flavio Cobolli could give Italian tennis the best chance of winning the title. It doesn't help that Arnaldi stated that he had to withdraw with a viral issue, but then conducted a joint press conference with his compatriot.

It will be a story that may run and run in some circles, but for tennis fans, the second Grand Slam of the season comes to a conclusion on Sunday with Flavio Cobolli taking on Alexander Zverev.

Most would have tipped up an Italian to be playing in the Final, but Jannik Sinner's early defeat opened the door for every player in the top half of the bracket. Flavio Cobolli should be given a lot of credit for making his way through the draw and he has largely been untroubled with two sets dropped in five wins in Paris, but Cobolli will be the first to admit that this is a significantly tougher challenge than those faced before.

Nerves are going to be an issue for Alexander Zverev having come so close to winning a Grand Slam Final before, but ultimately still missing a Major title on the career resume.

The draw has opened up for Alexander Zverev when his main rivals failed to reach the second week in Paris, but he has remained focused and a strong win over Jakub Mensik will have given the World Number 3 a real boost in confidence. He may have dropped a set, but Alexander Zverev was clearly the stronger player on the day and it is no surprise that he has been set as a favourite.

These two players have met twice on the clay courts in the build up to the French Open- Flavio Cobolli upset Alexander Zverev in the Munich Semi Final, but it was Zverev who bounced back with a comfortable victory in Madrid Masters Quarter Final.

Alexander Zverev also crushed Flavio Cobolli right here at Roland Garros twelve months ago and his levels during this past fortnight have been higher than the Italian has been able to produce.

However, it would be a mistake to ignore the fact that Flavio Cobolli has beaten a couple of top 20 Ranked opponents, albeit two who are not at their best on this surface.

It will be important to serve well, but that is an area that Alexander Zverev has had the edge, while the higher Ranked player had been pretty consistent on the return before being tested by the Jakub Mensik delivery.

Flavio Cobolli is not at the level that the Czech youngster can produce behind the serve and that likely gives Alexander Zverev enough opportunities on the return of serve to finally win a Grand Slam title.

Nothing will come easy with such a big prize on the line, but Alexander Zverev has made the bigger impact on the return in the previous clay court matches against Flavio Cobolli and that may be the key to the outcome of this French Open Final.

MY PICK: Alexander Zverev - 5.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

French Open Update: 27-22, - 0.14 Units (94 Units Staked, - 0% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 13 Picks 2026 (Friday 5th June)

The French Open has been one of the more upset-driven Grand Slam tournaments we have seen over the last couple of years and that has made it very difficult to predict.

Both underdogs came through the Women's Semi Final matches on Thursday, but the favourites will be looking for better success when the Men's final four are played on Day 13.

They both look capable, but Jakub Mensik and Matteo Arnaldi will have something to say about that and the Picks from the two matches can be read below.

Jakub Mensik-Alexander Zverev over 37.5 games: The favourites have continued to fall throughout the two weeks at the French Open, but Alexander Zverev has been holding himself together and has been in this position for a number of days now. There is going to be little doubt in the German's camp that Zverev may never have a better chance to break his Grand Slam duck and win the title on Sunday, but it is imperative that all stay focused on the matches as they come.

For so long Alexander Zverev has been chasing a generation including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, but two have retired and Djokovic looks like his best is finally behind him. Instead of allowing Alexander Zverev and his peers take over the top of the sport, the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have broken through and over the last two years either one or the other has gotten the better of the World Number 3.

None of those players mentioned can stop Alexander Zverev at the 2026 French Open, but he is now fending off another generation of players having beaten a teenager in the Quarter Final and now taking on a 20 year old who has become just the fifth Men's player from his nation to reach a Grand Slam Semi Final.

But that is not enough for Jakub Mensik, who has been touted for the top of the sport ever since he upset Novak Djokovic to win the Miami Masters last year.

Unsurprisingly that also meant a target on Jakub Mensik's back and he has perhaps struggled with that, which has led to him dropping from World Number 12 in March 2025 to World Number 27 ahead of this tournament.

He is going to back up near his career best World Ranking mark at the end of this Grand Slam, but Jakub Mensik has shown plenty of grit and determination to believe he deserves plenty of respect in the Semi Final. No one will be surprised he is the underdog, but Mensik has battled through adversity throughout this tournament and that will have given him a lot of confidence.

Getting past Joao Fonseca in straight sets in the Quarter Final will also be a big help for Jakub Mensik, who looked to be struggling with some physical ailments at various times during that last eight clash. The 20 year old has spent a lot more time on the court compared with Alexander Zverev and you cannot ignore that as a factor, but being in this half of the draw and playing in the Tuesday Quarter Final does mean Jakub Mensik has had two full days of recovery time to prepare physically and mentally.

The players have a recent knowledge of playing one another and on this surface- a few weeks ago, Alexander Zverev beat Jakub Mensik in the Fourth Round at the Madrid Masters, but that was a match that needed a third set decider. Both produced a big serving day, although Alexander Zverev eventually had the edge, and that is going to be a key shot when it comes to the outcome of this Semi Final.

Most will make Alexander Zverev favourite, which is the right choice, but Jakub Mensik has shown he can dig in and produce some very good tennis on this surface.

Another windy day is expected, although not as windy as Wednesday and Thursday, and the match may come down to which of the players can get on the front foot the quickest.

Experience is certainly with Alexander Zverev and that should never be downplayed, but Jakub Mensik could push him hard through the first couple of hours on the court and the younger player can at least win a set.

With both players capable of rolling through service games, this could be a Semi Final that needs at least 38 games to find a winner who will then play for the French Open title on Sunday afternoon in Paris.

Flavio Cobolli - 4.5 games v Matteo Arnaldi: An all-Italian Semi Final that does not feature Jannik Sinner will come as a surprise to those tuning into the French Open on Day 13 of the tournament, but that is no concern to either Matteo Arnaldi or Flavio Cobolli. Both have taken advantage of their compatriot exiting the tournament in the Second Round and opening up the top half of the draw, but credit has to be given to both Arnaldi and Cobolli for making sure they are in this position.

If Alexander Zverev wins the other Semi Final, the winner of this one will be the underdog on Sunday, but that should not be the focus for either player as they look to reach a maiden Grand Slam Final in its own right.

The clay courts will be comfortable for Matteo Arnaldi and Flavio Cobolli and it is going to be another Semi Final where the player who handles the occasion the best is likely going to find a way through. They are very familiar with one another being from the same country, while Matteo Arnaldi being 25 years old and Flavio Cobolli being 24 years old means they have likely known one another for many years.

Being familiar with the opponent should help settle the nerves somewhat and it is going to be the sixth meeting on the Tour with the first of those played back in 2021- Flavio Cobolli won that one before Matteo Arnaldi won three in a row, but it was Cobolli who was the winner again when these two met right here at the French Open last year.

It was a dominant Second Round win for Flavio Cobolli back in May 2025, although the setting around this one will be much different and that has to be a factor.

Despite that, Flavio Cobolli should be the fresher player, which gives him an edge, and he has made much more serene progress through the draw. His overall performances on the Tour have been a bit more convincing compared with Matteo Arnaldi, who was the World Number 36 when they met at Roland Garros last year, but who begun this event outside of the top 100.

Back to back five setters saw Matteo Arnaldi just get himself through some fine margins, but he looked a little fatigued in the Quarter Final- it was Matteo Berrettini who ultimately saw his body let him down and a two hour match abruptly concluded when Berrettini was forced out with an injury.

That will help Arnaldi in his recovery, but this is a much different kind of match against Flavio Cobolli and you have to expect the higher Ranked Italian to have too much for him once again at the French Open.

A battling win over Felix Auger Aliassime means Flavio Cobolli has only dropped two sets in his run to the French Open Semi Final and the conditions should not be as tough as they were on Wednesday.

Nothing will come easy with a spot in a Grand Slam Final on the line, but Flavio Cobolli may eventually wear down Matteo Arnaldi, who has to be feeling all of the tennis he has already played. Expect long rallies to wear down Arnaldi and that could allow Flavio Cobolli to eventually move into the French Open Final with a cover of this handicap mark set.

MY PICKS: Jakub Mensik-Alexander Zverev Over 37.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Flavio Cobolli - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

French Open Update: 26-22, - 1.54 Units (92 Units Staked, - 1% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2026 (Thursday 4th June)

The last four of the Women's tournament features plenty of young talent, but there won't be many who would have put a bracket together and come out with these four names.

A big opportunity is now in front of the players with a Grand Slam title to be won, but Aryna Sabalenka has to be kicking herself.

The body language had been pretty negative throughout the match, even when Sabalenka was very much in control, but losing 12 of the last 13 games was a complete capitulation.

It is not the first time the World Number 1 has managed to lose a match at the business end of a Grand Slam and not the first time Aryna Sabalenka has completely collapsed from a strong position. She was pretty downbeat in the press conference after the defeat, which is not a surprise, but it continues to show that the WTA Tour is missing that dominant force and perhaps a reason why Serena Williams is thinking about a comeback.

The former World Number 1 is back in Doubles action next week, but it would surprise no one if she did take a Wild Card into Wimbledon, which begins later in the month. One more Grand Slam is needed to match Novak Djokovic, although it would still take a monumental effort for a 44 year old who is turning 45 in September to be able to put together the kind of run needed to win a Grand Slam.

Serena Williams will be returning with that in mind, if she does indeed return to the Singles court and not just prepare for a shot at the Doubles Olympic Gold at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

That is something that may give the WTA another shot in the arm, but for now the focus for the four players still playing at Roland Garros is winning a Grand Slam title and moving into the upper tier of the sport in their own right.

Marta Kostyuk - 1.5 games v Mirra Andreeva: There has long been an expectation around Marta Kostyuk and the potential she has, and at 23 years old she looks to finally be making her big breakthrough on the Tour. After getting the better of compatriot Elina Svitolina in the Quarter Final, Marta Kostyuk is moving very close to the top ten in the WTA World Rankings, while she has also reached a maiden Grand Slam Semi Final.

If she wins one more match, Marta Kostyuk will enter the top ten of the World Rankings for the first time, while a French Open title would mean she also becomes the Ukrainian Number One.

Putting together an unbeaten clay court season, which includes a big WTA 1000 title in Madrid, should mean Marta Kostyuk comes into this Semi Final filled with confidence, but it is the younger player in this match up that has the experience edge.

While there has long been an expectation about the kind of successes that Marta Kostyuk could have on a tennis court, Mirra Andreeva has been seen as a future multiple time Grand Slam Champion since the then 17 year old reached the French Open Semi Final in 2024.

The run at the French Open means Mirra Andreeva has reached the Quarter Final four times at Grand Slam level, and three of those have been in Paris- she has converted two of those into Semi Final appearances, including this season, but Mirra Andreeva will have to get the better of an opponent who has beaten her twice already this season, including once in the Madrid Final on a clay court.

There is the issue about the Russia-Ukraine war that has continued to be a feature of the press conferences, but the focus here has to be on the court.

During the run to the Semi Final, Mirra Andreeva has produced the stronger numbers and her crushing win over Sorana Cirstea in the Quarter Final will have given the teenager a huge amount of confidence. She has long been very happy on the clay courts and Andreeva has been involved in very big matches at the French Open in each of the last three editions of this Grand Slam.

Experience is a big edge when it comes to handling the sense of occasion and that is something that Mirra Andreeva will have to try and use.

However, the numbers may be stronger overall in this tournament, but it is Marta Kostyuk who has two top ten wins under her belt and she has definitely had to fight through the tougher path. Doing so, and being unbeaten on the clay in 2026, should mean Marta Kostyuk is not intimidated by the match, but it is all about handling the emotion on the day with so much on the line.

It will be important for her team to try and get Marta Kostyuk to focus on the court, although the war in her home country is going to be on the mind and facing a Russian opponent will make that impossible to ignore.

The current World Number 15 has beaten Mirra Andreeva twice this season and that will be a boost for the confidence.

Tellingly, Marta Kostyuk has been the much stronger player in both matches and has won both in straight sets, including that Madrid Final last month- the clay here plays differently to Madrid, but Kostyuk has proven to be the stronger server in those head to head matches and that could be a key to the outcome of this Semi Final.

Mirra Andreeva is a confident player when the serve is working, but Marta Kostyuk could dip those levels if she is able to get into thos return games as she has previously.

It is Marta Kostyuk who has broken serve at least four times in each match played in Paris and she has broken six times in four of the five wins- this may be the first time she drops a set to Mirra Andreeva with the nerves likely going to play a big impact, but the latter has not reached the Final of a Grand Slam herself and there are still those moments when Andreeva reminds everyone that she is still a very young player and that may be the case on Thursday.

Diana Shnaider - 2.5 games v Maja Chwalinska: The second Grand Slam of the season has been one that has featured upset after upset and you will struggle to find too many people who selected the final four in the Women's event before the French Open began.

At least some sort of case could have been made for Mirra Andreeva and Marta Kostyuk, who make up the other Semi Final, but how many would have predicted Diana Shnaider and Maja Chwalinska to have made their way through the top half?

Both won Quarter Final matches on Wednesday in awfully tough conditions at the tournament- instead of the brutal heat of the first week, both players had to come through windy conditions that made it very difficult to control the ball, but both Shnaider and Chwalinska deserve a lot of credit for beating higher Ranked players.

There is a real storyline around both players too- Maja Chwalinska has won eight matches to reach the French Open Semi Final having begun her tournament in the Qualifying Rounds. She began her run outside of the top 100 in the World Rankings, but Chwalinska is set to earn a top 30 Ranking going forward and that means the next twelve months will be an opportunity to play in the biggest tournaments on the Tour.

For Diana Shnaider, the clay court season had been a difficult one as she struggled to mix it with the best players on the Tour, but back to back wins over Grand Slam Champions will have given her a whole heap of confidence. Those two wins over Madison Keys and Aryna Sabalenka have come in three sets and Diana Shnaider has come through the final set decider in each match without dropping a game, and that will have given the World Number 23 plenty of belief in her own tennis.

The comeback against Aryna Sabalenka from 6-3, 4-1, 30/0 behind is a huge moment for Diana Shnaider and now it is all about recovery, more mentally than physically.

Nerves are going to be a huge feature of this match with a Grand Slam Final place on the line and that does make it that much tougher to predict.

On paper you have to give the edge to Diana Shnaider who has had a solid record on the clay over the last couple of years and while competing at a high level.

Nothing is wrong with the Maja Chwalinska numbers, but the 24 year old has played in Challenger level events, which is backed up by her World Ranking, while she has not beaten a top 20 Ranked player yet in the tournament. At the end of this tournament, Diana Shnaider will be a top 20 Ranked player again and the younger of the two left-handed players has also beaten Maja Chwalinska on the clay before, albeit back in 2022 when Shnaider was making her way up the levels.

An early injury has perhaps held Maja Chwalinska back, but this run has still come out of left field considering what has been produced in the build up to the French Open- the numbers have bene strong enough, but those had come about at a much lower level than the main Tour events, and even then the Pole had a 10-5 record.

It is a run that will have some thinking back to 2021 when Emma Raducanu came through Qualifiers to then go on and win the US Open- more recently, Dayana Yastremska came through Qualifying and eventually reached the Australian Open Semi Final in 2024, but the latter of those players had more Grand Slam experience than Maja Chwalinska, who is taking part in just her third main draw appearance at a Major.

People are comparing it more to the Raducanu run, and this is likely going to be a match that features a lot of Breaks of serve.

Wind is going to be a real problem again on Thursday, especially with the roof likely to be open if the thunderstorms of early in the day are not expected to return. That does make it tougher with the nerves and emotions already pretty high for both players and it could come down to who can handle the conditions best when the pressure builds up.

The edge has to be with Diana Shnaider considering her experience of playing in bigger events, while she has looked the slightly more consistent return player and that may see her earn one or two more Breaks than Maja Chwalinska in this surprising Semi Final at the French Open.

MY PICKS: Marta Kostyuk - 1.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Diana Shnaider - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

French Open Update: 26-20, + 2.46 Units (88 Units Staked, + 2.80% Yield)

NBA Playoffs 2026- NBA Finals Picks Game 1-7 (Wednesday 3rd June-Friday 19th June)

Twelve months ago, the 2025 NBA Finals began with the main focus for this writer being the narrow exit suffered by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.

During the course of an up and down regular season, the Knicks looked like a team that may come up short again and at 2-1 down in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs, the critics were sharpening the knives.

Instead of crumbling to a very early exit, the New York Knicks rallied and they are on a Playoff heater and now return to the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years!

History has a tendency to repeat itself and so it is perhaps fitting that the New York Knicks will be facing the San Antonio Spurs, the team that beat the Knicks 4-1 in the 1999 NBA Finals.

While the Knicks have been crushing all who have stood in front of them, the San Antonio Spurs had to dig deep to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder, but it would be a poor excuse for a young team to speak about fatigue having last played on Saturday. There have been plenty of emotion put into reaching the NBA Finals, but inexperience is a bigger factor in the NBA Finals for this young core.

The NBA have to be really pleased with the Finals match up at a time when the Football World Cup is due to kick off in the United States- Victor Wembanyama is trying to become the face of the League and going up against a New York Knicks team that have given the entire City a huge energy boost should make for fascinating viewing for as long as these Finals last.

NBA Finals 2026- San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks (June 3rd-19th)

Wednesday 3rd June

New York Knicks @ San Antonio Spurs Game 1 Pick: Earlier in the season, the New York Knicks upset the San Antonio Spurs to win the NBA Cup and the two teams have fought their way through the Playoffs to set up a rematch for a much bigger prize.

Twelve years have passed since the San Antonio Spurs last won the NBA Championship, but the Draft Pick of Victor Wembanyama was seen as a pivotal moment in a new era. The Spurs have to be given credit for other choices they have made and this is a young group that could create a dynasty in the years ahead having shown what they can do when beating the defending Champions Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games in the Western Conference Finals.

That victory means the Spurs arrive at the NBA Finals with a lot of belief and it is San Antonio that will get to host the first two games of the Series.

One of the big questions for this young San Antonio team is how they will handle the pressure of playing in the NBA Finals after missing six straight Playoff seasons before this one. Some of those questions have been answered in beating the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder in the Playoffs, but the NBA Finals is considered a significantly different experience and some of the biggest names in NBA history have suffered in the first appearance on this stage.

Victor Wembanyama is the key for the Spurs and he cannot afford to struggle- big performances in the four wins secured over the Oklahoma City Thunder proved decisive and it is no surprise that the Thunder won the three games when Wemby was not at his best.

He can be a monster factor on both ends of the floor, but it is also important that the other players on the court contribute as the Spurs look to keep the New York Knicks waiting for a Championship.

Fifty-three years have passed since the New York Knicks last won the NBA Championship and twenty-seven since they last played in the NBA Finals.

Much of the intervening time has been a mess, but Leon Rose has to be given a lot of credit for the way he has constructed this roster- the signing of Jalen Brunson has proved to be a masterstroke, but deals to bring in the likes of Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges have all strengthened the roster.

Throw in Mitchell Robinson, who should be recovered from a pinky injury that had some fearing he would miss some of the NBA Finals, and the likes of Landry Shamet and Miles McBride from the bench and this New York Knicks team will feel they can match up with anyone.

It helps that they have won eleven Playoff games in a row and by huge margins as they completed back to back sweeps of the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers. That means the team have had eight days of rest, while the San Antonio Spurs have had to play three games in that time, and the New York Knicks will be looking to make that rest count.

There is no doubting that there is going to be a lot of pressure on the New York Knicks, but they will feel they match up well with the San Antonio Spurs and the three regular season games between the teams back that up. The Knicks won twice and in good fashion, while they were only narrowly beaten in San Antonio and the New York team can make the adjustments within the game to change the flow of the momentum.

The Knicks do match up well with the San Antonio Spurs, but the same will be felt by the Western Conference Champions.

New York are well rested, but you do have to wonder if that will mean another slow start- yes, they beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 in the Eastern Conference Finals, but it should not be forgotten that the Knicks were 22 Points behind in the Fourth Quarter and Cleveland blew a big opportunity.

That was after another seven games had been needed in the previous Series and this San Antonio Spurs team have had a bit more recovery time compared with Cleveland.

Being at home in Game 1 is also a big advantage and this is a NBA Finals featuring two teams who will want to spot up shooters at the three point arc- if the Knicks are a little more rusty than rested, the San Antonio Spurs may take advantage and Game 1s of recent NBA Finals have been dominated by the home team.

Hosts who have also been asked to lay at least 4.5 points in NBA Finals have also been on a very strong run and the feeling is that the rhythm of the San Antonio Spurs may see them get into the lead and manage that much better than Cleveland did against the New York Knicks.

Friday 5th June

New York Knicks @ San Antonio Spurs Game 2 Pick: In the middle of the Third Quarter, it felt like the New York Knicks were struggling to find the right rhythm to get back into Game 1 of the NBA Finals and the long Playoff run of wins looked to be coming to an end.

However, this has proven to be a team that has forgotten how to lose and the Knicks continue to come up with big plays in the Fourth Quarter, much as they have all season.

Captain Clutch, Jalen Brunson, made the big plays late in the Fourth Quarter that ultimately helped the New York Knicks overcome a big deficit and take the 1-0 lead in the Series, but they will be expecting a big effort from the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2. All season the Spurs have bounced back when losing and this is a young core that have listened to the adjustments that have been made in the Playoff run so there will remain a confidence and a belief that they can turn things back around.

Mitch Johnson has done a fine job as Head Coach, but he will have had to listen to some criticism for the way he oversaw the Fourth Quarter- Dylan Harper was not given the minutes that his first half performance deserved and the likes of De'Aaron Fox really did not reach the level that you would expect of someone of his quality.

Even Victor Wembanyama was critical of his own effort in Game 1, but this is a player who has recovered and come out and made a statement after a poor showing and everyone associated with the Knicks will expect that on Friday night.

There was much to like about the way the Knicks kept battling, but New York will also believe there is much more to come from themselves- Brunson was immense late in the Fourth Quarter yet again, but overall he will believe he needs to be more efficient and everyone will be hoping that the early knee and ankle injuries suffered by the best player on the team are not going to become a problem.

Both teams struggled from the three point range, but having that Game 1 under the belt and limited rest between the first two games of the NBA Finals should mean shooters are in better rhythm. Open looks were not knocked down, but the Spurs and Knicks will continue trying to get to open shooters and expect themselves to be better.

Defensive adjustments may be made by the San Antonio Spurs to make Wembanyama more effective after allowing the New York Knicks to get into the paint with real success in Game 1. The Spurs will also look for a more efficient game from Wemby who was 6-21 in Game 1 and San Antonio are still in a position where hosts have tended to play well, as the Oklahoma City Thunder did in Game 2 after dropping the opener of the NBA Finals twelve months ago.

It is a League where narrow margins make up the bigger picture and the San Antonio Spurs struggled to make the shots presented to them- they will want to create more turnovers than they did in the second half of Game 1, while the Head Coach will likely shift up the Defensive schemes and turn to the hot hands a little quicker than he did in the opener.

Losing is a blow for the Spurs, but they are still capable of earning a split of the first two games, but this New York Knicks team is playing with momentum and a confidence that will be difficult to shake.

The expectation is that the Spurs will make the adjustments to bounce back and the three point shooters are likely to be better with the looks they get in Game 2 having missed some good chances in Game 1. All season San Antonio have done that and the outright winner continues to dominate in the NBA Playoffs in 2026 at a record rate.

Being wrong would not be difficult to accept as a fan, but the feeling is that everything will be tied up when these teams meet in a NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden for the first time since 1999 on Monday.

Monday 8th June

San Antonio Spurs @ New York Knicks Game 3 Pick: For just the third time in the history of the NBA Finals, a road team has won the opening two games and the previous two times it happened, those teams went on to win the NBA Championship.

As you can imagine, excitement has soared through the roof in New York City after the home town Knicks returned with a 2-0 lead from the business trip to Texas.

Fifty-three years since winning the NBA Championship for the last time, the New York Knicks return home with a big lead and with two games to be played at Madison Square Garden. Even a split would be seen as a positive in the Series setting, but the Knicks have won thirteen Playoff games in a row and they do not want to lose any momentum.

Experience at key times in the Fourth Quarter have been key in both opening wins and it is certainly the inexperience of the San Antonio Spurs that has proved to be costly.

They had chances to win both opening games, but the Spurs have made critical, fatal mistakes at the worst times and Victor Wembanyama will have been hearing all about his over the last couple of days.

With the game tied, Wembanyama picked up the Defensive Rebound and the Spurs in a position to get the final shot of the game- the entire NBA world would have gasped when he inexplicably decided to throw the ball forward to Stephon Castle, who had already turned his head to get up the court and move into a position to open up the Offensive plays for the last shot of the game.

Victor Wembanya's turnover proved to be decisive with Jalen Brunson picking up the ball, earning the foul and sinking one of two Free Throws to help the New York Knicks into the lead. Even then, Wemby had a chance to win the game for the Spurs, but missed a decent look at the basket and San Antonio travel looking to at least earn one more shot at home.

Game 3 is huge for the Spurs- no NBA team has won a Playoff Series from 0-3 behind, but the young team will have to find a way to dig in and cool what is going to be a raucous Madison Square Garden crowd.

It is a big ask as they look to make adjustments, but the Spurs will still believe they have played well enough to have found a way to win both games.

The New York Knicks will be confident as long as they are within striking range in the Fourth Quarter, but this is going to be a potentially pressurised environment with the team able to reach out and touch the trophy. They have shown so much character and conviction in the play throughout this post-season run and the Knicks continue to defy the odds, but they are favourites in Game 3 and that is going to bring a different kind of pressure on the team.

Jalen Brunson has found some big buckets late, but the Knicks still need more from him, while the way they have played on the Defensive side of the court continues to impress.

The Knicks are capable, but so are the Spurs and the best way to approach Game 3 is backing the under to hit for a third time in the 2026 Finals.

In recent seasons, the under has been the big winner in NBA Finals games and both the Knicks and Spurs have shown they can be very effective on that side of the court, which has made life tougher for the shooters as they continue to fight through contested lanes.

There have been stretches of misses throughout the first two games of the NBA Finals and that may be the best approach to take to Game 3 as the Series shifts to the East Coast.

Wednesday 10th June

San Antonio Spurs @ New York Knicks Game 4 Pick: The energy around New York City had been electric after winning both games on the road in the NBA Finals, but that perhaps contributed to a few nerves for the home town Knicks early in Game 3.

Ir was the first NBA Finals game played at Madison Square Garden in twenty-seven years and that meant a huge increase in ticket prices- some have suggested that the raw fans being priced out contributed to a less than raucous atmosphere inside The Garden and allowed the San Antonio Spurs to settle in during this business trip as they look to drag themselves back into the Series.

Even then, it was another close, competitive game and that has to be the expectation around Game 4, which feels hugely pivotal.

If the Knicks win, a 3-1 lead looks like one that will lead to the end of the fifty-three year wait to win the NBA Championship.

However, a Spurs win not only levels up the NBA Finals, but it likely sees the oddsmakers shift back into making San Antonio favourite.

One day of rest between Game 3 and Game 4 does make things challenging, especially for the San Antonio Spurs who asked the key contributors to do some heavy lifting on Monday to ensure they were not being asked to become the first team in NBA history to win a best of seven Series from 3-0 behind. That does mean fatigue is a potential issue against a New York Knicks team who have a bit more depth that Head Coach Mike Brown feels he can rely upon to make important contributions.

The energy will be a little more nervy around the New York Knicks after seeing the thirteen game Playoff winning run ended and it is important to make a more decisive start.

Mike Brown has also been highly critical of the officiating in the last couple of games and that is something that could be on the mind of those taking charge in Game 4. There was a huge disparity in Free Throws attempted and the Knicks will look to attack what may be a young, slightly fatigued team that put so much into Monday night.

Game 3 comfortably moved past the total. but the Fourth Quarter only featured 43 points combined as tiredness of both physical and mental nature perhaps began to take its toll.

That could carry over into Game 4 and backing the under is the play in what looks a very tough game from which to pick a winner.

Saturday 13th June

New York Knicks @ San Antonio Spurs Game 5 Pick: Big comebacks are a part of any sporting field, but when they happen in the Finals of any of those sports, they go down in history.

Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals will sit alongside the New England Patriots recovery from 28-3 down in the Super Bowl as the most improbable of comebacks and arguably the New York Knicks win over San Antonio Spurs surpasses anything that has come before.

Trailing by 29 points and looking lost at both ends of the court, the New York Knicks created the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history to steal Game 4 from under the noses of the San Antonio Spurs and move to one win from a first Championship since 1973.

For the second time in the NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs have to be wondering how they have managed to lose a game in the final seconds, although this one will feel worse than Game 2 considering the lead that had been built.

De'Aaron Fox will have to accept the criticism that has come his way- the turnovers in the Third and Fourth Quarter were pretty poor, but it is the abject decision making from a veteran to try and score a basket with the Spurs up by a point and with the shot clock off that has garnered most attention. The absolute play is to drag the ball out and get the Knicks to foul, but Fox made a ridiculously poor choice and ultimately that was a key reason the Spurs ended up falling.

However, the blame cannot be attached to one play and one player- the Spurs had a huge lead but scored just 30 points in the second half having put 76 points on the board in the first half. Poor clock management and a lack of conviction in trying to get to the rim against a team in foul trouble cannot be ignored, while Head Coach Mitch Johnson has to be questioned for the lack of Timeouts used to try and refocus the team as the lead began to dwindle.

Of course you have to credit the New York Knicks for fighting back- that makes them 5-3 in the last two post-seasons when trailing by 20 points, but like the Game 1 win in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks needed help from the visiting team.

Never giving up is a real testament to the character of the players, but no one is taking anything for granted just yet and each of the four games could have easily swung the other way.

Two days of rest between games means physical fatigue is less of a concern, but you do have to wonder how much the San Antonio Spurs have left as they return home needing to win three games to win the NBA Championship. At 2-2 you would have made them favourites, but the entire situation of Game 4 means this young team are going to have grow up really quickly if they are going to force a return to New York City and Madison Square Garden.

It is really hard to factor how the Spurs are feeling, although they bounced back from blowing Game 2 in disastrous fashion to win Game 3 on the road.

You have to expect an early push from the Spurs, but the New York Knicks continue to show that they will not be cowed by a quick punch and instead will have plenty left in the tank to fight back. The Knicks did put in a huge second half effort to win Game 4 and they will also have to deal with what could be an emotional letdown and so picking a side is perhaps not as easy as it may feel.

For some the momentum is such with the Knicks that the points being given to them is very appealing, but the better approach may be going to back to the under market.

It was an incredibly fortunate winner in Game 4 considering how well the Spurs shot in the first half, but that was a level that was always going to be hard to sustain.

The expectation is that better clock management is going to be the key for both teams and that may help produce a shortened game, while the officials have been criticised for some of the fouls that have been given.

There is every chance that the NBA Finals is concluded on Saturday, but the Spurs will have something to say about that and two teams playing after the emotions of Wednesday night may not be able to combine to surpass this points total. Both have been very good Defensively and been able to slow the other down for stretches and that could be the case in Game 5 with three of the first four games in the NBA Finals all finishing below the total set.

MY PICKS: 03/06 San Antonio Spurs - 4.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

05/06 San Antonio Spurs - 6 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

08/06 New York Knicks-San Antonio Spurs Under 215.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

10/06 New York Knicks-San Antonio Spurs Under 216.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

13/06 San Antonio Spurs-New York Knicks Under 216.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

NBA Finals: 01-3, - 2.09 Units (4 Units Staked, - 52.25% Yield)

Conference Finals: 9-2, + 6.24 Units (11 Units Staked, + 56.73% Yield)

Second Round: 5-8, - 3.45 Units (13 Units Staked, - 26.54% Yield)

First Round: 15-17, - 3.28 Units (32 Units Staked, - 10.25% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 11 Picks 2026 (Wednesday 3rd June)

Day 10 proved to be a bounce back day for the Tennis Picks, but the French Open continues to throw up plenty of upsets and it is going to take some serious navigation to get out of Paris with a winning record.

Four more Quarter Final matches are set for Wednesday as the tournament begins to reach its climax.

Two Semi Final matches, one from both Men's and Women's events, have already been set as we prepare for what could be another day of tennis to be played under the roof.

Aryna Sabalenka - 5.5 games v Diana Shnaider: Consistent form away from the Grand Slam events helped Diana Shnaider into a career best World Ranking of Number 11 twelve months ago, but she has hit a bit of wall in the last year. That is not a surprise for a young player getting used to the trials and tribulations of a long Tour, but this is a surface on which Diana Shnaider feels comfortable.

Credit has to be given to the 22 year old for the numbers that have been steady across all surfaces, but that has not prevented Diana Shnaider for slipping down the World Rankings and she entered the French Open as the Number 25 Seed.

No matter what happens from here, Diana Shnaider has reversed the slip by reaching the Quarter Final of a Grand Slam event for the first time and she has had to come through some difficult situations. Most notably that was in the Third Round win over Oleksandra Oliynykova who had been highly critical of Shnaider in the pre-match press conferences and some of the actions that have been taken by the young player away from the Tour in relation to the continuing Russia-Ukraine war.

Diana Shnaider dealt with a difficult match and she has a win over a former Grand Slam Champion in Madison Keys in the Fourth Round, but there is going to be little doubt that this is another considerable step up in level of challenge facing her.

There has been a trend in each of the first four wins- Diana Shnaider has broken six times in each of those matches, but also dropped serve three times in each win, while there is going to be room for improvement on the serve if the lower Ranked player is going to beat the top Seed in the draw.

After a less than impressive build up towards the French Open, Aryna Sabalenka battled through the first couple of Rounds here in Paris.

The concern for the rest of the draw is that Aryna Sabalenka looks to be peaking at the right time and the last couple of performances have been better than the one before, while the win over Naomi Osaka in the Fourth Round really did make a statement. Aryna Sabalenka will know that there are stronger clay courters that she will have to beat to win this title for the first time, but being on the easier half of the bracket will help and it will be a real surprise if the World Number 1 is not playing in the Final again.

She has been one of the top clay courters on the Tour in recent years and Aryna Sabalenka will feel her serve gives her a big edge in this Quarter Final.

The return has been solid, but it is the strength of the serve that creates scoreboard pressure and that may be the case against Diana Shnaider, who has struggled against the better players on the Tour.

All four of Shnaider's clay court defeats this season have been against top 20 Ranked opponents and she had been 0-4 in those matches before the win over Madison Keys in the Fourth Round.

In those previous four defeats, Diana Shnaider has found herself under siege on the serve, but also struggling to make a serious impact on the return and that sounds like it could be the story of this last eight clash.

Facing a lefty may make things awkward for Aryna Sabalenka who has never played Diana Shnaider on the Tour before, but the World Number 1 did knock off a couple of southpaws at Roland Garros in 2025 without too much pushback.

This one should be tougher with the sense of expectation around Aryna Sabalenka, but she can eventually get on top of Diana Shnaider and that will likely be reflected on the final scoreboard as another Grand Slam Semi Final is reached by the top player on the Tour.

Flavio Cobolli v Felix Auger Aliassime: The run to the Quarter Final here in Paris means Felix Auger Aliassime has reached the last eight or better at every Grand Slam event on the Tour, while he is going to end this tournament at a new career high World Ranking.

The early elimination suffered by Jannik Sinner has opened up this top half of the draw and Felix Auger Aliassime is the highest Ranked player in the section, which will have built up some pressure on the 25 year old. He has been handling it as well as he can and Felix Auger Aliassime will be grateful for a straightforward Fourth Round win, which will mean he has been given time for recovery and preparation ahead of this Quarter Final.

Like many in the Men's tournament, there have been some taxing matches during the run to the last eight, but that Fourth Round win in a little over two hours came at an ideal time for Felix Auger Aliassime.

Two Fourth Round defeats and four First Round defeats had been the previous record at the Frenhc Open, but Felix Auger Aliassime has used the serve to build up pressure on opponents. The draw has also opened up for him, which means only one Seeded player has been beaten to reach the Quarter Final, while the form in the build up tournaments had been nothing to write home about.

Felix Auger Aliassime is very reliant on strong serving to build up pressure and he has to be credited for what looks to be an improving shot as the wins have racked up here in Paris. Conditions were much different in the first week, but Auger Aliassime will take real encouragement from his performance in the Fourth Round, while stronger serving has opened up opportunities on the return.

Experience is most certainly on the side of Felix Auger Aliassime who is playing in his fifth Grand Slam Quarter Final and who reached the US Open Semi Final last September.

However, Flavio Cobolli has continued to grow on the Tour and he is very close to cracking the top 10 of the World Rankings for the first time, while he is the player in the top half of the bracket who has made the most comfortable of progress to this stage of the French Open.

The World Number 14 had won the opening three matches in straight sets and should have done the same in the Fourth Round before losing concentration.

Still, Flavio Cobolli has spent around four hours fewer hours on the court compared with his opponent on the way to the Quarter Final and that accumulated fatigue, or lack of, can make a difference when we get to this Round of a Grand Slam.

Flavio Cobolli will be like many from Italy in being very comfortable on the clay courts and his overall tennis has looked to be in very good shape at the French Open. He has benefited from a kind draw and one that has looked kinder than the one that Felix Auger Aliassime has navigated, but credit has to be given to Cobolli for getting through the matches as would be expected.

Like his opponent, Flavio Cobolli will sense there is a big opportunity for him in the top half of the Men;'s draw and the 'x factor' here is how the Italian can handle the emotions and the sense of occasion.

He can take a huge amount of confidence from the fact that Flavio Cobolli has two wins over Felix Auger Aliassime on the Tour and both on the hard courts that should favour the latter. One of those was in Canada in 2024 and both of those wins have been at a time when Felix Auger Aliassime was the higher Ranked player, as he will be on Wednesday.

The overall clay court numbers, the potential of being the fresher player and the head to head are the slight edges in favour of Flavio Cobolli and he can win this match if he is not overawed in just his second Grand Slam Quarter Final.

Matteo Berrettini - 1.5 sets v Matteo Arnaldi: If someone had told you that three Men's Italian tennis players would be competing in the French Open Quarter Final and none would be Jannik Sinner, you'd never have believed them.

But that is the case on Day 11 of the French Open and the last match scheduled on the court features two players named Matteo.

Between 2021 and 2022, Matteo Berrettini found himself constantly competing at the business end of Grand Slam events and he was as high as World Number 6 in January 2022. During that time he reached the Final at Wimbledon, the Semi Final at the Australian Open and back to back runs to the Quarter Final at the US Open.

In 2021 Matteo Berrettini was also able to reach the Quarter Final at the French Open, but injuries piled up and he had not even competed at three of the previous four Grand Slam events prior to the 2026 French Open. Matteo Berrettini had not played here since the Quarter Final run in 2021, but the World Number 105 has enjoyed a special week and his experience will give Berrettini a real shot at reaching another Grand Slam Final.

A Third Round win was earned in over five hours on the court, but Matteo Berrettini made relatively routine work of his Fourth Round opponent and that will be key in helping him recover physically.

Before the tournament began, Matteo Arnaldi was one place higher than Berrettini in the World Rankings at Number 104 and so his run to the Quarter Final has been just as surprising as his compatriot's.

Out of the two players, Matteo Arnaldi has played the higher level of opponent, but that has also meant leaving a lot more out of the court. He recovered from 2-1 behind in sets and 4-1 down in the fourth set to beat Frances Tiafoe in the Fourth Round, but that win may have come at a cost with Matteo Arnaldi needing over five hours on the court for a second match in a row.

At times Matteo Arnaldi looked to be running on fumes, but he has shown grit and determination which has to be respected.

He is going to need to show more of that in this Quarter Final, although the expectation is that the rallies are not going to be nearly as gruelling as they were in the win over Frances Tiafoe. This time the big serving of Matteo Berrettini should shorten up the points, which may not be a bad thing for Matteo Arnaldi who is going to have pick and choose the moments when to attack.

The serve has been the big weapon for Matteo Berrettini in this run to the Quarter Final and he may have the edge in this one if there is any lingering fatigue in the Matteo Arnaldi arm and body.

Matteo Berrettini is not the most convincing of return players on the Tour, but he should be the fresher player in this Quarter Final and Matteo Arnaldi's serve showed some vulnerabilities in the Fourth Round.

While Matteo Arnaldi has shown considerable fight to get back into matches in this French Open run, you do have a feeling that this match could get very tough for the younger of the two Italian players if Matteo Berrettini can move in front.

The serving of Berrettini will likely keep Matteo Arnaldi under some real pressure and that could finally see the 25 year old crack.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 5.5 Games @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Flavio Cobolli @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Matteo Berrettini - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

French Open Update: 25-19, + 2.64 Units (84 Units Staked, + 3.14% Yield)