The top half of the draw will be in action in Paris on Saturday, with Grigor Dimitrov taking on Roberto Carballes Baena and Karen Khachanov battling Cristian Garin. Spots in the second week are at stake.
(15) Karen Khachanov vs. (20) Cristian Garin
This is one of the better matchups on the docket at Roland Garros on Saturday. World No. 16 Karen Khachanov hasn’t been particularly successful since the tour returned from the COVID hiatus and has enjoyed even less success since the tour switched to clay. The Russian lost in the first round in Rome and the second round in Hamburg.
Cristian Garin has fared much better on European clay. The Chilean had a solid run to the semifinals in Hamburg, where he went out in a close three-set match to Stefanos Tsitsipas. Garin dispatched Philipp Kohlschreiber and Marc Polmans in his first two matches in Paris.
This will be the first meeting between Garin and Khachanov. Based on current form this match should go Garin’s way, as Khachanov’s game has gone off the boil. Garin may pay a price for his deep run later in the tournament, but for Saturday the Chilean should have enough to earn a spot in the round of 16.
Cheryl pick: Garin in 4
Ricky pick: Garin in 4
(18) Grigor Dimitrov vs. Roberto Carballes Baena
Grigor Dimitrov has quietly made his way into the third round at Roland Garros. The No. 18 seed, who made headlines with his COVID diagnosis during Novak Djokovic’s Adria Tour exhibition, has a pair of tidy straight-set wins so far this fortnight. Opponent Roberto Carballes Baena’s path the the third round was anything but routine.
World No. 101 Carballes Baena had an easy enough first-round match. He absolutely pummeled Steve Johnson, giving the American two games in the entire match. The drama came in his second-round encounter against Canada’s Denis Shapovalov. The entire match flipped wildly back and forth with Baena taking the first and third sets and Shapovalov taking the 2nd and 4th. The ninth seed appeared to have the fifth set in hand, and served for the match at 5-4 and was broken. Then he served for the match again, and was broken. Again.
It’s doubtful that Dimitrov will be as generous. The Bulgarian made the quarters of his only clay court warm up event (Rome) and comes into Paris prepared but also rested.
Cheryl pick: Dimitrov in 3
Ricky pick: Dimitrov in 5
Garin in 4; RCB in 4…..and who is Daniel Altmeier??
I just asked Ricky that exact question. I only ever heard of him as a Challenger tour player…and now into the round of 16 at Roland Garros. Amazing.
Indeed. It’s been upset week at RG for sure. Maybe it’s even more amazing that 6 of Ricky’s top 8 in the poll are still alive.
Berrettini was in great form before this match but played terrible