2025 Roland Garros Men's & Women's Singles - Round Two Day Two

ATP Singles :

Sinner vs Gasquet :

A brief blip in focus and some stellar play from Arthur Rinderknech saw Sinner go down 4-0 in the 3rd set, but Sinner managed to reel off 5 straight games from 5-2 down to close out in straight sets. Serving is obviously an advantage, but one of the marks of great champions is to be able to make your way into the game on return when you need to. Sinner is the best returner on tour, and what I really like is that he doesn’t deviate or try to do too much when he’s down. He knows his level is good enough, and he just grinds his opponent down. It’s an entirely different style, but it’s the same type of ability and clutch play that Nadal and Djokovic exhibited so many times. Players just seem to know they’re going uphill even though they have the lead, and in the 5-3 game Rinderknech made some impatient and nervous errors that were a direct result of knowing Sinner had dug in and knowing what that meant.

Up next for Sinner is Gasquet, who played excellent against Atmane in round one. I expected Richard to slow down as things progressed but he finished strong, including a 6-0 fourth set. It’s fitting that in one of his last French Open’s he plays the 1 seed in a match where he’ll play excellent but not really have a chance. Gasquet against Nadal and the other big 3 was a classic at all the majors, and while he never really had the forehand aggression to hit through them for a whole match he always puts on a great show. Tennis skill doesn’t let you pull upsets because tennis is such a physical game, but it allows you to compete at the highest levels. Kohlschreiber was always a good example of this, you can be a step slow and lack the explosive power, but good technique and location is something that is effective against the best players. Sinner in straights is the generic prediction, but I’ll take anything else. Gasquet has been a joy to watch and this will surely produce some highlight points. Sinner in 3.

Lehecka vs Davidovich Fokina :

This is a tough spot for both considering the reward is playing Sinner in the next round. Davidovich Fokina has been the more prominent name throughout this clay season but he’s fizzled lately. He lost to Cobolli in Hamburg and he needed a medical timeout in round one. I don’t really mind 4 sets against Llamas Ruiz because I rate him much higher than his ranking on clay, but the volume of tennis ADF played in the past few months and the focus level he’s maintained perhaps can’t last forever. The oddsmakers seem to believe Lehecka will take this, as they’ve priced him almost even. It’s possible, and he did just run through Cerundolo with ease last week, but I didn’t really find his level all that impressive against Thompson.

Tennis players aren’t robots, and sometimes the level they display can fool me. Tiafoe was error prone in round one against Safiullin, but found great aggression and consistency today against Carreño Busta. Lehecka may have just been coasting against Thompson, but I found a lack of depth and power on a lot of his groundstrokes. With Fokina less than 100% and Lehecka basically fresh after a season of middling results, the upset could happen here. Lehecka has actually won both of their previous meetings, so it seems like things are lining up for a somewhat surprising result. It’s hard for me to write a prediction about something that doesn’t line up with the level of tennis I’ve witnessed, but Lehecka in 4-5.

Walton vs Rublev :

The first round was a healthy mound of chaos, and it’s always refreshing to be reminded that the landscape of the tour changes wildly from week to week. Walton had barely played on clay, but it’s a good reminder that lack of play doesn’t block someone from making an effort. Walton dug in, and made things difficult. That seemed to be enough, as Marterer looked exhausted by the third set. It’s a bonus for Walton, but Rublev likely has too much firepower for him to handle. He was able to beat Marterer on stamina, and Andrey tends to maintain a pretty good level of hitting throughout. He’ll make errors and get frustrated, but he played well in round one. Rublev in 3.

Munar vs Fils :

I thought Ugo Carabelli had a shot against Munar, but he really played beneath his usual level. He had trouble keeping the ball in, and his attitude was poor. Munar was able to run down everything he hit, and the disparity in topspin let Munar really score without taking chances. Up next is Arthur Fils, the French #1 and one of the best dark horses in the event. Fils isn’t in that top tier of Alcaraz and Sinner, but he is one of the guys who can make the mind drift to an upset when he plays them. Fils is playing well this season, and he’ll have the crowd on his side. Munar’s consistent baselining is an excellent test for Fils, but I think Arthur’s serving will allow him to play more freely than Munar, and these two just seem like their ballstriking illustrates two very different weight classes. Fils in 4.

De Minaur vs Bublik :

Bublik has woken up late in the clay season and is serving well and dazzling the crowd with his creativity, but he has found one of the most robotic grinders and gatekeepers on tour. De Minaur looked vulnerable for the early parts of the season, but clay has given him a boost as it is much harder for his opponents to rush him into errors on the backhand wing. ADM is 3-0 against Bublik and in this long format it will be extremely difficult for Bublik to serve his way through. De Minaur in 3-4.

Rocha vs Mensik :

Basilashvili had a lot of momentum coming into last round and Rocha stopped him in his tracks. He is hitting the ball cleanly right now and his work ethic paid dividends. For a guy grinding the Challenger tour, a win in the majors is a huge bonus. It gives him the financial security to travel to a few more 250 qualifiers, and the ranking points aren’t bad either. Rocha’s speed and hitting are the right things to compete here, but Mensik isn’t in a vulnerable state here. In a 2/3 format I could see this being close, but Mensik has all the same power as Basilashvili and is much more consistent. He’s also serving well, so this would be a monumental upset. I expect Rocha to play well, but to be a game or two short in each set. Mensik in 3-4.

Monfils vs Draper :

Dellien was all but done with the match, up two sets and up 6-5 in the third. From there, it was all Monfils. He played all the big points well (despite some huge fumbles with the initial 5-4 set points) and Dellien ran out of gas. These deciding set losses on tour are becoming a theme, and I think it’s doubly unfortunate because Monfils may be the less likely to physically recover for this second round. He’s a great baseliner and a wonderful entertainer, but his passive play and his desire to play for the crowd can cost him against Draper. Draper is playing well and dealt with a quality challenge from Bellucci in round one. This feels like a similar level of opponent in terms of offense, and I think Draper will be able to wear down Gael’s defense. Draper in 3-4.

Fonseca vs Herbert :

Hurkacz was a bit flat after a finals run in Geneva, and it’s good to see Fonseca playing well again. This will be a similar problem for Fonseca, an opponent who has a great offense but is lacking defensively. Fonseca’s power will be very useful here. Herbert doesn’t really drive the ball much from the baseline but he’s very accurate with time. Pierre also serve volleys a lot which is something that playing Hurkacz is a great warmup for. This just feels like an easier spot for Fonseca; Herbert is a skillful veteran but I think he’ll be a little bit less effective on offense than he normally would be. Fonseca in 3.

Zverev vs De Jong :

I like De Jong’s game, but I don’t love his backhand against Zverev. As much as I criticize his passive play, that exact approach is what makes it so hard to upset Alex in an early round. De Jong will have to create for himself, and that’s a tough thing to do for 3-5 sets. Zverev in 3-4.

Cobolli vs Arnaldi :

Midway through the match I was wondering how Arnaldi had sunk to such a mediocre level. Twenty minutes later I was wondering how he found his best tennis right when he needed to. Felix had an early history of going down two sets and losing, but now he’s managed the opposite journey. It sets up an all Italian clash between two guys whose highs are high and whose lows are low. Cobolli was struggling to even keep the ball in the court earlier this year, but now he’s serving well and crushing forehands. Arnaldi was the underdog star of 2023 and 2024, but this season he’s dropped winnable matches left and right. In a spot like this I have to lean heavily on the h2h. Arnaldi has won the last three meetings between these two, and dealing with FAA’s forehand heavy offense is good prep for Cobolli. Since Cobolli is at his best, I think this will still be really close. Arnaldi did outlast FAA, but he had trouble creating opportunities when Felix was fresh. Cobolli’s forehand should do damage, and I think Arnaldi’s overall consistency will get him across the finish line. Arnaldi in 5.

Diallo vs Griekspoor :

In a round full of upsets, Diallo’s win almost flew under the radar. He played tremendous tennis, and never let Cerundolo get involved in the outcome of the match. His serve and power are good enough to let him apply scoreboard pressure to anyone, and his usual slow error-prone start wasn’t on display. I’m impressed by the way he’s stepped up his game this season, and this is a winnable match. Griekspoor is excellent, but he tends to play to the level of his opponent. On hardcourt he’s much more offensive, and on clay he gets good topspin but doesn’t hit through the court. Diallo moves well and has easy power, and if he can maintain a high first serve percentage this is an even contest. With Griekspoor going deep against Giron, I think Diallo will be able to get to some tiebreakers, and his game seems a bit more suited to this surface. Diallo in 4.

Shevchenko vs Quinn :

Quinn got a great draw in round one, as Dimitrov is not healthy at all. Next, he gets a lucky loser that is right around his level. Shevchenko plays a high energy game and hits the ball big but without much risk. He’s looking to grind his opponents down and play long rallies, and his serve is occasionally big enough to win. Quinn definitely has had more impact on tour this season, but he makes more errors. Quinn’s forehand inside in will be the biggest shot on the court, but I think here Shevchenko’s willingness to grind may pay dividends. He has more experience at this level, and Quinn wasn’t really doing well against Dimitrov when he was fresh. This is their first meeting so I’d expect both to have a good amount of belief, and neither has the type of offense to shut the other out so it should be a close battle of wills and decisions. Shevchenko in 5.

Norrie vs Gomez :

Huge win for Norrie considering his track record against Medvedev, and the rough season he’s having. Despite his proclivity for shouting “let’s go” in his opponent’s language, Norrie remains fun to watch. It’s not the most beautiful style of tennis, but his willingness to scramble is impressive, and he hit his forehand down the line well. Cam will have a much easier time here against Gomez, who’s a clay specialist but whose movement is often his undoing. Gomez has a huge serve and forehand combo, but his backhand can be a little error prone when he’s tired and Norrie will force him to play a lot of tennis. Norrie being lefty should pay dividends here, but early on Gomez may be able to hit past Cam. He really does have a good delivery and some huge groundstrokes. Norrie in 4.

Fearnley vs Humbert :

O’Connell had some opportunities against Humbert, but he couldn’t take care of his serve long enough to make them count. It’s a good win for Humbert, who is having a rough season while he rehabs a fractured metacarpal on his right hand. This should be the end of the road, but with the home crowd and Humbert’s highly accurate forehand, this could still be close. Fearnley wasn’t really expected to be a prospect on clay, but this season it has been his best surface. He has wins against Wawrinka, Machac, Bu, Dellien, and a few other mid level tour players. Humbert is right at the fringe of his resume, but he has the offensive capabilities to make things close even if Humbert plays well. I thought O’Connell had a chance, and I think Fearnley is a big step up from him. He was able to navigate Wawrinka, and I think the run continues. Fearnley in 4.

Shapovalov vs Misolic :

Misolic is really good, but seems to have a ceiling. He hits the ball really hard and can dominate at the Challenger level, but he’s still looking for consistent performances. Shapovalov is the right opponent to snag, but his base level can still be really high. Denis was able to beat Martinez, and I think he’ll defeat Misolic too. Filip has the power to frustrate Shapo, but he doesn’t have to rally tolerance. Shapovalov tends to collapse against the frustrating baseliners and higher tier opponents, and Misolic is a powerful offense first and not really the most patient player in neutral rallies. I think it’ll be close early on but Shapovalov should slowly wear down Misolic’s backhand and make him force offense. Shapovalov in 4.

Djokovic vs Moutet :

I expect this to be really difficult, but beating Djokovic in an early round is a really huge ask. Novak will be fresh for this, and he looked very focused against McDonald in round one. He’s never lost a set to Moutet, but the old records are safe to discard at this point because Novak is into a new phase of his career. He’s still excellent, but the stamina questions have arisen and he can sometimes be ground into errors. Moutet won’t have a simple place to score here, but his skill and footspeed will allow him to extend rallies and give us a really good look at where Djokovic’s offense is at. He was solid in Geneva, but wasn’t really his usual automatic self. A straight sets victory here would go a long way towards quieting doubts, especially since he’ll play another lefty in the next round. Djokovic in 4.

WTA Singles :

Andreeva vs Krueger :

This is an interesting matchup, even if the outcome feels assured. These two played last year at the US Open, and Krueger smoked her boots. I don’t like to ignore surfaces and form, but I don’t like to ignore stylstic issues either. One of the problems Andreeva has had thus far on tour has been huge hitters. She has trouble creating when her opponent is driving the ball, and Krueger has a lot of power. I don’t think the slow clay is the place for Krueger to hit through Andreeva’s defense, but she did beat Lamens and Krueger’s ceiling is likely to go up as she gets more comfortable on tour and irons out her errors. Andreeva in 2, but I expect one of these to be very close.

Garland vs Putintseva :

Garland played excellent against Volynets, and it shouldn’t be overlooked that Katie served better than usual in this match. Garland basically plays a different version of the same opponent this round; Putintseva is a defensive baseliner who wins by extending rallies and frustrating her opponents. If that doesn’t work, she loses by extending rallies and frustrating herself. The difference here is that Putintseva plays mostly behind her backhand and uses a lot more moonballs. This might not bother Garland too much because she’s played a lot of junior tennis (where moonballing is more prominent), but it remains to be seen how she navigates this. With Putintseva’s struggles, I don’t see her as a heavy favorite here. Garland is a more complete player, but with a bit less consistency right now, so I think this will be pretty even. Putintseva was down early against Sierra, I think Garland can beat Sierra, so I’m really questioning whether Putintseva is really the better player here when her goal is likely to just try to frustrate Garland and push until she gets impatient. I like Garland’s court sense and I think she serves a bit better. I partially think I’m just more interesting in seeing Garland play than Putintseva, but the challenger has a unique game and I think her ceiling is pretty high. Garland in 3.

Kasatkina vs Jeanjean :

Kasatkina is pretty bad right now, and could easily have lost to Siniakova. This is the type of match she normally dominates, but this week anything is possible. Darya is just not serving for any effect at all, and she’s missing some shots she’d normally convert. Jeanjean is playing well, but she was losing the first round and got a bit lucky to get a withdrawal (albeit with the lead) against Begu. Jeanjean’s best attribute lately has been rally tolerance, but I’m not sure how outlasting an opponent like Kasatkina is going to work. She really doesn’t go for much when she doesn’t have the ball well inside the baseline, so this will just be about who is more patient. I think it’s Kasatkina, and I think she’s a bit faster which might let her negate the effectiveness of Leolia’s forehand. Any of Kasatkina’s matches on clay could be close at this point, but I think she can win in 2 if she isolates Jeanjean’s backhand.

Ruse vs Badosa :

This is a section of the draw that has clear favorites, in spots where the match might be close. Ruse is racking up wins and losses at an equal rate, but she played 3 sets with Badosa in both of their previous meetings (both on hardcourt), and she won one of them. Badosa comes in at a higher level, after beating Osaka in three. I thought it was a good clay season (the best one yet honestly) for Osaka, but she seemed down in press. I don’t know a lovely way to express the fact that “Badosa is better than you”, but I also don’t think it’s totally Osaka’s fault that she’s feeling down.

A lot of these players have been funneled into tennis so early and have had such tunnel vision that they’re emotionally still children. When I hear press from certain athletes, it’s clear that they’re a little bit sheltered socially, and that leaves them ill-equipped to deal with hardship and the absolute hurdle-fest that life can be. If the people around her care, which I’m sure they do, they’ll have her explore some spiritual or psychological disciplines to help her gain perspective. It would do her a great deal of good and improve her tennis if she mirrored Djokovic’s path. You don’t need a love guru, but yoga is in itself a discipline that can help you mature, improve your competitive abilities, and also put you at peace. You have one of the most high profile athletes in tennis struggling with her thoughts, and not a single person around her is suggesting she find a mindfulness teacher, or find a suitable meditation practice? It’s kinda wild to me because that stuff actually works. When you look at the nature of thoughts for a while, it becomes easier to navigate them. Thoughts come in many shapes and sizes, but they all report to you. It’s your job, and your opportunity, to take what serves you and helps those around you, and discard what is hot nonsense. There’s always a survival aspect to things and so we have negative thoughts. When we think about the past, we think of what we’d want to change. When we think about the future, we think about what might go wrong. This can be agitating, but it’s not malicious, and its okay to punt these things back into the ocean of thoughts. Naomi is not a container for thoughts, but if you’re not working on updating your perspectives, you’re going to struggle a bit.

Anyway, I like Badosa to win here, but Ruse is another tricky underdog because she has had success against her in the past. Badosa in 2-3.

Parks vs Jacquemot :

Two huge upsets in the first round, but I feel Jacquemot’s was more well earned. Sakkari is healthy and playing decent. Muchova was pretty error prone and not her best self in round one. It’s still a huge win for Parks to finally get a first round win at Roland Garros, and she served excellent. I just think that most of the players in the draw would have gotten past Muchova. We’ll see here. If I’m right, Jacquemot wins by being a bit more consistent. They both have huge serves, and Parks may be a bit more powerful, but Elsa looked a bit more consistent in round one and managed to elevate her game in the second set also after going down a few breaks. Jacquemot in 2.

Kalinina vs Boisson :

Avanesyan really wasn’t ready to play, which makes this match extra tricky to call. Kalinina won their previous meeting, but it was 4 years ago when Boisson was only 18. Boisson just defeated Mertens, which is pretty incredible given Elyse’s recent level of play. I like Boisson to continue the run here, but her baseline abilities won’t really matter if the best Kalinina shows up because she hits the ball as big as anyone on tour. Boisson in 3 is what I expect. Kalinina plays great but she’s too aggressive and I don’t think she’s been playing enough lately to hit through Boisson.

Frech vs Vondrousova :

The ‘ol Jabeur will win because she’s better fallacy appeared in the first round. Ons hit some highlight reel shots, but she was very impatient and just not match-fit. Frech’s job was difficult but simple; keep the rallies going and keep the ball on Jabeur’s backhand until the error comes. It worked, and once she won the first set Jabeur really checked out. Next for Frech is another rusty champion, but Vondrousova was one of the returning veterans who played well in round one. Selekhmeteva played aggressive and well from 0-0, and was up a break in both sets. To Vondrousova’s credit, she traded and reflected her power with good pace of her own, and in the end she was a bit more consistent. When you remove the unforced errors from things, I have a hard time predicting Frech to win. It’ll be a long day if Marketa can grind this out, but Frech has less offensive ability than Selekhmeteva and Vondrousova is hitting the ball pretty clean on defense with her forehand. Vondrousova in 3.

Li vs Pegula :

The good Ann Li showed up in round one, beating Carle 4,0. In a round full of unsettling h2h data, Li defeated Pegula in their only meeting. Somehow, it was in 2018, even though that makes my brain think these two are 40 years old. Li certainly has big enough groundstrokes to score, but Pegula is the sort of WTA RBA and she just keeps hitting the court. Her clay season is not going perfectly, but she should be slightly better here on defense. Tricky spot as compatriots tend to play more freely against each other. Pegula in 2.

Keys vs Boulter :

Boulter played well after dropping the first set in a tiebreaker, and it sets up a powerful contest against Madison Keys. Keys has been at her best this year, and despite clay not being her favorite surface, she’s doing fine. I think her defense and athleticism is slightly better than Boulter’s, so in a match of two huge serve/forehand combos, Keys’s movement and backhand should give her a few games of clearance. Keys in 2 close sets.

Azarenka vs Kenin :

Azarenka dished out two doughnuts to Wickmayer, which is impressive but not really something that makes me think she’ll beat Kenin. Azarenka beat Kenin their last two meetings, including a 6-0, 6-0 win on clay, but these two are in much different states right now. Im honestly scared of how many underdogs have had success against their opponent here, because this round is guaranteed to contain a few upsets, but Kenin has been playing well and competing close against some of the better players recently (3 with Collins, 3 with Sabalenka) so I think she will survive. Kenin in 3.

Baptiste vs Hibino :

Baptiste had a hard-fought win against Bella Haddad-Maia, and she gets a sort of simple round two with Nao Hibino. Hibino straight setted Uchijima which is pretty unexpected, but the first round was a hot bundle of chaos. Hibino’s defense and speed are the right formula to unravel Baptiste, but Hailey’s unforced error counts have gone down this season and she’s playing solid tennis. This match is on her racquet. Baptiste in 2.

Montgomery vs Bouzas Maneiro :

This is tough to call because Montgomery winning on clay is pretty new. She left Parry on 2,1 which is impressive until you hear that Bouzas Maneiro beat Navarro 0,1. Montgomery has a powerful but compact lefty offense, and that should be able to work against Maneiro, who tends to try to outlast her opponents and varies her style during matches. I think Bouzas Maneiro is a little more experienced on clay, and part of the Parry loss is due to her being in half a slump right now. Tricky spot, but Bouzas Maneiro in 3.

Krejcikova vs Kudermetova :

Idk. I really don’t. Krejcikova can elevate to a high level, but she can also spray errors. Kudermetova can elevate to a high level, but she can also spray errors. Both had pretty simple first rounds and both won in straight sets. Both required an overtime set in the first and won easier in the second. Kudermetova is playing sharper right now, so she should win in 2-3.

Cocciaretto vs Alexandrova :

Both players won 3,2 in the first, but Alexandrova had a much tougher opponent in Bronzetti. These two have similar approaches, but Alexandrova hits the ball bigger. Alexandrova in 2.

Bouzkova vs Kartal :

I honestly was expecting Kalinskaya to go on a run here, but she showed up with her leg heavily taped. She still almost got things done against Bouzkova, but Marie served well throughout and remained focused even when she gave back breaks of serve. Good chance for her to continue the run here, but Kartal will be a tricky opponent. Kartal hits a huge forehand, and honestly Bouzkova’s smothering defense might not be as effective here because Kartal is not worried about long rallies. She plays a bit like Stearns, stable defense until she can find a forehand. I guess Bouzkova can wear her down. Bouzkova in 3.

Valentova vs Gauff :

I wonder. It has been an amazing run from Valentova. Is it over? Gauff is one of the best players on tour, but one of the only top players with a forehand that can be broken down. The thing Valentova does best right now is hit the ball hard, and her forehand is really dangerous. The rally tolerance probably isn’t there to beat Gauff on clay with cold conditions, but I don’t think the -3000 pricetag is accurate at all. If Gauff plays well, this can be over in straight sets, but if her forehand decelerates I think Valentova will be capable of profiting from this. I don’t know a way to quantify what I’m saying in a scoreline prediction, because this is a test of Valentova’s ceiling and I think her side is the more guaranteed. Gauff in 2, but I think Valentova will be able to win 2-3 games in a row at some point.