It has been a decent start to the French Open for the Tennis Picks, but Day 3 is the busiest in terms of number of Picks selected.
Over the course of a fortnight of selections, there are going to be some difficult moments and the key is to try and limit those, while making sure that you make hay when the sun is shining.
It has been shining very hard in Paris this week and the conditions look like they are going to continue to be a big factor in the tournament, at least through to the second week. That means players are simply trying to make sure they are not exerting too much energy to battle through the opening week, but there has to be a balance between aggression and pushing the envelope too far, which would suddenly mean being dragged into an unnecessary battle.
The numbers from the first two days can be seen below, but before that is the Day 3 Picks.
Coco Gauff - 5.5 games v Taylor Townsend: There will be plenty of familiarity when these two American players meet in the First Round of the French Open, but it is no surprise that the defending Champion is set as a significant favourite.
She was beaten in the Rome Final, but Coco Gauff had that happen to her twelve months ago before picking up the French Open title weeks later.
The World Number 4 will likely be the first to admit that she has not quite reached the heights of 2025 as far as the clay court form goes, but Coco Gauff is still playing at a high level. That should be good enough to negotiate the early Rounds from her Seeding, although the expectation is that real improvement will be needed in the second week of this Grand Slam if Coco Gauff is going to defend the title won here last year.
Most will expect Coco Gauff to get off to a positive start on Tuesday on Day 3 of the French Open when she takes on Taylor Townsend, who is much more known for her work on the Doubles side of the Tour.
There has been very little consistent success as a Singles player on the clay courts over the last couple of years and even in the build up to the French Open, Taylor Townsend has struggled when facing the better players on the Tour. She has a 4-2 record on the clay courts, but that becomes 1-2 when only focusing on matches against players Ranked inside the top 100 and the numbers on the serve and return have been heavily impacted when facing those players.
Credit has to be given to the World Number 75 for earning her spot in the main draw without having to go through the Qualifiers, as Townsend did last year, but she was well beaten in the First Round and this looks a very tough match up on paper.
In their sole meeting back in 2019, Taylor Townsend got the better of Coco Gauff, but she was 200 places above her in the World Rankings and things have changed for both since those days.
Familiarity with what to expect should help the lower Ranked American, but it feels like a First Round match that the favourite will eventually showcase the difference in quality and be able to pull away for a good, solid win.
Madison Keys - 5.5 games v Hanne Vandewinkel: At 22 years old, it is no surprise that Hanne Vandewinkel has looked to take the next step in her development by entering bigger events.
She had a solid clay court record at the lower level, which will make her dangerous, but Hanne Vandewinkel has struggled t0 a 3-6 record on the surface in 2026 and she was one of the late direct entries into the main draw at the French Open.
The three clay court wins have all been against players Ranked outside of the top 100, while the youngster has really had some issues protecting the serve when it comes to the better players on the Tour.
On any other surface, Madison Keys would be a big favourite to beat the Belgian, but she feels a little underrated in this spread considering the kind of performances the World Number 19 can produce on the red dirt. Last year Keys reached the Quarter Final at the French Open, so there is some pressure to defend Ranking Points, but that is a run that has been backed up by a 5-2 record on the clay since the move from Charleston.
European clay events are more important as a form indicator and Madison Keys reached the Final of a 125 level tournament in the build up to the French Open.
While not being the biggest of statements to do that, Madison Keys will feel it is a level that should provide opponents of the level she is facing in the First Round and that should show up on the final scoreboard.
However, there is the one concern about the thigh issue that forced her to withdraw from the Final of the Paris 125 event and also meant Madison Keys withdrew from Strasbourg. It sounded like a precaution in the last event before the French Open, but that is the only negative to this selection, which raises a slight concern.
The feeling is that Madison Keys will be good enough if she does step onto the court and her power could prove decisive as she looks to limit the time needed to get through the First Round ahead of bigger challenges to come.
Luciano Darderi - 1.5 sets v Sebastian Ofner: The top of Italian Tennis is dominated by Jannik Sinner, who will be entering the French Open as the top Seed and clear favourite to win the title in Paris for the first time.
However, there are a number of other men's players from Italy who have made an impact on the Tour and Luciano Darderi could be next in line.
He is the World Number 17 and that says something about the consistency of the performances when you think Luciano Darderi has only made the second week of a Grand Slam once and that was in Melbourne back in January.
Of course that means having little to defend in terms of World Ranking Points and Luciano Darderi has to take advantage of being a Seeded player- he has never been beyond the Second Round at the French Open and that is a real surprise when you think of the kind of tennis he plays on the clay courts.
A Semi Final run at the Rome Masters and then the Quarter Final run at Hamburg should mean the Italian is heading into this First Round match with confidence, although he will have respect for veteran Sebastian Ofner, even if the World Ranking has slipped to 91.
Sebastian Ofner has won ten of eighteen clay court matches this season, but that slips to two of five when considering top 100 Ranked opponents and one of four when only focusing on top 50 Ranked opponents. He has continued to serve well enough in those matches, but Ofner has seen his returning numbers decline the higher the Ranked opponent faced and that has put him under pressure.
It feels like that could be the difference in this match and Luciano Darderi has provided stronger serving numbers when facing those opponents outside of the top 50 in the World Rankings. He has won twelve of sixteen clay court matches in that spot this season, while Darderi beat Sebastian Ofner on the clay courts for the loss of just three games in the sole previous match up on the red dirt.
The 24 year old Italian can still be erratic at times, but he should have enough to win this match and to do so without needing a deciding set- it is perhaps more likely Luciano Darderi wins in four sets, rather than straight sets, but backing the Seeded player to come through and cover the set handicap looks the play.
MY PICKS: Coco Gauff - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)
Madison Keys - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (2 Units)
Luciano Darderi - 1.5 Sets @ 1.66 William Hill (2 Units)
Iva Jovic - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 William Hill (2 Units)
Stefanos Tsitsipas - 6.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
French Open Update: 3-0, + 4.70 Units (6 Units Staked, + 78.33% Yield)
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