Predicted Winners in BOLD
[19] Elina Svitolina (UKR) vs [29] Alizé Cornet (FRA) – The French tide will help put Cornet into the quarterfinal round.
[21] Garbine Muguruza (ESP) vs [28] Flavia Pennetta (ITA) – Do I go with experience and good vibes or go with a player talented enough to make a huge dent in the women’s tour? Flavia is unlikely to play a bad match. That makes her a bit of a favorite, but if Muguruza is clicking, her firepower will dominate the match.
[7] Ana Ivanovic (SRB) vs [9] Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) – I have picked against Ana and been wrong. I still am not quite sure her game is really dialed in as is needed to contend in Paris. Marakova is a hard opponent to bear so I think this adds up to a mild upset.
[2] Maria Sharapova (RUS) vs [13] Lucie Safarova (CZE) – The playbook vs. Sharapova is pretty well known. Don’t let her dictate play which she is quite good at doing, if she does dictate try to extend the rally, and of course, make her move. I could see Safarova execute this well enough to take a set, but Sharapova will win this match.