Novak Djokovic has displayed some encouraging signs through two rounds of the French Open and he will be back on the court for a Friday showdown against Roberto Bautista Agut. Lucas Pouille and Karen Khachanov are also in action.
(13) Roberto Bautista Agut vs. (20) Novak Djokovic
Djokovic finally heated up just in time for the French Open, and the confidence he gained at the Rome Masters appears to be paying off in Paris. The 22nd-ranked Serb may not be quite back to his Grand Slam-winning ways, but he did not drop a set while beating Rogerio Dutra Silva and Jaume Munar in the first two rounds of the tournament. Djokovic had been 3-6 in his last nine matches before making a semifinal run in Rome, where he beat Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals before succumbing to eventual champion Rafael Nadal.
Up next for the injury-plagued 31-year-old on Friday is Bautista Agut, who trails the head-to-head series 6-1–including 3-0 on clay and 1-0 at Roland Garros. Djokovic prevailed 6-2, 6-1 at the 2016 Madrid Masters, won 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-5 a few weeks later at the French, lost to the Spaniard 6-4, 6-4 in the 2016 Shanghai semis, and most recently got the job done 6-4, 6-4 last spring in Rome. Bautista Agut battled past Denis Istomin in five sets to begin his fortnight before picking up the pace to hammer Santiago Giraldo 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 on Wednesday. The world No. 13 has done very little since capturing titles earlier this season in Auckland and Dubai, so this will likely be a tough task for him based on both current form and his past struggles against Djokovic.
Pick: Djokovic in 4
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(15) Lucas Pouille vs. Karen Khachanov
Good friends and occasional doubles partners, Pouille and Khachanov are becoming all too familiar with each other on the opposite side of the net instead of the same side as they head into another meeting in the French Open third round on Friday. This marks their third career contest and third of the year, with Khachanov triumphing 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 in the Marseille final and Pouille prevailing 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 a few days later in Dubai. Pouille’s home-court advantage did not work out well for him at the former, but he gets another shot in front of the French fans in this one. The world No. 16 has treated them to a pair of victories so far, beating Daniil Medvedev in straight sets and Cameron Norrie in four.
Khachanov, though, will certainly feel comfortable in this setting. The 38th-ranked Russian reached the fourth round at Roland Garros last spring, earning solid wins over Nicolas Jarry, Tomas Berdych, and John Isner before bowing out against Andy Murray. He has endured little trouble so far this fortnight while taking care of Andreas Haider-Maurer and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. Khachanov can dictate play against Pouille with huge hitting and will likely be able to take advantage of an opponent who had been 1-6 in his last seven tournament matches before arriving in Paris.
Pick: Khachanov in 4
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Khachanov in five and Djoker in four
RBA in 4; Pouille in 5.
Nole in 4
Khachanov in 5
Khach and Nole in four
Djokovic in 4
Khachanov in 4
I can’t spot the upset in these even though its possible in both matches.
Gotta feel for Novak, he’s trying to find his old self and he can’t quite do it, it’s all causing a lot of frustration.
He was up a break in that 2nd set and he blew it. Got it back to a tie-break, hit a great BH DTL which was almost a winner, only to stuff up a regulation put-away which gave Agut set point. Smashed his racquet in disgust, and almost smashed the new one too when he gave the set away one point later.
He needs to get it together pronto!!!
Thew 2 Italians are dark horses!!
RBA is no slouch, it takes one of the big guns to take him down in a major.
The Djoko match takes very long and it’s still ongoing and it’s only into the fourth set. Djoko is really having a hard time out there!
He survives. And that’s all I hoped he would do. I’m sure Nole couldn’t help but feel bad on one hand for RBA dealing with the sudden loss of his mum. On the other hand – they are there to fight. Very nice moment at the net between them. Heart goes out to RBA.
Next for him, the great and awsome Nando!
so happy with his level of play ratcliff? See him going far..maybe finals? Honestly Verdasco cant beat him..goffin wont in a 5 setter..Thiem and Zverev are both up and down and over a 5 setter, djoko may edge them out. Zverev Thiem may kill each other in QF and have nothing left for Djoko in semi..the only one playing well this half of draw is Kei but he has a block against Djoko
No Sanju…did I say I was so happy with his level of play? No, more like relieved he won another match is all. He could beat Nando and the others but he’s not going to beat Rafa at RG in a Final.
You sure?? Djoko wasn’t playing well at all, just barely edging out Agut! He took 3+ hours to finish four sets of tennis, and Agut wasn’t playing like a Bolelli!
If Goffin gets through his draw and they meet in the QF, I’m not sure Djoko is going to beat him. Goffin can play a five setter and survives, he did that in R1.
No, I’m sure about Novak making the final at all. It’s possible but not expected at all. Actually rather not see him in a final with RAFA!!
Goffin…I’m a big Goffin fan I’d love him to make the final. But he might not find a way past Monfils, I fear. I’ve been watching Thiem v Berrettini and only following scores of the other matches.
Meant to say, Not sure about Novak….
and geez. getting tired of putting my name and email in each time I post. what’s up with that.
I emailed Ricky about the problem. It’s really frustrating to do it every time you post.
I’m responding to Sanju in my previous post.
Goffin is leading Monfils now; Monfils won’t last, he’s fading already.
Rain delay again!
It’s already 7+pm local time, how are they going to finish the men’s matches followed by the two women’s matches?
When matches at court 18 had completed after the PCB match, why don’t they move one of the wonen’s match over? Now they will have problem fitting in the women’s matches after the rain delay, and the women may have to play tomorrow, holding back tomorrow’s matches and may have backlog yet again!
Since I was a child,RG always has been my favourite tournament.The slow clay,that rewards the well thought point construction instead of the hit or miss tennis which is starting to dominate the tour with the arrriving younger players.
Probably it’s the tournament where the most incredible comebacks/upsets can happen,you can’t take any match for granted. Like Borg once said,it’s the most physically/pshycologically demanding GS to win.
A shame that the organizers still live in the Pre-History times,the absence of lights it’s beyond ridiculous,not to even mention the absence of roof on Chatrier and Lenglen courts…
I agree about RG. Borg was right. That’s why greats like Pete Sampras and John McEnroe never won it.
I love RG and constructing points beautifully on clay. I dislike the ball bashing hit or miss tennis that the young guys play.
I honestly think it is outrageous and unacceptable for there to be no lights at RG. They need to move into the 21st century finally. No roof, no lights.
We know going in that all the matches cannot possibly be completed before they lose the light. It messes up the schedule for the players and is quite unfair. The organizers should be ashamed of themselves.
Yeah,it’s just too bad that they didn’t change anything,like they’re stuck in the past. Despite being unfair,many matches will deserve night sessions there,it would be awesome.
Another thing that I especially like is the Chatrier court acoustics,when players it the ball very hard it sounds like rifle shots,I don’t know why but I found it amazing 😆
Gaviria,
I know what you are talking about. I think we miss out as fans by not getting night matches. I mean, how hard is it to put up some lights?
I am going to listen to the acoustics on Philippe Chatrier tomorrow!
Rafa bombs 👌 How did he play today?
Gaviria,
The Roland Garros is currently undergoing reconstruction. They have made a lot of changes by this year:
https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/article/roland-garros-whats-new-in-2018-french-open
The roof over Philippe Chatrier is expected to be completed by 2020:
https://edition.cnn.com/videos/sports/2017/05/31/roland-garros-french-open-renovations-philippe-chatrier-open-court-orig.cnn
Testing
My posts are disappearing into the ether.
not your “Testing” ones!
Than’s just naughty of you, Ricky. 😀
@NNY, @Gaviria,
RG is, oh so slowly, planning a roof, and, I assume, lights to go with. They’ve had problems getting plans past those who rule Paris, but they finally seem to have something in place. I’m not looking forward to it and doubt it will improve conditions for Rafa.
May not help Rafa but it will be a lot better for the fans.
Does Rafa need any help to win RG?
Ramara,
I didn’t know that. Between the rain delays they are having and needing to cut off night play due to lack of lights, it’s making it harder to get all the matches scheduled played that day.
At least put up lights if not a roof. I don’t know how it would change the conditions but the other three slams have roofs.
Rafa did okay with the roof at the USO, winning last year. That roof closes quickly and does not seem to change conditions the way the roof at Wimbledon does.
Actually it might help Rafa. He doesn’t do as well indoors but he sure does not do well in the rain either!
Yes, much better for the attendees. RG has been talking about the roof for at least 5 years. I am quaintly old fashioned and believe that outdoor sports should not be played indoors. I’d probably have voted against those modern conveniences like tiebreaks, player chairs, rest periods, bathroom breaks and 3 set matches too. :p
Oh, and rackets should be made of wood and strings of gut. (well, I like animals so maybe the modern strings are ok)
Ramara “I’m quaintly old fashioned” Younger people would call it being ‘fuddy duddy’ 😉
Not all changes are necessarily for the better but a roof at RG is long overdue.
It’s not indoor that Rafa couldn’t play well, it’s more to do with the bounce on the surface – Rafa likes higher bounces so that his topspin can work well.
He wasn’t really that poor playing indoors, it’s just that there’re not many indoor events and then there’re two or three guys who are always better than him on indoor HCs. He reached SF or final at WTF only to be beaten by the finalist or eventual winner, who are/were usually Fed or Djoko. He reached finals of Paris Masters, Rotterdam and Basel, lost to the eventual champion.