The French Open women’s tournament fills out the second half of the fourth round and so do our tennis picks. This half of the draw has a heavy favorite, Serena Williams. The betting odds would suggest that everyone else in this part of the tournament is just trying to advance as far as possible before meeting the 21-time major champion. Serena, though, struggled in the fourth round of the French Open last year against Sloane Stephens. She did not have an easy match against Kristina Mladenovic in the third round. There is a feeling that anything can happen, though some events are more likely than others.
On the men’s side, we’ll be look at a number of important matchups. Novak Djokovic will get a tricky test from Robert Bautista, who plays well on clay. Djokovic is a huge favorite and should be expected to advance rather easily, but keep an eye on that showdown to see how much he’s challenged. We’ll also see David Ferrer – another clay-court specialist – go up against Tomas Berdych. David Goffin, who is a young up-and-comer that has shown well this season, will take on Ernests Gulbis. And we’ll also see Marcel Granollers take on Dominic Thiem, another young exciting player.
For Tuesday, though, our tennis picks are focused on the ladies. Here’s a look at what we like from the card:
Kiki Bertens vs. Madison Keys
This is a matchup in which Keys rates as a modest favorite, not quite a heavy one. There’s just enough instability in Keys’ game to make one think that she could wobble in this match. Furthermore, Bertens delivered what is realistically the upset of the tournament thus far, over third-seeded Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber in the first week. Bertens, however, has played doubles in this tournament and has carried a heavy workload, unlike Keys. She struggled to a win over Daria Kasatkina in her most recent match, but with a day off on Monday (when she was scheduled to play this match), she might be fresh enough to start anew and display enough athleticism to stay with Keys. It should be said that Keys was trailing Monica Puig, 6-5, in the first set of her third-round match, with Puig serving for the first set. Keys can run hot and cold, and this is Bertens’ best chance to win the match. However, Bertens seems to be laboring a little more than Keys right now. Keys made the final in Rome and knows what it takes to advance deep into a big clay tournament. Call this one for Keys, but it will be close. Take her with your tennis picks.
Pick: Keys in three sets
Venus Williams vs. Timea Bacsinszky
This could be a terrific match. Venus played a near-perfect third set to silence the French crowd which was cheering on Alize Cornet in the third round on Saturday. Venus moved extremely well on the court and turned back the clock a little bit. If she plays that way in this match, she should like her chances. However, one of the things which is necessarily a part of getting older as a tennis player is that day to day results cease to be as consistent. Venus would win if she played her best, but a bettor has to consider if she will. The thought here is that she won’t, and Bacsinszky, a semifinalist at Roland Garros last year, will win in straights. Take Bacsinszky with your tennis picks in this one.
Pick: Bacsinszky in straight sets
Serena Williams vs. Elina Svitolina
This is a matchup in which Serena has to be the overwhelming favorite. Mladenovic, who gave Serena a battle on Saturday, has a devastating drop shot which keeps a lot of players off balance. Svitolina does not have a weapon as important as that one. Serena got a good test and came through it well. She should be ready to play a focused match and impose her will. Take Williams with your tennis picks in this spot.
Pick: Serena in straight sets
