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The women's singles second round of the 2024 French Open is up and running, with plenty of more exciting matches scheduled for Day 5. Fans have already witnessed some exhilarating tennis, and there is a lot of excitement for what lies ahead.
Young American sensation Peyton Stearns is all set to challenge the in-form Russian player, Daria Kasatkina, in a promising matchup. Another youngster, Qinwen Zheng, also has a game to play. Elise Mertens and Petra Martic set up another tantalizing match-up, with the likes of Jasmine Paolini and Bernarda Pera are also due to be seen in action.
So without further ado, let's look at the predictions for some of these matches.
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#1 Zheng Qinwen vs Tamara Korpatsch
Seventh seed Zheng Qinwen will take on Tamara Korpatsch for the first time ever, in the second round.
Qinwen has had a breakthrough year as she has reached a career-high ranking of 7. She also made it to the final of the 2024 Australian Open, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka. While she struggled in the initial phase of the 2024 European clay court swing, she found her footing at the Italian Open, where she reached the final 8. The Chinese kicked off her French Open campaign with a win over Alize Cornet, in what turned out to be the French's final-ever match.
Meanwhile, Korparsch has only played the Charleston Open this year, in which she was eliminated in her opening match. In the first round, the German got a win over Ashlyn Krueger thanks to a thrilling comeback 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(9).
Zheng Qinwen has been in sublime form of late and should therefore comfortably oust the German.
Predicted Winner: Zheng Qinwen
#2 Daria Kasatkina vs Peyton Stearns
The second round will feature Daria Kasatkina and Peyton Stearns' fourth meeting; the Russian is currently up 3-0.
Kasatkina has had a great run so far this year. The Russian had a great start to the European clay swing as she reached the final of the Charleston Open. Though there were some hiccups at the Madrid Open and the Italian Open, Kasatkina faced a tough opponent in Magdalena Frech in the opening round, which will hold her in good stead going forward. She prevailed in a fiercely contested first set and then dominated the second set to win 7-5, 6-1.
Peyton Stearns, on the other hand, has been making her way onto the circuit for some time now, and she won her first WTA title at the Morocco Open just before Roland Garros. On her way to the title, she overcame a number of opponents, including Mayar Sherif, Lucia Brozetti, and Viktoriya Tomova. She kicked off the Paris Major by defeating Lucija Ciric Bagaric in a topsy-turvy three-setter 6-3, (8)6-7, 7-6(6).
Though Petra Martic seems to have found her footing on clay, an in-form Daria Kasatkina won't be something she is ready for yet.
Predicted Winner: Daria Kasatkina
#3 Elise Mertens vs Petra Martic
Elise Mertens will take on Petra Martic in what will be their fifth meeting, with Mertens up 4-0
Though Mertens' prowess in doubles is well-known, her singles game often goes under the radar. The Belgian reached the quarterfinals at the Charleston Open, which was her best result. It is important to note, though, that she also participates in doubles. Mertens saw off a dangerous threat in Maris Lourdes Carle in the opening round, 6-3, 7-6(8).
Petra Martic has had a poor clay swing this year, having lost her opening round matches at the Charleston Open and the Italian Open. She competed at the Parma Open before Roland Garros to get some rhythm, but ended up getting eliminated in the second round. Martic kicked off her run in Paris with a comfortable 6-4, 6-4 win against Kristina Mladenovic.
Elise Mertens should go 5-0 up against Petra Martic in what will be a tactically close match between the two veterans.
Predicted Winner: Elise Mertens
#4 Jasmine Paolini vs Hailey Baptiste
With a win at the Dubai Tennis Championships and advancement to the fourth round of the Australian Open, Jasmine Paolini is enjoying the finest year of her career. These achievements helped her reach a career-best rank of 12. Paolini had good runs at the Stuttgart Open and the Madrid Open but saw a shocking first-round exit at the Italian Open, where she was the home favorite. She is up and running at the French Open with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Daria Saville in the first round.
On the other hand, Hailey Baptiste has had disappointing results throughout this season's clay swing, having failed to even qualify for the Italian Open. However, she brought her A game to the fore when it mattered and sailed through the qualifiers to reach the main draw of the French Open. She registered a great comeback win against Kayla Day (4-6, 6-2, 6-2) to reach the second round.
Despite being World No. 15, Jasmine Paolini often goes under the radar and is due for a deep run at a Major. She should be able to defeat Baptiste with ease and make it to the third round.
Predicted Winner: Jasmine Paolini
#5 Bernarda Pera vs Varvara Gracheva
This year's French Open will also feature a first-time matchup between Bernarda Pera and Varvara Gracheva.
Though Bernarda Pera has had fluctuating results at the clay swing this year, it is no secret that the veteran poses a huge threat. Her best result came in Rome, when she reached the second round. She also reached the semifinals in Oeiras. Pera played exceptional tennis in the opening round of the French Open, as she defeated Nao Hibino with ease.
Meanwhile, Gracheva has been fighting her way through the qualifiers in most of the tournaments. Interestingly, though, she did manage to make it to the main draw on every occasion. The French shocked the world when she came back from a set down to defeat sixth seed Maria Sakkari in the opening round. She got her revenge on the Greek, who had defeated her in the Italian Open.
Though she may be high on confidence, Gracheva may lack the experience that Pera possesses. Having said that, a close match is definitely on the cards but it seems that the American will edge past the French.
Predicted Winner: Bernarda Pera
