The first round of the second Major of the year is now in the books, as the competition intensifies on the Parisian clay. Even though the draw has yet to fully separate the contenders from the fillers, we still have a series of exciting second-round matchups to look forward to at the French Open.
Casper Ruud vs. Hamad Medjedovic
After coming into the tournament in great shape, Casper Ruud had one of the closest situations in the first round, as heatstroke stressed him out in a match where, once he served for the match, he lost eleven games in a row. While he did well to recover and fight through that, he will have to be even sharper against Hamad Medjedovic as the Norwegian has suffered a brutal draw here.
Not only does Medjedovic have the attacking power to outplay Ruud, but he also has a very powerful serve that should make Ruud’s return game even more important. While I still think Ruud has enough pedigree and clay court experience to overcome a physically suspect opponent, this is a match that can comfortably go the other way as well, and one to keep an eye on in the second round.
Joao Fonseca vs Dino Prizmic
I had this potential match lined up before a ball was even played in Paris this year, as this is a clash between two very talented youngsters who arguably play their best tennis on the slowest clay. Joao Fonseca will bring the firepower in this match, while Dino Prizmic will look to counterpunch and make this match physical.
This contrast in styles makes this a can’t-miss match, with both players looking to impose their will on each other in what should be a ball-striking clinic, with the winner potentially facing the great Novak Djokovic in the third round.
Alex de Minaur vs Alexander Blockx
While neither of these players are flashy enough, the overall quality of this matchup is too much to ignore. Both Alex de Minaur and Alexander Blockx faced each other in Monte Carlo earlier this year, where the Australian just claimed a straight sets victory, and given that the young Belgian has only improved since then, this is likely to be played very close as well.
Expect De Minaur to make this matchup physical by extending rallies and making Blockx make a lot of unforced errors, while Blockx will need to serve big and be aggressive in his shot selection as both players look for a deep run in Paris this year.
Tommy Paul vs Lorenzo Sonego
This matchup between two players who stick to the baseline but adopt very different styles from each other will be another popcorn match to start the second round of the French Open. Lorenzo Sonego’s approach to tennis is an all-out attack, while Tommy Paul, being the more creative background player, can ensure that this match has at least one Point of the Day candidate.
The question for me is whether the Italian’s aggression will be his own demise here, as Paul is one of the quickest movers on the court and can counterattack with power effectively, or whether Sonego can find the happy medium of attacking when necessary and controlling his aggression when he starts to break down from the back of the court.
Alexander Zverev vs Tomas Machac
But without a doubt, the match that will likely attract the most attention in the second round is this intriguing showdown between No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev and Tomas Machac. Both players put in clinical performances in the first round, which only adds to what can be expected from this clash.
They will probably be determined from the baseline, but there are two important factors for me going into this match. Can Zverev serve effectively with his back problems lately, and does Machac have high-intensity tennis in five sets on slow clay if necessary, given all his physical problems? The answer to both questions could well end up deciding the match.
Feature Photo Credit: Mike Frey Imagn Images
