French Open R2 previews and predictions: Del Potro vs. Benneteau, Anderson vs. Cuevas

Juan Martin Del Potro is a potential semifinal opponent for Rafael Nadal, while Kevin Anderson is a possible quarterfinal foe for the Spaniard. The two big hitters first have to get past Julien Benneteau and Pablo Cuevas, respectively, on Thursday.

Julien Benneteau vs. (5) Juan Martin Del Potro

By the looks and sounds of things, Del Potro ended Nicolas Mahut’s French Open singles career on Tuesday. Del Potro will try to do the same with another Frenchman–Benneteau–during second-round action on Thursday. Mahut said following his 1-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 loss that it may have been his final singles match at Roland Garros, while Benneteau has already confirmed that 2018 is his last season on tour. The 36-year-old is by no means done quite yet, as he registers at a solid 62nd in the world and is coming off an impressive first-round win over Leonardo Mayer in four sets. Benneteau is eyeing a second consecutive productive slam, having reached the third round of the Australian Open–where he upset David Goffin before falling to Fabio Fognini in five sets.

Del Potro leads the head-to-head series 2-0, with straight-set victories on indoor hard courts in 2013 (Rotterdam) and 2017 (Basel). The sixth-ranked Argentine was the hottest player around in February and March, with titles in Acapulco and Indian Wells plus a semifinal showing in Miami, before playing an abbreviated and unspectacular clay-court buildup to the French Open. A light workload has kept Del Potro rested and helped him recover from a minor groin injury sustained in Rome, which allowed him to play three stellar sets on the heels of a slow start against Mahut. Something similar to that level should help the 29-year-old take care of another veteran Frenchman without too much trouble.

Pick: Del Potro in 3

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Pablo Cuevas vs. (6) Kevin Anderson

Anderson and Cuevas will also be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers on Thursday. Both of their previous encounters have gone Anderson’s way; 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 on the red clay of Barcelona in 2011 and 6-3, 6-7(3), 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(1) at the 2014 U.S. Open. A return to clay should help Cuevas’ chances, but the 32-year-old Uruguayan really has not been great on any surface of late. He is struggling down at 75th in the rankings and did not do much on the Golden Swing in February or at the Masters 1000 events prior to the French Open. Cuevas did, however, display some encouraging signs with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 first-round rout of Aljaz Bedene.

Bedene was Anderson’s last opponent before he arrived in Paris, as the 6’8” South African retired against the Slovenian due to injury in the Rome second round. Apparently back in business now, Anderson hammered Paolo Lorenzi 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday. An underrated clay-court performer, the world No. 7 has reached the fourth round of the French Open on three occasions–including last spring. Anderson has superior firepower with which to hit through the court and will also likely benefit from Cuevas’ relative lack of form.

Pick: Anderson in 4

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