Predicted Winners in BOLD
[7] Tomas Berdych (CZE) vs. [31] Steve Johnson (USA) H2H – I’d love for Johnson to win and even think he has about a 40% chance to do so, but that does not make him the favorite.
[13] Victoria Azarenka (BLR) vs. [Q] Magda Linette (POL) – Vika is back so to speak.
[9] Roberta Vinci (ITA) vs. [22] Madison Keys (USA) – Homecourt edge helps?
[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. [33] Joao Sousa (POR) H2H – Novak is shockingly my pick.
[4] Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP) vs. [WC] Nicole Gibbs (USA) – This seems like a good time for Muguruza to get her momentum back.
[8] David Ferrer (ESP) vs. Lucas Pouille (FRA) H2H – I have a feeling, but Ferrer is the favorite.
[2] Angelique Kerber (GER) vs. [Q] Kiki Bertens (NED) – How long will Kerber’s post-Slam hangover last? I hope not that long.
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs. [LL] Horacio Zeballos (ARG) H2H – Hot sauce wins.
[10] Richard Gasquet (FRA) vs. [20] Benoit Paire (FRA) H2H – Flip a coin
[11] Marin Cilic (CRO) vs. [18] Gilles Simon (FRA) H2H – Can Cilic dictate play? If not, he loses, but I think he does it just enough to win a tight match.
[14] Dominic Thiem (AUT) vs. [Q] Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) H2H
[15] David Goffin (BEL) vs. [19] Viktor Troicki(SRB) H2H – Goffin may be the player Nole least wants to see in his quarter of the draw in Paris.
[32] Monica Niculescu (ROU) vs. CoCo Vandeweghe (USA) -Coco gets a home court boost.
[24] Johanna Konta (GBR) vs. [Q] Elena Vesnina (RUS) – 50-50 match
Timea Babos (HUN) vs. [WC] Naomi Osaka (JPN)
Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) vs. [Q] Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) – In a close match on paper, I am almost always going Czech as I think they have an armada brewing.