Top-five seeds Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev will continue their French Open campaigns on Thursday following hard-fought opening wins. Thiem is taking on Alexander Bublik, while Zverev awaits qualifier Mikael Ymer.
(4) Dominic Thiem vs. Alexander Bublik
Thiem is an obvious favorite to advance out of his quarter of the French Open bracket and reach the semis, while also being a somewhat realistic choice to reach the final and perhaps even take the title. Nonetheless, the 2018 Roland Garros runner-up had a hard time even making it out of the first round on Monday. Thiem trailed Tommy Paul 4-0 in the third-set tiebreaker with the match tied at a set apiece, but he recovered to steal the ‘breaker and eventually prevail 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-2. The fourth-ranked Austrian is now 18-8 this season, which includes his first career Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells plus an additional winner’s trophy picked up in Barcelona.
Up next for Thiem is a first-ever matchup with Bublik, who comes in one spot off his career-high ranking at No. 91 in the world. The 21-year-old Kazakh’s 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-1, 7-6(2) win over Rudolf Molleker in round one was just his ninth on the main tour (third in 2019). Bublik has all the talent with which to trouble team, but his propensity for low-percentage shots and mental walkabouts will likely be his undoing in the pressure-packed moments of each set.
Pick: Thiem in 3
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(Q) Mikael Ymer vs. (5) Alexander Zverev
Amazingly enough, Zverev and Ymer went head-to-head on the main tour back in 2015. That was when Zverev was 18 years old and Ymer was just 16, but the former was already a household name at that point and the latter got a wild card into the main draw of the Stockholm event in his native Sweden. Zverev prevailed by a surprisingly competitive 7-6(9), 6-7(5), 6-4 scoreline, although that match hardly means anything in advance of this much different kind of contest in 2019.
Zverev is now a staple of the top five, but he registers two spots off his career-high ranking of No. 3 at which he finished 2018 after winning the Nitto ATP Finals. The 22-year-old is struggling this season, although he is quick to point out that it is “struggling” only by his lofty standards. Zverev is sporting a 20-10 record and he just triumphed in Geneva last weekend before holding off tough opponent John Millman in five sets on Tuesday. It has already been a productive stay in Paris for Ymer, who qualified for the main draw and then disposed of fellow qualifier Blaz Rola in straights. The 20-year-old Swede will use his speed to make Zverev work hard, but he does not have the firepower necessary to pull off an upset.
Pick: Zverev in 4
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Pretty much my pick too. But won’t be surprised if Zverev let it slip!!
These DFs will certainly be his downfall!!
Thiem and Zverev, both in 3, although AZ may take an extra set or two to close it out.
I hope Theim and Zverev both lose. Not sure why, just do.
Hope Caruso beats Simon also.