Thursday’s schedule features Major champions Djokovic, Kvitova, Muguruza, Stephens, Kenin, and Ostapenko.
The unseeded 2017 women’s champion will face the second seed in the day’s most marquee matchup. Also on Thursday, how will Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev, the finalists in Hamburg just four days ago, bounce back after their five-set comebacks in the first round on Tuesday? By the end of the day, the singles draws will be narrowed down to 32 men and 32 women.
Karolina Pliskova (2) vs. Jelena Ostapenko
About 20 years ago, Mary Carillo coined the term “big babe tennis” to describe the new era of powerful WTA ball strikers. These two players certainly fit that description. And they have contested some extremely close encounters. In their only meeting at a Major, Pliskova prevailed 10-8 in the third at the 2017 Australian Open. In their only meeting on clay, Pliskova prevailed again, 6-4 in the third two years ago in Stuttgart. In their most recent meeting, Ostapenko was victorious 7-5 in the third. Overall Karolina leads their head-to-head 3-2. While Ostapenko was the champion of this event three years ago, she’s 2-4 in her other appearances at this event. Pliskova was a semifinalist here that same year, and similarly has a losing record in Paris outside of that run. But Karolina is the steadier player, whereas Jelena can litter up the stat sheet. And Ostapenko came into this event just 6-6 on the year. All this makes Pliskova the favorite to take out the former champion.
Stefanos Tsitsipas (4) vs. Pablo Cuevas
This is a rematch from just last week in Hamburg, where Tsitsipas won in straight sets. Their most prominent meeting was last year in the championship match of Estoril. That was also a straight set victory for Stefanos, which has been the result each of the three times they’ve played. Tsitsipas has been through a lot in the last 16 months: his heartbreaking loss here a year ago to Stan Wawrinka, choking away a 5-1 fourth-set lead to Borna Coric at the US Open, and losing to Andrey Rublev in last week’s final after serving for the match. Despite all those setbacks, and despite being down two sets on Tuesday to Jaume Munar, Stefanos fought his way back to win in five. That revealed a lot of grit in the 22-year-old, especially on the same court as his five-hour loss to Wawrinka. While Cuevas is one of the ATP’s most entertaining shot-makers, Tsitsipas will feel confident coming off Tuesday’s comeback. And their history will only enhance Stefanos’ conviction.
Aryna Sabalenka (8) vs. Daria Kasatkina
It’s nice to see Kasatkina back on court after a sad scene two weeks in Rome. During a first set tiebreak against Victoria Azarenka, Kasatkina took a spill, and was forced to retire due to a right ankle injury. Daria was understandably upset, surely not only from the physical pain, but also from retiring after some of the best tennis she’s played in two years. Azarenka could not have been more comforting to her opponent in that moment, holding her and sharing words of encouragement, which was heartwarming to see. Kasatkina may not be fully recovered, but she was close enough to defeat Harmony Tan on Tuesday, dropping only three games. And today she faces Azarenka’s fellow Belarusian, which should make an appealing clash of styles. Sabalenka is one of the game’s hardest hitters, which contrasts from the flair and diversity in the game of Kasatkina. Their only previous meeting was 12 months ago on a hard court in Beijing, where Dasha prevailed after two tight sets. The clay would seem to favor Kasatkina, who was a quarterfinalist here in 2018, and a champion on clay in Charleston three years ago. Sabalenka is just 2-2 lifetime at Roland Garros, and has a losing record in her career on clay. But Aryna arrives with a bit of confidence, coming off a semifinal run last week in Strasbourg. Still, an upset by a rejuvenated Kasatkina seems the more likely outcome on this surface.
Dusan Lajovic (22) vs. Kevin Anderson
The two-time Major finalist has struggled since returning from injury at the start of this year, with a record of only 5-7. Anderson arrived in Paris on a four-match losing streak, before taking out Laslo Djere in straight sets. He is 2-0 in his career against Lajovic, which includes a clay court victory two years ago in Madrid. But the 30-year-old Serbian is coming off the best season of his career. Dusan was a finalist last year in Monte Carlo, and reached his first Major quarterfinal at this tournament a year ago. These heavy conditions should favor the clay court skills of Lajovic, and take significant pace off Anderson’s ball. Today is a great opportunity for Lajovic to gain his first victory over the South African.
Andrey Rublev (13) vs. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Just like his fellow Hamburg finalist Tsitsipas, a depleted Rublev lost the first two sets of his first round match on Tuesday before fighting his way back to win in five. And he’ll face another stern test today in the 21-year-old Spaniard. Davidovich Fokina won 27 matches on clay last year at all levels, and advanced to the round of 16 at the US Open just a few weeks ago. But Rublev is one of this season’s best players, with three titles on two different surfaces and a total of 26 match wins. Rublev just bludgeons the ball, and can outhit almost anyone when he’s at his current level. While the slow conditions and a strong clay court player he has never faced will be challenges, Rublev should be able to reach the third round of this event for the first time.
Other Notable Matches on Day 5:
2016 men’s champion Novak Djokovic (1) vs. Ricardas Berankis. They just met last month at the Western & Southern Open, with Djokovic prevailing in straight sets.
2016 women’s champion Garbine Muguruza (11) vs. Kristyna Pliskova, the left-handed, identical twin sister of Karolina Pliskova.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova (7) vs. Jasmine Paolini, a 24-year-old Italian who earned her first win at a Major on Monday.
2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens (29) vs. Paula Badosa, a 22-year-old Spaniard who won the junior title here five years ago.
Reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin (4) vs. Ana Bogdan. The 27-year-old Romanian claimed their only previous meeting, though that occurred over four years ago in Rogers Cup qualifying on a hard court.
Thursday’s full schedule is here.
