Novak Djokovic survived a five-set scare in his previous match and will be back in action at Roland Garros when he faces Albert Ramos-Vinolas on Sunday. The fourth-round schedule also includes Dominic Thiem and Horacio Zeballos.
(19) Albert Ramos-Vinolas vs. (2) Novak Djokovic
Djokovic and Ramos-Vinolas will be going head-to-head for the fourth time in their careers and for the second time this season when they battle for a place in the French Open quarterfinals on Sunday. The second-ranked Serb recently improved to 3-0 lifetime against the Spaniard by cruising 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in an indoor hard-court Davis Cup quarterfinal rubber at home in Serbia. Djokovic also got the job done twice in 2015; 7-5, 6-3 at the Indian Wells Masters and 6-1, 6-4 on the red clay of Monte-Carlo.
The defending champion of this event cruised through two rounds earlier this week (over Marcel Granollers and Joao Sousa), but he ran into some serious trouble against Diego Schwartzman on Friday. Djokovic trailed two sets to one only to storm back for a 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory. The No. 2 seed has been similarly up and down throughout the spring with a decent quarterfinal-semifinal-final run in Monte-Carlo, Madrid, and Rome that included upset losses to David Goffin and Alexander Zverev plus a beatdown at the hands of Rafael Nadal. A much less-heralded Spanish lefty now awaits Djokovic, as Ramos-Vinolas survived a similar five-setter of his own during third-round action (trailed Lucas Pouille two sets to one and then dominated the fourth and fifth). The world No. 20 cooled off on clay prior to his arrival in Paris, but not before finishing runner-up to Nadal in Monte-Carlo and pushing Andy Murray to a third-set tiebreaker in the Barcelona quarterfinals. Djokovic should treat the Schwartzman match as a wake-up call and ride the wave of his last two sets in that contest to get off the court in three this time around.
Pick: Djokovic in 3
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(6) Dominic Thiem vs. Horacio Zeballos
Thiem likely thought he was in line for another showdown with good friend and familiar foe David Goffin. But that script flipped when Goffin took a nasty tumble near the back of the court while he was playing against Zeballos on Friday, and an ankle injury forced him to retire late in the opening set. With that bit of help, Zeballos’ perfect run through the French Open draw continued. The 65th-ranked Argentine previously did not drop a set in victories over Adrian Mannarino and Ivo Karlovic. He is now 15-13 at the ATP level in 2017 and 11-4 on clay this spring.
Nobody other than Nadal, however, has displayed more clay-court consistency this season than Thiem. The seventh-ranked Austrian is 20-4 on the surface with a title in Rio de Janeiro, runner-up performances in Barcelona and Madrid, and a semifinal showing in Rome. So far this fortnight, Thiem has defeated Bernard Tomic, Simone Bolelli, and Steve Johnson in straight sets. The 23-year-old’s dominance is likely to continue at least until a potential quarterfinal date with Novak Djokovic.
Pick: Thiem in 3
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Ricky, Djokovic in 3, I predict also an easy win for Novak, and Thiem in 4..Zeballos is good clay-corter.
Djokovic in 4. Ramos has been in too good form to not win a set.
Thiem in 3. He’s competing too well At the moment fir a lower ranked player to grab a set. Hasn’t stopped a set since R16 of Rome.
Djokovic will be tired after that 5 set against Schwartzman. Another reason Ramas will take a set.
Yeah, Novak should recover well and use what he knows about ARV to get it done in 3. I thought ARV was at his best in South America and at MC.
Novak in 3 but…if he has trouble managing his emotions, in 4.
Thiem hasn’t stopped a set?? What does that mean?
Thiem lost to Djoko in straight sets at Rome SF.
Thiem in 3. I miss Goffin!!
Thiem in 3, Novak in 4
Thiem is rolling now. He won’t have to face Goffin in the fourth round. I think he gets it done in 3 sets.
Novak needs to play the way he did in the last two sets of his match with Diego. If he has any mental walkabouts again, then ARV could get a set. If he plays the way he did in sets 4 and 5 yesterday, then he should win in 3 sets. If he has any loss of focus and concentration, then it will be 4 sets.
#NoleIsBack
#FTW
My pick is goffin ? ☹️
Thiem in three and Djoker in four
Thiem and Djoko both in four. Zeballos and ARV are good enough to get a set imo.
#Tsame
Joker in 3; Dream Thiem in 4.
Novak in 5 again or AVR in 5…Thiem in 3…
Djokovic in 4 and Thiem in 3 …. http://www.138mph.com/reviewing-murrays-verdascos-and-wawrinkas-performances-and-previewing-djokovics-and-thiems-matches/
Djokovic is getting into his stride but is in a strange mood. ARV is losing out on the long rallies.
Going to a TB now,
Novak will win this set, ARV is being too predictable.
1st set to Djokovic. Hope ARV isn’t too discouraged and continues to make a match of it. Nole will have his hands full against Thiem on Tuesday.
I think Djoko will win in three and in three hours! Both are practically grinding their way through the match! Not a good match!
I think Thiem has a good chance vs any of these two in the QF, perhaps it’s time Thiem gets his first win over Djoko here, in four or five sets.
Djoker looks ready to dish out bagels.
ok, it was a breadstick. Pretty good, anyway!
Missed the matches today but checked stats for Novak vs ARV. I’m very happy he recovered well from the Schwartzman effort and he kept this one to a straight sets win – though the first set looks close, he must of felt better as the match went on. Even 2 aces in the 3rd set. Hitting a well-timed ace is something that he needs to do more. Bravo Nole!