The French Open women’s tournament remains in the third round on Saturday and so do our tennis picks. When the eight-match block is done, the field will have been narrowed to the final 16 players. Looking back to Friday’s action, we had a rough go of things when we went 1-2 with our picks. We did end up winning with Svetlana Kuznetsova as she took care of business in straight sets against Ana Pavlyuchenkova. However, we ended up losing with Sloane Stephens and Barbora Strycova as both failed to advance.
Serena Williams plays on Saturday and should meet with no resistance. Other matches figure to be a lot more interesting, especially two of the three on this card.
Monica Puig vs. Madison Keys
This match should be the one selection from the three which has relatively little drama. Puig has failed to become a player who makes the second weeks of major tournaments on a regular basis. She might pick off a win here or there, and this third-round result is one of her better outcomes at a Grand Slam event in recent years, but she did not figure to be a contender in the second week of the tournament. It’s different with Keys, who made the final in the Rome WTA event a few weeks ago and made the Australian Open semifinals over a year ago. Keys is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in the game, a player who will probably compete for championships when Serena Williams leaves. Puig has had a good tournament, but for Keys, the standards are so much higher. Keys is expected to win this match, and there’s nothing which really suggests that she shouldn’t win this match. Keys ought to cruise in straights, so take her with your tennis picks.
Pick: Keys in straight sets
Kiki Bertens vs. Daria Kasatkina
This is a match in which it’s going to be a tougher assignment to predict the winner. First of all, Kasatkina is the seeded player at 29. She is a legitimately strong player who has moved up the ladder at a very young age. She is fearless, and she just beat Virginie Razzano, a veteran in her 30s. She is not intimidated by more experienced players. There is a lot to like about her and recommend her for future stardom.
However, Bertens seems to be on a roll. She is playing well in doubles at the French Open and is therefore getting a lot of match practice every day. She plays doubles on the days when she doesn’t play singles. This helps her net play and her overall level of feel. Bertens, though, is doing a lot more than winning in doubles. She’s in the third round of the singles tournament because she beat No. 3 seed Angelique Kerber in the first round. Defeating the reigning Australian Open champion should be a big source of confidence for her. It will be hard to pick against her after a win like that one. Go with Bertens with your tennis picks in this spot. She should win in three sets.
Pick: Bertens in three sets
Venus Williams vs. Alize Cornet
This is a match which could go either way. What’s really hard to predict about this match is how well Cornet feels. She was involved in one of the most controversial events of the week in Paris on Thursday. She defeated Tatjana Maria in a long three-set match. At an earlier point in the match, she injured herself and had to be helped off the court by a trainer. She then got a rubdown from the trainer at each changeover in the third set. She was able to make it through, but it’s hard to say just how much she’ll be physically affected. Williams has been playing with a wrap on her thigh. This is a hard match to peg, but Cornet is playing at home and should get a lot of adrenaline to benefit her. Take Cornet with your tennis picks.
Pick: Cornet in three sets
