French Open: Day 6 Preview and Picks
By RICKY DIMON
(15) TOMAS BERDYCH (-275) VS. (17) JOHN ISNER (+190)
The only time Isner should ever be more than +190 in a match is against Rafael Nadal on clay or against Roger Federer on grass. Aside from those two scenarios, Isner’s serve alone gives him a real chance of winning basically any match.
Berdych beat Isner in a third-set tiebreaker last week at the World Team Cup, but Isner’s mental toughness is his biggest asset (other than his serve). You can bet he will be far more fired up for a French Open third-round showdown than he was last week in Dusseldorf.
Pick: Isner in 4 sets.
(8) JO-WILFRIED TSONGA (-225) VS. THIEMO DE BAKKER (+165)
Like the Isner-Berdych match, the setting should have a lot to do with this outcome. De Bakker upset Tsonga in three sets last month in Barcelona, and what better stage than Roland Garros for the Frenchman to get revenge?
Tsonga struggled in his opener, but he completely destroyed Josselin Ouanna in Round 2. And when Tsonga gets hot in front of the French crowd, watch out!
If you want to increase your value on the payout, I recommend parlaying Tsonga with Marin Cilic (-275 against Leonardo Mayer), a very underrated clay-court player. Both of these proven Grand Slam performers should cruise without too much trouble.
Pick: Tsonga in 4 sets.
(15) ARAVANE REZAI (-150) VS. (19) NADIA PETROVA (+110)
Rezai is 0-2 lifetime against Petrova, but she is just now living up to her potential at 23 years of age. Not only will she have the French crowd behind her, but she is also one of the hottest players on tour right now. Rezai won Madrid earlier this month, and that included wins over Justine Henin, Jelena Jankovic and Venus Williams.
Petrova is talented, but she can be a headcase and she won’t like it if Rezai gets some early momentum and brings the fans into the match. The Russian better win this in straights if she wants to advance, but that is unlikely.
Pick: Rezai in 3 sets.
(14) FLAVIA PENNETTA (-222) VS. POLONA HERCOG (+162)
Hercog is up to No. 51 in the world at just 19 years old, but I’m not so sure she is ready for the big stage, and the third round of a Grand Slam certainly qualifies as such.
Pennetta, meanwhile, looks lethal right now. She won a clay-court title in Marbella last month and she is on fire so far at Roland Garros. The Italian double-deuced (6-2, 6-2) Anne Keothavong in Round 1 and she double-breadsticked (6-1, 6-1) Roberta Vinci in Round 2. Get all over Pennetta in this one.
Pick: Pennetta in 2 sets.