The picks at Roland Garros: Thursday, June 1

Emma Navarro
Ron Cioffi/TR

Bianca Andreescu over Emma Navarro
Who would have known that Andreescu has already playing excellent again? Two month ago, she could barely walk, because she received a tear in her leg and it looked like that she would be off for months, but somehow, she fixed, it. She is almost 100 percent and two days ago, she flipped Victoria Azarenka in three sets. Her forehand is gigantic, as has her hard backhand. Over the past eight months, the American Navarro is rising fast. It took her a while to improve her forehand, and when she returns. She really like sports, overall, so she will charge into the net, on occasion. If she continues playing well, she could actually end the year in the top 30, but the is a big if. Andreescu may not win Roland Garros, but she definitely wants to go into the second week. Therefore, she will win it in two stagy sets.

Lauren Davis over Lesia Tsurenko
The American has been playing for so many years, all the time, week after week. She is 29- -years-old, and eventually she will age, but right now she just wants to play and finally reach into they second week at a Grand Slam. As she said, “Anything, please!”

Davis would really like to go for it, so while she is not that tall, she can hit the ball, harder, and really fusion it up. The Ukrainian Tsurenko can be very valid, and she can also hit it deep, in the singles and the doubles.The veteran can hit it pretty short, and her forehand is decent, but not fantastic. She certainly can play, but she can throw in some different shots in Paris? I would think, no, so Davis will where her down, and win it in three lengthy sets.

Frances Tiafoe over Aslan Karatsev
The Russian went bonkers in Madrid, when he qualified, and he stunned to beat Daniil Medvedev in the round of 16. He managed into the semis, and he looked terrific, but he lost, eventually. He has won three small titles, but that is good enough. He has a monstrous forehand, and his backhand can be solid, but he can also back off.

Tiafoe seems to be feeling pretty good, on the court, as he has lost some unmatched matches. The American can mash his forehand, as well as his backhand, too. The former US Open semifinals Tiafoe can be fierce, and he can also hit extreme shots, when he is returning with a second serve. He is a very nice person, off the court, but on court, he can be disturbed. This time, though, he will were Karatsev in five sizable sets.

Nicolas Jarry over Tommy Paul
The Chilean all of a sudden started to be more aggressive, and much more patient. In Geneva, he won it, upsetting Casper Ruud, Alexander Zverev and Grigor Dimitrov on clay. That was a huge event, so he was totally sealed. He did win another two more, somewhat small, but this time, he had to beat the very good players. Apparently, he made some new tactics.
 
The American Paul had a solid year in 2022, and this year, he pulled off a good amount of wins, especially in the hard courts. He is a huge hitter, reached the semis at the Australian Open, and he also got into the final in Acapulco. He was getting better, each month, but after that he started to slip. Yes, the No. 17 will reflect on the court, and what he is really doing, but he also has to center more. Paul can make a astronomical effort, but Jarry is on fire and he will win it in four intense sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Jessica Pegula over Camila Giorgi
Correct: Andrey Rublev over Corentin Moutet
Correct: Novak Djokovic over Marton Fucsovics
Leylah Fernandez  over Clara Tauson

Matt’s picks from Roland Garros

10 out of 16, 62.5% correct

Top 30s in 2018: Women 30-26

Jimmie48 Tennis Photography

No. 30: Aliaksandra Sasnovich
The 24-year-old Belarussian didn’t play great at the Grand Slams, but she did reach the final of Brisbane, and at Wimbledon she upset Petra Kvitova and Daria Gavrilova before falling to Jelena Ostapenko. She can be forceful, and at times, she can be powerful, but at the US Open, she was double-bagled by champion Naomi Osaka. Ouch! Still, Sasnovich moved up, so in 2019, maybe she will be calmer on court and crack the top 20.

No. 29: Maria Sharapova
The five-time Grand Slam champion had a so-so year. When she was healthy, she looked pretty good — and very good at times — but once again, she was hurt a lot. Mentally, on court, she is up and down, being confident or confused. Hopefully, in 2019, Sharapova will be healthy, patient and a little bit faster. And how about this? Maybe she will come in more at the net and actually put away a few volleys. That would make her extremely happy, because over the past 17 years, she has backed off at the net. One way or another, when she is feeling good, she can beat just about everybody.

No. 28 : Su-Wei Hsieh
Another long-time veteran, the 32-years-old has won a number of big contests in doubles, but in singles, she was hesitant. Now, in singles, she is finally aggressive and steady. In September, she won Hiroshima, but without facing the best players. At the start of the year, she was ranked No. 103. She upended Garbine Muguruza and Aga Radwanska at the Aussie Open before losing to Angie Kerber. Perhaps Hsieh can reach the top 15 in singles? Hmmm.

No. 27: Lesia Tsurenko
There are so many veterans who keep trying to move up — way up. At the US Open, during an extremely hot day, in the fourth round, the Ukranian was collapsing. She could barely move. She was almost puking. Somehow, she stayed in there and, in the middle of the second set, she started feeling better. The 29-year-old won it, beating Marketa Vondrousova 6-7, 7-5, 6-2. “You need to survive,” she said. She sure did. However, Tsurenko did nothing during the fall; so next year, she has to be more solid.

No. 26: Camila Giorgi
The Italian did improve a good amount this year. She won 38 matches, and she lost 20. For her, that is pretty darn good. She won Linz, at the end of the fall, saying that, “I think it’s very important for the future.”  Giorgi had a terrific and tough match against the great Serena Williams at Wimbledon, losing 6-4 in the third. The same thing occurred at Roland Garros; she was so confident in nearly upsetting Sloane Stephens, very deep in the third, but she went down 8-6. Close, but no cigar. Giorgi has always been super aggressive, but now, she is a little bit more patient, which is a good thing. In 2019, she has to go even further.