French Open Tennis Day 2 Picks 2025 (Monday 26th May)

Let's be honest, the French Open could not have begun any worse.

The opening selection lost the first set 6-0, and Peyton Stearns will be really disappointed with her overall defeat.

Diana Shnaider had a stronger end than beginning to her match, but never got close to the cover either.

As the song goes, things can only get better.

The First Round matches continue on Monday with three selections that can be read below.

Iga Swiatek - 7.5 games v Rebecca Sramkova: The defending three time French Open Champion and a winner in four of the last five seasons in Paris will be opening her 2025 bid as the Number 5 Seed.

That underlines the kind of year that Iga Swiatek has been having and she has admitted that the confidence is not where it should be. In recent years, the Pole has dominated this portion of the Tour, but that has been far from the case for Iga Swiatek over the last couple of months.

However, Iga Swiatek has been in better mood after arriving in Paris and the draw will give her the chance to build into the tournament, which can be important. The familiarity of winning matches on the Roland Garros dirt is another factor and Iga Swiatek may still have some of her aura when she steps out here.

It is clear that the serve has not been as dominant as it has been in recent years and that has put pressure on the return, which has been operating at a level where Iga Swiatek has won 45% of return points compared with the virtual 50% mark set in each of the last three seasons.

An opportunity to make a strong start in Paris is right in front of the World Number 5 as she prepares to face Rebecca Sramkova in the First Round.

The 28 year old has slipped back out of the top 40 in the World Rankings having compiled a 2-3 record on the clay in 2025.

Rebecca Sramkova will at least point out that a couple of those defeats have been in competitive matches and that will give her some belief. She took a set from Jelena Ostapenko in Rome, a former French Open Champion, but this is a significant step for Sramkova who had to Qualify for this Grand Slam last season before losing in the First Round.

These two players met at the Australian Open back in January and Rebecca Sramkova managed to win just two games.

Everything worked for Iga Swiatek that day, but this should be a little bit more competitive even if the dominant clay courter of recent years is able to still cover what is a very big number for a best of three set match.

Naomi Osaka v Paula Badosa: These two players will be familiar of one another, but they have not played on the Tour before with Naomi Osaka's best tennis being played a couple of years before Paula Badosa really started to make waves on the Tour. They were supposed to meet during this clay court season, but Badosa was not able to make it onto the court and instead this 'popcorn' match is to be played in the First Round at the French Open.

Injuries have been something of an issue for Paula Badosa over the last seventeen months, but she does arrive in Paris as the World Number 10.

However, this is going to be just the third match played on the clay courts having played a couple of matches last week in Strasbourg and you do have to wonder if Paula Badosa is perhaps a little undercooked. She did not play badly in her defeat in Strasbourg, which will give the Spaniard some confidence, but Badosa only holds a 7-6 record on the clay courts since the beginning of 2024.

Encouragement can be taken from the fact that she is set to face Naomi Osaka on the least favoured surface of the former World Number 1, but there have been some positive signs from the Japanese star. She won her first title since returning to the Tour after becoming a mother during this clay court season, much to Osaka's own surprise, and she did reach the Fourth Round in Rome.

Twelve months ago, Naomi Osaka should have ended Iga Swiatek's run in the Second Round at the French Open and she has the game to be very competitive on the surface. The key is whether Osaka can show some of the patience that is needed to come through some of the tougher moments, but there has been enough to like from her tennis to think she can edge past Paula Badosa in this strong First Round match.

Naomi Osaka has to take advantage of the cheap points she can generate behind the very good first serve and she may be able to keep the higher Ranked player under some pressure. Both players will have their moments, but Osaka looks capable of getting the better of Paula Badosa on Monday.

Elena Rybakina - 6.5 games v Julia Riera: Off court issues and two pretty early defeats in Madrid and Rome will have seen many write off the chances of Elena Rybakina winning the second Grand Slam of the season. She has looked out of sorts as she has slipped out of the top ten in the World Rankings, but Rybakina may feel much better all around after winning the title in Strasbourg in the last tournament to prepare for the French Open.

The serve has continued to be an effective weapon for Elena Rybakina, even on the clay courts, and she has been a solid competitor on the surface.

However, the poor record prior to the tournament in Strasbourg was largely down to the disappointing return numbers being produced and they are considerably below the standards that have been set in recent years. Make no mistake, Elena Rybakina is going to have to improve on that side of her tennis if she is going to have a big impact in Paris, especially being set on the tougher side of the draw.

It all begins with a Qualifier and there has to be a respect for Julia Riera after the three wins posted to make the main draw. This should mean the familiarity with the conditions offers Julia Riera a potential route towards an upset and even more so when you think that Elena Rybakina will have been travelling from winning a tournament this past weekend.

Julia Riera is going to be very comfortable playing on the clay courts as an Argentinian, while the confidence will be improved after dropping just a single set in three Qualifying wins.

She reached the Semi Final of a tournament played in Bogota on the surface, but a defeat in that Round sparked a run of four losses in five matches for Julia Riera and at a level considerably below what she will be facing in the First Round here.

Eleven losses have been suffered in succession on the clay courts when facing top 100 Ranked opponents and the real concern for Julia Riera is that none of those have been against anyone Ranked inside the top 40.

Credit has to be given to Julia Riera for showing a real competitive spirit in those defeats, but she may be put under pressure by the Elena Rybakina serve and that could see the Seeded player eventually roll through the gears. This could lead to a relatively comfortable win in the First Round, but there are expected to be some considerable tests ahead for the former World Number 3 and Wimbledon Champion.

MY PICKS: Iga Swiatek - 7.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Naomi Osaka @ 1.80 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Elena Rybakina - 6.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

French Open Update: 0-2, - 2 Units (2 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 5 Picks 2022 (May 26th)

After some ups and downs through the First Round of the French Open as far as the Tennis Picks have gone, I have to be much happier with the efforts on Day 4 with 66% of the selections returning as winners.

Even then, I do feel this tournament has already given me far too many 'what might have been' moments with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal both being in a position to cover, but failing to do so on Wednesday. They won their matches, but late breaks of serve were given away and both missed a cover by a game, a day after Stefanos Tsitsipas missed Match Points to cover in his own win.

None of those players are going to care, but it is frustrating with those three results making the difference between a solid start and a great start to the French Open.

It was a fascinating day at Roland Garros for the fans though and the Second Round epics that Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz had to win will be long remembered by those who watched on.

Both managed to win in five tough sets, but you do have to wonder what kind of impact that will have later in the tournament. It is vital for both to try and get through the Third Round matches as easily as possible, although the expectation is that the challenges should be getting more difficult the deeper you go in any tournament.

'Upsets' continued in the Women's draw and some big names and high Seeds dropped out on Wednesday, but the tournament looks to be warming up nicely.

On Day 5, the remainder of the Second Round is completed as the Men's bottom half and the Women's top half of the draws take to the court. There are some more good looking matches to be played and I would not be surprised if we witness more drama before all is said and done.

It will also be the first Night Session on Chatrier that features a Women's match, but that honour being given to a home favourite should help appease anyone who feels they may be getting short-changed after the Men's best of five set matches had previously been selected for that showing.

After a solid Day 4, I am looking to keep the momentum going with the following selections.

Pedro Cachin v Hugo Gaston: Being a Lucky Loser and entering the main draw of a Grand Slam has to make any player feel like they are playing with 'house money' and Pedro Cachin is about to reach a new career high World Ranking at the end of the tournament in Paris. He was a four set winner in the First Round against a fellow Qualifier, but the Argentinian will know that there are much bigger tests to come.

The match up in the Second Round may not be one of massive concern for Pedro Cachin, but he has to be in control of his emotions as he plays on a major court. The fact that he is playing a French player means Pedro Cachin is going to have to deal with the crowd as much as the opponent, but I still think he can be backed to oust Hugo Gaston.

The First Round was a topsy-turvy, emotional rollercoaster for Hugo Gaston who had not been in good form going into the French Open. He looked down and out in the Fifth Set having dropped the Fourth Set to Alex De Minaur without winning a game and being a break down in the decider, but Hugo Gaston used the emotion of the crowd to rally and come through a Super Tie-Breaker to earn the victory.

Spending a minute shy of four hours on court and having to come through an emotional last Set is going to be a big challenge for Hugo Gaston to overcome, even with a day off between matches. The win over Alex De Minaur has come against someone who is perhaps not his most comfortable on the clay courts, but that is not the case when facing Pedro Cachin and I expect Hugo Gaston to have to deal with a lot more issues in this one.

Fatigue could be a factor, while you cannot ignore how well Pedro Cachin had been playing on the Challenger Tour in the lead up to the French Open. He will be disappointed in needing a Lucky Loser spot in the main draw, but I do feel Cachin can make use of that as long as he continues serving to the level he has displayed in 2022.

Hugo Gaston had lost four matches in a row on the clay courts before the win in the First Round, but all the effort and emotion needed may see him come up short in the Second Round.

Daniil Medvedev - 1.5 sets v Laslo Djere: It is hard to really gauge where Daniil Medvedev is with his tennis after his First Round win over a player who has admitted he was struggling with a calf injury. The World Number 2 did what he needed to and won very, very easily, but this Second Round match is a much tougher challenge for him to deal with.

In previous years Daniil Medvedev has made it clear that he is not the biggest fan of the clay courts, but he reached the Quarter Final at the French Open twelve months ago and has been in much more positive mood about the surface having produced such a strong run.

The loss last week in Geneva is a blow, but Daniil Medvedev has felt like his hernia procedure has been a success and I do think he has the kind of tennis that can be very dangerous on this surface. Daniil Medvedev is a very strong return player on all surfaces, but he also has a huge serve that can set up the short ball on the clay court and I think he is more than capable of winning this match.

However, Medvedev will have to give Laslo Djere a lot of respect with the Serb very comfortable on the clay courts and produced plenty of wins on the surface in the lead up to the French Open. He was barely pushed in the First Round, while Laslo Djere has taken on and been very competitive in clay court matches against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Novak Djokovic this season.

Laslo Djere has used his serve to good effect in those two matches against top five Ranked players, but he has struggled with the return and I think that is where Daniil Medvedev can edge past a tough opponent. He held 89% of his service games against Tsitsipas and Djokovic, which is considerably higher than his overall numbers on the clay in 2022, but Laslo Djere has only broken in 14% of return games played.

That mark is way down on the breaks in 26% of return games played on the red dirt in 2022 and it has been a problem for Laslo Djere whenever he has played against top 10 Ranked opponents on the Tour.

As long as Daniil Medvedev is feeling good on serve, I think he will have enough to beat what may be considered another clay court specialist. Laslo Djere is much healthier than Facundo Bagnis was in the First Round so I expect this to be much more competitive, but I think Medvedev can get the job done in three or, more likely, four sets.

Andrey Rublev - 7.5 games v Federico Delbonis: There are times on the Tour when a player just needs a win to turn things around, but it is a big ask to expect Federico Delbonis to back up the First Round success over Adrian Mannarino. The clay court season would usually expect to be a very positive time of the season for the left hander, but Federico Delbonis has been struggling for confidence since the Tour moved to the European clay courts.

Like many players from South America, Federico Delbonis enjoyed the Golden Swing on the clay courts in his part of the world following the Australian Open, but it has been a different story of late. Before the French Open began, the Argentine had produced a 2-6 record on the red dirt and his numbers have been hard to take.

Federico Delbonis has been holding just 63% of the service games played in those eight matches, while he has broken in 20% of return games and it has led to some one-sided defeats. All of those losses have come against top 100 Ranked players and the only wins have been against opponents outside of those spots, while the numbers dip to 52% of service games held and 14% of return games with a break of serve when only considering Federico Delbonis' matches against top 50 Ranked opponents.

In saying all that, he did win well in the First Round and came through a couple of wobbles and Andrey Rublev may not yet be the most comfortable on the clay courts.

Even then, I think the Russian player is going to have enough to see off an opponent he beat in four sets at Wimbledon last year and Andrey Rublev was a pretty impressive First Round winner. He has also won a title on the clay courts in Belgrade where he thumped Novak Djokovic in the Final and Rublev has a big game that can see him hit through the court, even on the clay.

Andrey Rublev did suffer a really disappointing loss in Rome, and he has yet to have a really good run at the French Open when it is played in May. The Quarter Final appearance at Roland Garros came in 2020 when the tournament was moved to the Autumn, but Andrey Rublev should have the confidence to break down the Federico Delbonis game, especially if the lower Ranked player is still suffering with his belief on the tennis court.

With an aggressive return of serve, I think Rublev will do enough to cover the handicap mark.

David Goffin - 1.5 sets v Frances Tiafoe: After reaching the Final in Estoril, Frances Tiafoe has to feel his game is good enough to have an impact on the clay courts, although the numbers have remained pretty average on the surface. I do think there is a quality player in Frances Tiafoe and on his day he can be very tough to beat, but he will have to raise his level from the First Round if he is going to back up his first win at Roland Garros with another.

He played well in the First Round, but Frances Tiafoe is a player that has been able to hold 76% of service games played and broken in 22% of return games on the clay courts in the run to the French Open. Those are numbers that are not going to raise too many eyebrows and he is now going to be facing someone who has enjoyed playing on the clay courts throughout his career and who has won a title on the surface this season.

David Goffin played well in the First Round too, but he had the tougher match on paper compared with Frances Tiafoe and I think the Belgian was a touch more certain with his tennis. A loss to Jenson Brooksby in Rome is a worrying one, but David Goffin has put together a solid 12-4 record on the clay courts this season and is a comfortable player on the surface.

The numbers have been more solid than Frances Tiafoe's with David Goffin holding in 80% of service games played and backing that up with an impressive break rate of 29%.

I do have to say that the serve can be vulnerable at times and Frances Tiafoe is going to make Goffin work for all he gets. An athletic player who has very strong movement around the court is going to make David Goffin work for his points, but I do think the general comfortableness of the Belgian gives him an edge on this surface.

They have not played one another since 2019 so there will be a touch of unfamiliarity for both, but David Goffin did win the first three matches between these two before Frances Tiafoe got the better of him in Miami. All of those matches were on hard courts too and I think the clay courts favour David Goffin a little more as I look for the narrow favourite to come through in three or four sets in this Second Round match.

Casper Ruud - 6.5 games v Emil Ruusuvuori: Both of these players had to battle past French opponents in the First Round and neither Casper Ruud nor Emil Ruusuvuori had things all their own way.

Casper Ruud needed four sets to eventually see off Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, the leading name in French tennis who was going to retire at the end of this tournament regardless of when it ended. Playing the opponent and the crowd was tough for Casper Ruud, but he did it make it through in four sets and that could stand him in good stead for the remainder of the French Open in the weaker half of the Men's draw.

His opponent needed one more set to beat Ugo Humbert in the First Round, but Emil Ruusuvuori will have picked up some confidence having come from 1-2 down in that match. By the end of the match it felt like Emil Ruusuvuori had completely broken the resistance, but it will be tough for a young, inexperienced player to be able to pick himself and prepare in the manner needed to take on an opponent who will be considered a strong favourite to beat him.

That isn't a surprise when you think of the clay court successes Casper Ruud has had compared with Emil Ruusuvuori, and the numbers on the surface have largely backed that up. The Casper Ruud serve in particularly looks like it could be the key difference maker in the match and it proved to be just about good enough to keep Jo-Wilfred Tsonga at bay in the First Round.

The higher Ranked player has a considerable edge when it comes to protecting the serve on the clay courts, while Emil Ruusuvuori's return numbers do fall more in line with Casper Ruud's when only considering his clay court matches against top 50 Ranked opponents. With the superior serve, I do think Casper Ruud can beat this opponent again.

He beat him at the US Open in 2021, although that match ended prematurely with Casper Ruud leading 2-0 in sets, while the Norwegian was a much more comfortable winner over Emil Ruusuvuori when these two met in Barcelona on the clay courts. That match was played last month and I do think it is telling that Casper Ruud has held 95% of the service games played against Ruusuvuori compared with 60% for the latter.

While he has not been returning as well as he would have liked on the clay courts in 2022, Casper Ruud still has a significant edge in this Second Round match. He should be less fatigued off the two, despite the emotions that were involved in the win over Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, and I think the match up has been a good one for Casper Ruud who can win well on the scoreboard when all is said and done.

MY PICKS: Pedro Cachin @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Daniil Medvedev - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 7.5 Games @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)

David Goffin - 1.5 Sets @ 2.37 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Casper Ruud - 6.5 Games @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Marin Cilic - 1.5 Sets @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Miomir Kecmanovic - 6.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Cristian Garin - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Dan Evans - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Joao Sousa + 4.5 Games @ 1.90 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Aleksandra Krunic + 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Anhelina Kalinina + 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Elena Rybakina - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Danielle Collins - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Simona Halep - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Aryna Sabalenka - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

French Open Update: 26-21, + 5.12 Units (94 Units Staked, + 5.47% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 1 Picks 2019 (May 26th)

The second Grand Slam of the 2019 season is unique in that it begins on a Sunday and the First Round is played across three days rather than the traditional two used by the other three Slams. The French Open concludes the clay court season for most players on the main Tour, although there are gong to be plenty of clay court events for players to get into between Wimbledon and the hard court season beginning as well as for those on the Challenger Tour.

Nick Kyrgios may not be a fan, but I have always enjoyed the French Open and I am looking forward to revisiting to see the revamped grounds.

The new settings look very nice from the pictures we are getting from those already at Roland Garros, but some things have yet to change with Rafael Nadal going into the tournament as a strong favourite having finally won a title on the red dirt in Rome seven days ago.

His comfortable win over Novak Djokovic makes Nadal the man to beat in Paris yet again and I would not dissuade anyone who wants to back him to win the title in two weeks time. However it is hard to ignore the fact that Nadal's level has not been nearly as good as what he has been able to produce in the last couple of years and players like Dominic Thiem and Fabio Fognini have shown Nadal is beatable over the last couple of months.

However the Spaniard could not have asked for a much better draw and the majority of his main rivals are in the top half of the draw. It could mean Nadal is in a very good position to pick off whoever he meets in the Final in two weeks time and I'll say again that I really can't see anything but more of the same in Paris as Nadal wins yet another title here.


We will see Roger Federer back in Paris for the first time since he reached the Quarter Final in 2015. He has looked pretty comfortable on the clay courts considering the time Federer has spent away from this surface, but a slight injury issue is a concern. Roger Federer could be the person to oppose in his section of the draw, but the layers have also cottoned onto that fact judging by the prices on players to come out of the Third Quarter of the draw.

Novak Djokovic will be there or thereabouts, but the heavy loss to Rafael Nadal in the Rome Final makes it hard to believe he is going to hold all four Grand Slams at the same time for the second time in his career. I still think he is most likely to be opposing Nadal in two weeks time, but there are plenty of threats in the top half and his path looks much more difficult than the World Number 2's path through the draw.


Once again the women's event looks wide open in Paris and there are a number of players you could make a serious case for. The situation is a little more clouded because there are a host of leading names who are dealing with injuries including Serena Williams who is still searching for her 24th Grand Slam title to tie Margaret Court's record.

I still think the best we are going to see from Petra Kvitova will be at Wimbledon and the US Open, while Karolina Pliskova's results are better than her numbers and I think that may balance out.

My leans have to be with defending Champion Simona Halep and Kiki Bertens, but I can make a case to oppose both too. In such a wide open market I do think it makes most sense to avoid any outright selections here and I would not be massively surprised if at least one of the Finalists is a name that comes through the draw at a big price.


One piece of news that grabbed my attention early on Friday which seems to be growing as the day wore on was the Katie Boulter decision to withdraw from the French Open. It was a massive surprise when she was actually in the draw considering she has an injury which had ruled her out of the clay court season three weeks ago, but of course signing in and then withdrawing means she was entitled to £20,000 in terms of prize money from the event.

If you are unaware, last year a decision was made that those who entered a tournament but had to withdraw with an injury or an illness could receive half the amount they would have received for completing a First Round match at a Grand Slam. The decision was made to stop players who know they can't last a full match from taking to the court and then withdrawing which was the only way they could earn the prize money.

Splitting the prize money with a 'Lucky Loser' seemed a much better policy to ensure spectators were not short-changed too, but the Boulter situation has seen her come off in poor light.

It has grown as a story because of Boulter's insistence in saying that she thought she could compete in the tournament and that is why she entered her name into the draw. Everyone who follows tennis knows there was no way she could have actually played, but instead she has made the short trip to Paris to sign in and get signed out onsite to earn half the prize money as mentioned.

I tweeted on Friday I can understand the players feeling they are entitled to the money, but that it didn't feel right to me and I stand by that. To the average person this is going to look like a greedy decision and it does make a mockery of the rules when there is absolutely NO intention to play, which is most certainly the case here.

At the worst Boulter's image would have taken a PR knock, but I am not sure how the rules can be changed to protect the integrity of the sport. It's not a good look for the player as it stands though and I think Boulter is going to need to really repair what is fast becoming a damaging story for her.


The Tennis Picks have been in good shape for 2019, but last week was a disappointing one. I have updated the season total below.

With the huge amounts of early Round matches to get through, my plan is to write down a few thoughts for some of those and then add the remaining selections for the day in the 'MY PICKS' section below. Hopefully Sunday and Day 1 of the French Open is the beginning of a really strong tournament to add to the numbers for the season before the Tour shifts to the grass court season and the run up to Wimbledon 2019.


Roger Federer - 6.5 games v Lorenzo Sonego: The French Open is unique amongst the four Grand Slams in that it begins on a Sunday and the First Round is played across three rather than the usual two days. With that in mind the organisers were always going to put a couple of the standout matches and the big names out on the courts on Sunday and it is Roger Federer's return to Roland Garros that will have the fans most excited.

In recent years Federer has decided it was best for his durability on the Tour that he skips the clay court season, but he has been back out there battling in 2019. The results have been pretty decent, but Federer may feel he could have achieved more if not for an injury that saw him pull out of the Rome Masters and with better draws considering four of his five clay court matches have come against top 50 Ranked players.

Unsurprisingly that won't be the case when Federer begins his French Open tournament as he looks to win a second title here ten years after completing the career Grand Slam in Paris. However Federer is facing an improving player in Lorenzo Sonego who is very comfortable on the clay courts and who reached the Quarter Final of the Monte Carlo Masters.

The Italian's serve has been a big weapon for him on the clay as he has held 84% of the games played behind the serve in 2019. It is the returning numbers that have taken a serious dent when you only consider the Sonego performances in main ATP Tour matches, but the serve has remained pretty consistent in his eight matches against top 50 Ranked opponents even though Sonego has lost the last four of those.

Sonego's last three losses have been close defeats in that situation which suggests he can give Federer something to think about here. However I am not expecting Sonego to have a lot of success against the Federer serve which is being held in 87% of service games played on the clay in 2019.

I think it could take Federer a bit of time to get to grips with the Sonego game, but he should be good enough to break down the Italian over the course of a best of five set match. While the Sonego serve could keep him competitive, four of the last five top 50 Ranked players he has faced on the clay courts have created seven or more break points and I would expect Federer to turn the screw once he moves in front.

In recent years Federer has made a very strong start to Grand Slam tournaments and he has covered this line in ten of his last twelve completed First Round matches at this level. Lorenzo Sonego should be competitive, but it is a big challenge in front of him facing the aura of Roger Federer in only his second match against someone in the top 10 of the World Rankings.


Marin Cilic - 7.5 games v Thomas Fabbiano: It has been a really tough 2019 for Marin Cilic whose numbers are down across the board and that has seen him struggle to make an impact in any tournament he has entered. The Croatian has reached just one Quarter Final this year, although that did come in a clay court event played at the Madrid Masters earlier this month.

Food poisoning prevented Cilic from taking part in the Quarter Final on that occasion, but another relatively poor showing in the Rome Masters means there won't be a rush to back Cilic in being in the business end of the French Open.

The serve has been a real issue for Cilic which is a surprise considering that is usually a strong part of his game. His numbers on the clay courts are significantly down behind the serve compared to the last couple of years as his hold percentage has dropped from a high 80% range to 73% in 2019. If it wasn't for some decent returning numbers Cilic's performances might have been even worse than what he has produced.

It does make it difficult to believe in him, but I do think Cilic has a decent First Round match to open the tournament.

Thomas Fabbiano has not really produced his best tennis on the clay courts and that could be a slight surprise considering the Italian would have likely grown up on that surface. Fabbiano has found it very difficult to look after his serve on the surface and he has consistently been below the 69% hold mark since the 2016 season.

In previous years the Italian has been able to rely on a strong return game, but he is breaking in just 18% of return games in 2019. That makes it much tougher on his own service game and is a big reason Fabbiano is just 1-4 on the clay courts this season.

Fabbiano is just 1-8 in his clay court matches against top 50 Ranked opponents in his career and breaks in just 15.5% of return games played against those opponents. In this match I think the Cilic return game is going to be one that puts Fabbiano under immense pressure and he might get out of a few more service games if the Italian continues to struggle on the return as he has when he faces the better players on the Tour.

There is no doubt this is a big number and Cilic could be someone to oppose sooner rather than later, but in this First Round match I think he will be able to come through at least one set with a couple of breaks of serve more than Fabbiano. That should set Cilic up for the cover and I will back him to do that.


Grigor Dimitrov - 6.5 games v Janko Tipsarevic: When Grigor Dimitrov won the ATP Finals at the end of the 2017 season most thought it was finally going to be the time when the Bulgarian kicks on and challenges for Grand Slam titles. The last eighteen months have been much tougher than expected for Dimitrov who has slipped down to Number 47 in the World Rankings and has made more changes to his coaching staff.

There is definitely some sort of mental block in play at the moment for Dimitrov who has been playing some decent tennis during the clay court season, but who has had lapses within matches to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Both the service and return numbers have actually improved from his clay court performances twelve months ago. In 2019 Dimitrov has held 80% of his service games played on the clay and broken in 24% of return games, but it is difficult in backing a player who has struggled at key times within matches.

However Dimitrov looks to have a decent start to the French Open when he takes on Janko Tipsarevic who is making his way back from another injury lay off. The Serb was a very good player in his day, but Tipsarevic's peak Ranking came in April 2012 and in recent years he has struggled to put a full year together on the Tour.

So far Tipsarevic has been returning well enough to believe he can cause problems for Dimitrov, a player he took to four sets at the Australian Open back in January. On that day Dimitrov was clearly the superior player though and I still think he is playing well enough to see off Tipsarevic in the First Round here at the second Grand Slam of the season.

I would expect Dimitrov to have success returning serve against Tipsarevic who has held 76% of service games in 2019 on the clay courts, but that has come against players that have not been Ranked in the top 50. The step up is one that could be difficult for the Serb to make at this stage of his return to the Tour and I would expect Dimitrov to create the majority of break points and he can pull away from Tipsarevic as he did at the Australian Open.

Throughout his career Tipsarevic has had a tough time facing players Ranked in the top 50 on the clay courts. His numbers have backed that up and I think Dimitrov can come through what looks a more difficult match on paper than it may prove to be in reality.


Matteo Berrettini - 6.5 games v Pablo Andujar: Twelve months ago the Italian making waves at the French Open was Marco Cecchinato, but this time around it may be Matteo Berrettini who is looking to make a big impact at this level. The last twelve months has seen Berrettini come on leaps and bounds on the clay courts and I do think he is someone who could cause one or two problems for even the very best out there.

In the last twelve months Berrettini has produced a 21-6 record on the clay courts which includes his 11-3 record in 2019. All of those matches have been played on the main ATP Tour and Berrettini has won a couple of titles in that time, while all but a handful of those matches have come against top 100 Ranked opponents which underlines the improvements Berrettini has made.

The serve has been a huge weapon for Berrettini who has held 86% of his service games on the clay courts over the last twelve months. Those numbers have stayed steady throughout 2019, but the real improvement looks to have been made on the return of serve as the Italian has broken in one of four return games played on this surface during this season.

Matteo Berrettini is going to need to be at his best from the off in this one as he faces Pablo Andujar who has always played his best tennis on the clay courts. Pablo Andujar has some strong numbers on the clay courts over the last couple of years and that includes a 16-4 record on the surface in 2019, although it can't be forgotten that the majority of the matches have been played at Challenger level rather than on the main ATP Tour.

The Spaniard did reach the Final in Marrakech back in April, but his three losses on the main Tour have come by comfortable margins. Andujar has not won more than five games in the three losses suffered at the main ATP level on the clay courts and his service numbers have dipped from a 75% hold down to a 71% hold number.

The biggest impact has been on the return of serve as Andujar has broken in 22% of service games in main ATP Tour matches on the surface compared with his overall number of 34% in 2019. It highlights the level of opponents on which Andujar's record has been built and I do think he is going to find it tough to compete with Berrettini over a best of five set format if the latter is at his best.

I can't deny this is a pretty big number on the handicap, but I think Berrettini is capable of covering it. I would imagine Berrettini's strong serving will keep the pressure on Andujar who can't rely on protecting his serve as well as the Italian can. At some point I would expect Berrettini to win a set with a couple of breaks of serve more than Andujar and I think that will give him every chance of winning this match while covering this number.


Albert Ramos-Vinolas v Laslo Djere: It is only a couple of years since Albert Ramos-Vinolas reached the Quarter Final at the French Open, but his performances have been declining since then and he has slipped to the edge of the top 100 in the World Rankings. He is the underdog in this First Round match against the improving Laslo Djere who is close to becoming a Seed for future Grand Slam events and who has played some of his best tennis on the clay courts.

In each of the last five seasons Djere has been improving his numbers on the clay courts and in 2019 he has won a big title in Rio de Janeiro on the surface. It has to be a big reason he is favoured to win this First Round match, but I think Djere could be upset here.

During the year Djere has held 81% of the service games played on the clay courts and he has broken in 23% of return games. However I think those numbers have been inflated by the strong showings Djere had on the clay courts of South America during the Golden Swing following the Australian Open earlier this year.

Since the shift to the European clay courts Djere has seen his hold percentage drop down to 80, but the significant decline has been on the return impact. So while the hold percentage dropped from 83% during the Golden Swing portion of the season to 80% over the last two months, Djere's return numbers have swung from 30% of breaks in return games down to 18% and I think that makes him vulnerable in this First Round match.

Albert Ramos-Vinolas has been much more consistent across the course of 2019 on the surface, but his slight improvement on the return side of the game over the last two months has been crucial for him. It would have been nicer to back a player who had perhaps won more matches than Ramos-Vinolas has been able to do, but he looks to be playing at a better level than Djere going into this tournament.

That makes him appealing as the underdog especially as Djere is also trying to make his first impact at a Grand Slam. The Serbian is 1-6 in Grand Slam matches in his career and has lost both previous matches at the French Open. With the experience Ramos-Vinolas has at this event and the recent performances of the two players, I am going to back the veteran Spaniard to upset Djere as the underdog even if Ramos-Vinolas' best days are now behind him.

Remember there are some layers who are offering to payout if your player goes 2-0 up in sets in the men's singles event at the French Open. You can get a decent price from Bet365 for this selection with that policy in play and that is why I am recommending them here.


Alison Van Uytvanck - 2.5 games v Sara Sorribes Tormo: This is one of the matches being played on the outer courts on the opening day of the French Open, but it piqued my interest. I had Alison Van Uytvanck down as a healthy favourite to beat Sara Sorribes Tormo, but the layers are making this a closer match than that.

In terms of the games market, I would have expected Van Uytvanck to be asked to cover at least one more game than the spread which has been laid out. I am not suggesting she is a top quality clay court player, but Van Uytvanck is capable of performing on this surface and generally operates at a higher level than her opponent.

Losses to Belinda Bencic and Maria Sakkari on the clay courts are not ones to be overly concerned about. There has also been a real improvement in the return numbers being produced by the Belgian and I think that is going to be put some serious pressure on Sorribes Tormo.

Of course the Spaniard is going to be very comfortable on the clay courts and the majority of her wins do come on this surface. However it should be noted that Sorribes Tormo has made hay when playing against players that are not Ranked inside the top 100 and her career record of 10-30 against those players on the clay courts has to be a real concern.

In 2019 Sorribes Tormo has pushed Naomi Osaka and Sloane Stephens on the clay which is very respectable, but she has also suffered comfortable losses to Andrea Petkovic and Ons Jabeur. The Spaniard has also failed to win a main draw match at the French Open with this being the third attempt to do so, and I do believe Van Uytvanck is playing with enough quality to beat her here.

It could take three sets to do that, but even then I do think the Belgian can cover the number on the level she is able to reach and I will back her to do that here.

MY PICKS: Roger Federer - 6.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Marin Cilic - 7.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Grigor Dimitrov - 6.5 Games @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Matteo Berrettini - 6.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Albert Ramos-Vinolas @ 2.20 Bet365 (2 Units)
Alison Van Uytvanck - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Kei Nishikori - 6.5 Games @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Marton Fucsovics-Diego Sebastian Schwartzman Over 35.5 Games @ 1.85 Sporting Bet (2 Units)
Philipp Kohlschreiber - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Garbine Muguruza - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

Season 2019: + 65.06 Units (737 Units Staked, + 8.83% Yield)

Champions League Final 2018- Real Madrid v Liverpool (May 26th)

Champions League Final 2018- Real Madrid v Liverpool

I can't believe how many so called Manchester United fans are talking about 'wanting' to see Liverpool win the Champions League this weekend.

I can't imagine too many have actually been to see United play Liverpool and the way their European Cup success is used as a stick to beat us with else you would never think that is what you want let alone openly tell people.

I just don't get it.

Personally I have very little love for Real Madrid and was desperately hoping Bayern Munich beat them in the Semi Final as they deserved to but that was mainly because I also thought Bayern Munich had a 'better' chance of beating Liverpool of the two teams.

However it is what it is and while I think I am being overrun by the horrible feeling of inevitability this Liverpool run has had, I also believe in my gut that Real Madrid have enough to win the trophy on Saturday.

Expected Real Madrid Team: Navas, Carvajal, Marcelo, Varane, Ramos, Modric, Casemiro, Kroos, Isco, Benzema and Ronaldo

Expected Liverpool Team: Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Lovren, Van Dijk, Henderson, Can, Milner, Mane, Salah, Firmino

This might not have been the Champions League Final that many predicted back in August, but it has the makings of a good one when Real Madrid meet Liverpool.

Real Madrid have plenty of recent pedigree in the competition as they have won three of the last four editions of the Champions League. There have been some questions raised in the performances of Real Madrid to get through to the Final this season, but what they have displayed is plenty of experience at key times of matches.

They have also rode their luck in the last couple of Rounds and you have to feel that luck is going to run out on them at some point.

A team like Liverpool have the capabilities to create chances and score against this Real Madrid team with the front three using a lot of pace and movement to put Real Madrid in some difficult positions. They will be encouraged by the chances and goals scored by Juventus and Bayern Munich against Real Madrid and the general style of play employed by the European Champions should suit Liverpool who will have spaces to exploit on the counter attack.

Much will depend on how well Liverpool cope with what is a very good Real Madrid attack, especially having seen the English side struggle to deal with Roma in the Semi Final Second Leg

The first goal feels like it is going to be very important as it will allow the team who scores it to take their time and look for the counter attacking opportunities.

My gut feeling for weeks has been Liverpool are going to win the Champions League, but I do wonder how much that has got to do with me being a Manchester United fan and preparing myself for what feels inevitable.

However Liverpool have lost 2 of their last 3 Finals and they are playing a team who have coped with these situations better than most. Real Madrid have to use all of their experience and they will create chances against Liverpool, but there is that fear that they will finally be exposed defensively and punished by a Liverpool attack who are fine finishers.

Even then you have to lean towards Real Madrid on their experience and ability to win the big competitions which has yet to be matched by Liverpool. I think the latter will play their part and this could be a high-scoring game like the Final was last year, but like last year the reigning Champions may have a little too much know-how for their opponents.


At odds against I will look for Real Madrid to win this one and I won't be surprised if the fixture producing at least four goals on the night. While the usual stance is that Finals produce tense matches, I think these teams match up well and 3 of the last 7 Champions League Finals have produced at least four goals in regulation time.

MY PICKS: Real Madrid to Win @ 2.20 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Real Madrid-Liverpool Over 3.5 Goals @ 2.15 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Boxing Picks 2018- Jamie McDonnell vs Naoya Inoue (May 25th-May 26th)

There have been some memorable fights already in 2018 and last weekend provided another when Adonis Stevenson and Badou Jack fought out to a draw.

It wasn't a fight I scored live myself, but it felt like a very close one and the draw was not a massive surprise. In the bout both Stevenson and Jack had been hurt at times although I do have to say it felt Jack won the clearer Rounds and so you could understand his frustration that he has ended up with another draw in a fight where he perhaps felt he had done enough to win.

An old school 15 Rounder would have likely given Jack the time to stop Stevenson and it was only a huge body shot in the Tenth Round which stopped the US based Swede in his tracks when he looked to be peaking in strength in the fight.

Most have called for a rematch but it looks like Stevenson will be going in another direction with the mandatory challenger for his WBC World Title unlikely to step aside.

Either way Stevenson looked a vulnerable Champion on Saturday night and is only going to lose a little more with his best years wasted with inactivity.

Stevenson has said he wants to be more active going forward, but I think his grip on the WBC Title is slipping all the time and a number of challengers will be looking to relieve him of his strap in the months ahead.


I can't move on without praising Josh Warrington and Gary Russell who both had big wins last weekend. Warrington has set himself up for some big domestic fights with the likelihood he shares a ring with Carl Frampton perhaps by the end of the year, while I just hope to see Russell fighting more than once a year.

Lee Selby will move on from the Warrington loss by moving up in weight which was long rumoured for him. The chance to become a two weight World Champion will offer plenty of motivation and I think Selby comes again even against some of the tough challenges that await in the Super Featherweight Division.

Jamie McDonnell vs Naoya Inoue

It is Friday afternoon Boxing for fans in the United Kingdom as Jamie McDonnell travels to Tokyo to take on 'Monster' Naoya Inoue with his WBA Bantamweight World Title on the line. There is plenty on the line for both fighters with the winner likely to be invited into the World Boxing Super Series tournament being set up which already involves three other World Champions.

All of the focus from the fans and the organisers will be on Naoya Inoue who is moving up in weight to become a World Champion in a third Division in just his sixteenth fight. Highlight reel stoppages have increased his exposure and Inoue has already fought in the United States, but he returns home having gotten the chance to bring Jamie McDonnell over.

McDonnell is perhaps fortunate to still hold the World Title having looked like he had lost the fight with Liborio Solis but he has the height and reach advantages against a fighter coming up in weight.

Back to back wins over previously unbeaten Tomoki Kameda will mean the Japanese audience are familiar with McDonnell but this is a much different test for the British fighter. He may proclaim to being the best Bantamweight in the world, but he won't have felt the power Inoue should carry up to this Division and I think McDonnell is going to do very well to see the final bell.

At first I expect McDonnell will try and frustrate Inoue by keeping out of range and boxing the shorter man, but Solis was able to close the gap and unload some big shots and I expect the Japanese superstar to be able to do the same. I can see Inoue breaking down McDonnell round by round and his power wearing down a fighter who could come again if he is not absorbing too much of a beating.

Solis should have beaten McDonnell and he is shorter than Inoue who still has some skills to learn which poses a question for me. He will need to find a way to close the ring off to McDonnell and I think that comes later in the fight as the body shots begin to take a toll and so any stoppage will come in the second half of the fight as far as I am concerned.

McDonnell has never been stopped, but Kameda put him down in their first fight and Inoue is the hardest puncher he would have faced. Not many have gone into the second half of the fight with Inoue, but I think McDonnell may get there before the power of his opponent breaks him down for a stoppage.

Khalid Yafai vs David Carmona

This is the US debut for Khalid Yafai and I think the British fighter can defend his WBA World Title and then put himself in line for some big fights in the Super Flyweight Division.

Some of those names have been thrown around for the future for Yafai, but the fighter himself knows the importance of looking good to make sure his name is truly placed alongside the best in the Division.

Yafai has a chance to look good against David Carmona who will come to fight, but the British fighter has to be careful against an opponent who will feel this is his last chance to become a World Champion.

He may get another shot down the line, but Carmona has found himself unable to beat the elite although he is a tough character that won't go down easily.

I expect the better boxing will come from Yafai and he will want to make a statement by stopping Carmona. However the last three wins have all come by Unanimous Decision and I think Yafai will end up putting another comfortable win in the books to keep himself in line for Unified Championship bouts going forward.

The layers expect the stoppage to come, but I will back Yafai to win on points.

MY PICKS: Naoua Inoue to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.87 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

Khalid Yafai to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 3.25 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Tennis Picks 2017 (May 26th)

I arrived back in London late on Thursday night and was understandably exhausted so there were no tennis picks written out on Friday.

I did research the Semi Final matches being played in the four tournaments this week and I am going to just place them in the 'MY PICKS' section below.

Friday is also the day the French Open draw will come out and that is going to be interesting to breakdown, especially the women's draw which looks absolutely wide open.

MY PICKS: Milos Raonic - 2.5 Games @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Stan Wawrinka - 3.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)
Caroline Garcia @ 2.15 Sporting Bet (2 Units)
Sam Stosur - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

French Open Tennis Day 5 Picks 2016 (May 26th)

It was another intriguing day at the French Open on Wednesday, especially for those Andy Murray fans who saw their man fall behind in the best of five set match before heading through in five sets.

This is not the time that Murray wants to be expending as much energy as he has been, but he has gotten through which is the most important thing. Having a couple of days until Friday to recover is important for Murray as is the fact he is playing an opponent like Ivo Karlovic who won't be looking to get involved in the long draining rallies.


Other players in Murray's half of the draw that will be looking to go all the way to the Final had a much easier time on Tuesday than the World Number 2 and the majority of the big names have moved through.


The same can be said from the Women's draw where the majority of those expected to move through to the Third Round made their way past their opponents on Tuesday.


On Thursday the remaining Second Round matches are to be played, but the weather in Paris doesn't look that appealing in the next few days which can affect the schedule.


David Goffin - 7.5 games v Carlos Berlocq: This Second Round match might have been a very awkward one for David Goffin if Carlos Berlocq was at full health. However the Argentinian is still outside the top 100 in the World Rankings following an injury hit 2015 and this is a big challenge for him.

You have to give Berlocq some credit having come through the Qualifiers and then comprehensively beating Paolo Lorenzi in the First Round. Now he faces David Goffin who has reached the Quarter Final at the Rome Masters and has the kind of game that will give Berlocq some troubles.

The rallies are likely to be extended as neither player can really rely on a serve for easy points but that is where I think Goffin is going to be good enough to win more often than not. The consistency that Goffin should be able to produce through the contest will give Berlocq plenty to think about, although I do think the latter will have his moments in this match too.

When it comes down to it, I do think Goffin will likely outlast Berlocq in a straight sets win and I do think he can take one of those with two more breaks than his opponent. A 63, 63, 64 win looks to be on the card for Goffin and I will back him to cover the number.


Nicolas Almagro - 4.5 games v Jiri Vesely: Nicolas Almagro proved me right earlier in the week when he not just covered the games as the underdog, but beat Philipp Kohlschreiber in four sets. That is an impressive win for the Spaniard but he will need to produce his best tennis to get past Jiri Vesely in this Second Round match with the latter a very confident clay court player.

While the consistency is still lacking for Vesely through the year to move up the World Rankings into one of the Seeded spots at these Grand Slam events, it has to be noted that he did beat Novak Djokovic on the clay in Monte Carlo. That has been the high point for the player from the Czech Republic and Vesely has had a couple of poor losses over the last few weeks which would be a concern.

The lefty serve will help Vesely and he does have some power which can give Almagro something to think about, but the latter is a solid player on the clay courts when he builds some momentum up. Almagro might not have beaten someone as good as Novak Djokovic, but he did win a title in Estoril and he was an impressive winner in the First Round over Kohlschreiber when coming from a set down to win in four sets.

This is likely to be a close match between the players, but I do think Almagro is the better clay court player and that will show up on Thursday. It will potentially need four sets to separate them but I can see Almagro coming through 63, 64, 36, 63 and move into another Third Round in Roland Garros.


David Ferrer - 5.5 games v Juan Monaco: This is a big number for David Ferrer to cover when you think that I am no longer convinced the consistency that took him into the top three of the World Rankings is there any more. The Spaniard is still very capable of producing some solid results, but someone like Juan Monaco will give him a few things to think about.

However as much as Monaco is comfortable on the clay courts, he is not a player that will hit through Ferrer and that is why I think this is the kind of match the latter can still win. Previous meetings between the players have been close which isn't a surprise when you think how similarly they try and play their tennis.

Neither player has a big serve, but instead will look for their rallying ability and clay court nous to outmanoeuvre opponents and get into a position to win points. That lack of a serve for both means there will likely be a few breaks of serve and there won't be a lot to separate Monaco and Ferrer during the match at times.

The key to the match is I believe Ferrer is still the more consistent player from the back of the court and I do think he can win more of those longer rallies. Again this is likely to go into four sets, but I believe Ferrer is capable of winning one of the sets with two more breaks than Monaco which can help him come through 64, 46, 75, 62. 


Ana Ivanovic - 5.5 games v Kurumi Nara: After winning the first set in the First Round with a bagel, Ana Ivanovic made life much tougher for herself before moving into the Second Round. There is still too much inconsistency around her game which makes her a dangerous favourite to back, but I do think Ivanovic will be too good for Kurumi Nara who hasn't had much success on the clay in the last couple of seasons.

Nara was the beneficiary of a retirement in the First Round and had lost her last three clay court matches prior to that. She doesn't have a lot of power which can be a problem on the clay courts and I do think Ivanovic will be able to play a lot of first strike tennis which suit the way she wants to impose herself on this match.

The serve remains the biggest weakness for Ivanovic as the ball toss is still erratic and that leads to her getting behind on the scoreboard. It is a concern when looking for the Serbian World Number 16 to cover big spreads, but I do think Ivanovic is likely to create more break point opportunities and can break Nara two more times in one of the sets they compete in.

As a former winner in Roland Garros, Ivanovic's clay court record this season has not been the best, but I think she can be too strong for Nara and win this one 64, 62.


Madison Keys - 4.5 games v Mariana Duque-Marino: Any player that comes from South America should be comfortable on the clay courts so Mariana Duque-Marino should be a threat to Madison Keys in this Second Round match. While Duque-Marino may have the patience to extend rallies, she has to find a way to deal with the power that Keys brings to the table, the type of power that helped her reach the Final in Rome earlier this month.

That might be the stand out result either player has put together, but Duque-Marino will point to her run to the Final in Nuremberg last week as a reason not to underestimate her. Unsurprisingly the Colombian's best results have come on the clay courts and the World Number 75 is going to be more of a threat than her Ranking may suggest.

I do think Duque-Marino will give Keys some problems, but the latter has been an improving player on the surface. Her serve will still be a big weapon on the surface if it is firing and has the potential to set up cheap points as she showed in Rome.

I think the power Keys has will give her every chance to attack the Duque-Marino serve and put her opponent under pressure, likely earning the majority of break points. As long as the American doesn't serve poorly or go looking to finish points too early on her own serve, I think she can look after that aspect of her game and Keys can win this 63, 64.


Venus Williams - 2.5 games v Louisa Chirico: These two American players might be at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to where their careers currently stand, but I am surprised that Venus Williams is not a bigger favourite to win this. Yes she isn't at her best on the clay courts, but Louisa Chirico will have to deal with the mental pressure of playing one of the Williams sisters who have done so much for Women's tennis in the United States.

I think the layers have been swayed by what was a very good run for Chirico at the Madrid Masters when she reached the Semi Final but the conditions there are much different than in Paris. Chirico has come through three Qualifiers and then won a First Round match over Lauren Davis in three sets, but she had to go deep into the third set and I do wonder if some energy has been sapped from her.

There is some power in the Chirico game that will give Venus Williams issues, but I do wonder how she will deal with the power that will come back her way. There will be some respect for Venus Williams which might create mental obstacles to overcome and I do like the chances of the older American to work her way through this match.

It is clear that Venus Williams is not quite as comfortable on the clay as the hard and grass courts which gives Chirico a chance of the upset. However I am not convinced she should be considered as potentially competitive as she is in this match simply because Chirico has not been consistent on the clay courts and I do think Venus Williams wins this one and covers what doesn't look the biggest number.

MY PICKS: David Goffin - 7.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Nicolas Almagro - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
David Ferrer - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Ana Ivanovic - 5.5 Games @ 1.83 William Hill (2 Units)
Madison Keys - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Venus Williams - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

French Open Update: 6-6, - 1.50 Units (24 Units Staked, - 6.25% Yield)

French Open Day 3 Picks 2015 (May 26th)

The final First Round matches, which are scheduled over three days at the French Open, will be played on Tuesday as the tournament will begin to take a more familiar feel. You can read the outright picks I have made from the French Open which can be read here.

Tuesday is a great day for the spectators, especially those who will be viewing action on the Philippe-Chatrier Court as the two men's favourites and the women's favourite all begin their charge to the title. Once Petra Kvitova concludes her match, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams will all begin their tournament and there will be plenty of attention to see how those players deal with the pressure and expectations on them.


It has been a very good tournament for the picks in the opening two days as they have gone 11-2 during that time. Of course this is a long two weeks and I don't think it is even close to the time to start patting myself on the back, although I have to say I am pleased with a positive start to the second Grand Slam of the season.

Things can quickly change if losing focus coupled with some bad luck so the key is to try and remain clear in the thinking and try and find the right match ups that have been wrongly set in the markets.


Julia Goerges - 2.5 games v Coco Vandeweghe: Neither of these players will be expected to challenge deep into the second week of this Grand Slam, while the lower Ranked Julia Goerges is favoured to beat Coco Vandeweghe. Goerges certainly looks like a player that might already have had her best days on the WTA Tour, but she does seem the more comfortable on the clay courts which should give her a big advantage in this First Round match.

It has been another poor season for Vandeweghe on the clay courts in Europe, but she will be expecting bigger things for herself when the Tour moves onto the grass courts and especially when it moves back to the North American hard courts ahead of the US Open.

There is a real issue for Vandeweghe when it comes to movement on the red dirt, although she can't be underestimated having pushed Petra Kvitova into a third set in Madrid. However I am not sure she has the confidence on the surface even if Julia Goerges is another inconsistent player that can throw in too many unforced errors from out of nowhere.

Aside from Madrid, it has been a poor clay court season for Goerges too, although she has had a slightly stronger season than Vandeweghe. There will be a lot of momentum changes in this match though as both players have a chance to break serve and this is likely to go into a third set. However, it is the German who I believe is happier on the clay courts and can battle to a 63, 36, 63 win and a place in the Second Round.


Timea Bacsinszky - 4.5 games v Lara Arruabarrena: Timea Bacsinszky has had a very strong 2015 season which would have erased the doubts that almost saw her quit her professional tennis career. While Bacsinszky could be a real threat in tournaments through the year, the clay courts are probably her worst surface and it would be a real surprise for her to go deep in the draw at the French Open.

This is also a tougher First Round draw against Lara Arruabarrena than it may initially seem on first glance, especially as the Spaniard is very confident on the clay courts being from that nation.

Arruabarrena has had a decent clay court season and has been beaten by some of the best players on the Tour while also reaching the Semi Final in Nuremberg last week. She also lost a close match at the French Open last season and she will give Bacsinszky some problems with her ability on this surface.

Bacsinszky had to qualify for Roland Garros last season and was barely beaten by Carla Suarez Navarro and it shows how good her last twelve months have been as she comes in as a Seed this time around. She should be the tougher player mentally with the form she has displayed in 2015 and I believe Bacsinszky will eventually have too much for Arruabarrena in a narrow 75, 63 win.


Christina McHale - 3.5 games v Lourdes Dominguez Lino: Coming through the qualifiers will make Lourdes Dominguez Lino a very dangerous First Round opponent for Christina McHale, especially as the Spaniard should be more accustomed to the clay courts than McHale. Dominguez Lino is now Ranked outside the World Top 100 and she spends the majority of her time playing in clay court tournaments.

In fact Dominguez Lino has a winning record on the clay courts over the last three seasons and the veteran will believe she has a very good chance to win this match. However, McHale has also been producing some good stuff on the red dirt and doesn't mind playing on the slower surface unlike many of her American compatriots.

It hasn't been a great 2015 season for McHale, but she has at least shown some flashes of form in good runs in Madrid and Rome while preparing for the French Open. She will also have some good intel from her fellow American players like Lauren Davis and Alexa Glatch who have beaten Dominguez Lino over the last couple of months on clay courts.

McHale will have to serve well to keep the rallies under her own control because she will get chances to break the Dominguez Lino serve. If McHale can do that, I can see her battling past the veteran Spaniard with a 64, 64 win.


James Duckworth - 2.5 games v Andrea Arnaboldi: With the likes of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal beginning their French Open campaign, matches like this in the First Round will be lucky to get anything more than a result flashing across the screen or result pages on the internet.

That is unless something special happens in the match, for example something like what happened in Andrea Arnaboldi's second qualifier which needed 52 games to be played in the final set before the Italian moved through. Arnaboldi will be glad his First Round match was left for the Tuesday after all three qualifiers went the distance including that tough match against Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

It was perhaps a surprise that Arnaboldi qualified for the main draw here in Roland Garros considering his lack of real form over the last couple of months on the clay courts. Coupled with the physical fatigue he has to be feeling even with a couple of days of rest should give James Duckworth every chance of progressing to the Second Round.

Duckworth is perhaps suited to other surfaces, but he reached the Quarter Final in Nice last week and has been more consistent than Arnaboldi at a similar level of competition over the last couple of months. He'll have to try and cut out the unforced errors that blighted him in the loss to Borna Coric in Nice, but Duckworth might also have been given confidence by what has looked faster clay courts than usual in Paris.

That helps Duckworth because he does like finishing points at the net and he could take away some time from Arnaboldi when he feels he wants to get forward. It might be wise to test Arnaboldi physically too by keeping the rallies going and Duckworth should have a great chance of progressing if he can control the unforced errors. It might go four sets, but that shouldn't affect his chances to cover this spread too and I like Duckworth to do that.


Grigor Dimitrov - 5.5 games v Jack Sock: I think Jack Sock could have a really good grass court campaign this year as he seems to have got a hold of his game with some good performances in 2015. However, I am not sure he is going to have enough on the clay courts to give Grigor Dimitrov another surprise loss at Roland Garros.

Dimitrov, like Sock, looks a player who would enjoy the faster surfaces more than the clay courts, but he has had plenty of success outside of Paris to be disappointed with his record here. The Bulgarian has never surpassed the Third Round at the French Open and has twice been beaten in the First Round in four visits which includes a huge surprise defeat to Ivo Karlovic last season.

This entire season has been something of a disappointment for Dimitrov heading into the second Grand Slam of the season, but I can see him coming through a really tight first set before pulling away from Jack Sock in this match. The American does have a big serve and a forehand that can get a lot of spin going on a surface like this, but Sock can't really hide the limited backhand on the slower courts.

That will be where Dimitrov will be focusing to find the short ball to take control of rallies and going to the Sock backhand is an easy 'get out of jail free card' that can be played under pressure. While Sock can hide that on the faster surfaces with quick-fire tennis, it's harder for him to do that on the clay courts and it doesn't surprise me he comes in on a three match losing run.

For the most part Sock has been very competitive, but the best of five set situation will give Dimitrov a chance to cover this spread because I can see him producing at least one 61 or 62 kind of set. As long as Dimitrov doesn't get frustrated, which he has shown signs of as his game has struggled to come together in 2015 on a consistent basis, I think he can win this one 76, 62, 64.

MY PICKS: Julia Goerges - 2.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Timea Bacsinszky - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Christina McHale - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
James Duckworth - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Grigor Dimitrov - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

French Open Update: 11-2, + 17.24 Units (26 Units Staked, + 66.31% Yield)