French Open Day 5: Men's singles predictions ft. Karen Khachanov vs Jozef Kovalik, Francisco Cerundolo vs Filip Misolic

Day 5 of the French Open will see the second round of the men's singles event continue. Some of the matches that could not finish or take place on Day 4 will be played.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic will aim to book his spot in the third round as he take on Roberto Carballes Baena, while fifth seed Daniil Medvedev will lock horns with Miomir Kecmanovic. Fourth seed Alexander Zverev will aim to follow up his win over Rafael Nadal with another victory as he takes on David Goffin.

The likes of Casper Ruud and Grigor Dimitrov will also be in action. On that note, let's take a look at the predictions for the some of the men's singles matches taking place on Day 5 of the French Open.

#1 Karen Khachanov vs Jozef Kovalik

Eighteenth seed Karen Khachanov will take on lucky loser Jozef Kovalik in the second round of the French Open. It will be the first encounter between the two.

Khachanov booked his place in the second round of the claycourt Major with a 6-2, 6-0, 7-6(5) win over Sumit Nagal, while Kovalik won his tournament opener 7-6(3), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5) against Marcos Giron.

The Russian has won 20 of 29 matches in the 2024 season, winning the Qatar Open. Kovalik, meanwhile. has played just one main-draw fixture this season.

Khachanov will enter as the favorite and has produced some promising performances on clay this season. He should not have much trouble in beating Kovalik and booking his place in the third round of the French Open.

Predicted Winner: Karen Khachanov

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#2 Francisco Cerundolo vs Filip Misolic

Twenty-third seed Francisco Cerundolo will take on Filip Misolic in the second round of the French Open. It will be the second meeting between the two, with the Argentine winning their previous encounter 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of the 2022 Erst Bank Open in Vienna.

Cerundolo booked his place in the second round of the claycourt Major with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win over Yannick Hanfmann, while Misolic came back from two sets down to beat Otto Virtanen 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 and register his first win at a Grand Slam.

Cerundolo hasn't had the best of seasons, with 14 wins in 29 matches. Misolic, meanwhile, is getting his first taste of main-draw tennis on the ATP Tour in 2024.

The Argentine will enter as the heavy favorite, and given his quality on clay and more experience in tour-level matches, he should register a comprehensive win over Misolic to reach the third round of the French Open.

Predicted Winner: Francisco Cerundolo

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#3 Tallon Griekspoor vs Luciano Darderi

Twenty-sixth seed Tallon Griekspoor will take on Luciano Darderi in the second round of the French Open. It will be the first meeting between the two.

Griekspoor booked his place in the second round of the claycourt Major with a 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 win over Mackenzie McDonald. Darderi, meanwhile, registered a comfortable 6-3, 7-6(6), 6-1 victory over Rinky Hijikata.

The Dutchman has won 16 of 28 matches this season, while Darderi has amassed 17 wins in 25 fixtures. The Italian's best performances in 2024 have come on clay, including his triumph at the Cordoba Open. If he produces a composed performance, there's a good chance of him fetching the win and reaching the third round of the French Open.

Predicted Winner: Luciano Darderi

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#4 Tomas Martin Etcheverry vs Arthur Rinderknech

Twenty-eighth seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry will take on Arthur Rinderknech in the second round of the French Open. It will be the first meeting between the two.

Etcheverry booked his place in the second round of the French Open with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 win over Arthur Cazaux. Rinderknech won his tournament opener 6-2, 6-4, 7-5 over Australian qualifier Adam Walton. The Argentine has won 17 of 30 matches this season, while Rinderknech has triumphed six times in 13 fixtures.

Etcheverry will enter as the favorite, but Rinderknech will have the crowd on his side. However, the Argentine seems to be at his best on clay, and there's a strong chance of him coming out on top.

Predicted Winner: Tomas Martin Etcheverry

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#5 Thanasi Kokkinakis vs Giulio Zeppieri

Thanasi Kokkinakis will face Giulio Zeppieri in the second round of the French Open. It will be the first meeting between the two.

Kokkinakis booked his place in the second round of the claycourt Major with a hard-fought 4-6, 7-6(8), 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 win over compatriot Alexei Popyrin. Zeppieri, meanwhile beat 22nd seed Adrian Mannarino 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2.

Neither player have been particularly impressive in the 2024 season, with Kokkinakis winning five of 10 main-draw matches, while Zeppieri has come out on top in two of six fixtures.

While Kokkinakis is the higher-ranked player, the Italian is capable of playing very well on clay. Hence, there's a good chance of him securing the win and reaching the third round of the French Open.

Predicted Winner: Giulio Zeppieri