The first round of the French Open concludes on Day 3 as 20 more men’s matches take the grounds of Roland Garros. Among them, No. 6 seed Daniil Medvedev squares off against Adam Walton. Tope Oke, Ilemona Onekutu, and Cizu Harbor offer their insights. But who will advance?
French Open Men’s Day 3 Predictions
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Alexander Muller
Tope
Alexandre Muller comes into this clash in full freefall, six straight losses and seven defeats in his last eight matches underlining a clay swing that’s gone off the rails, with his ranking slipping outside the top 100 and only a modest quarter-final in Marrakech offering any real resistance to the slide. Stefanos Tsitsipas, meanwhile, arrives with a very different kind of baggage, still the more proven clay-court force and a former world #3, but now down at #82 after a shaky year. Even so, the matchup history tells its own story, with Tsitsipas leading their head-to-head 3–0, and despite neither man being at his peak, the Greek’s heavier pedigree, and familiarity in these moments should be enough to tilt this in his favor and see him grind through into the next round at the French Open.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 3
Ilemona
Stefanos Tsitsipas has a natural one-handed backhand suited for clay and good variety in his shots. Alexandre Muller plays solid tennis at home but may get outmaneuvered in longer rallies. Tsitsipas’ experience and ability to dictate should carry him.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 3
Cizu
Tsitsipas has frankly lost his way from what he used to be, but even he shouldn’t mess this one up against Muller, whose form has been nothing short of abysmal. Even for a player low on confidence, Tsitsipas should go into this one confident of a result.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 4
Tallon Griekspoor vs Matteo Arnaldi
Tope
This first-round clash has the feel of two players arriving with very different momentum curves but overlapping ceilings. Tallon Griekspoor has had a stop-start clay swing, with injuries disrupting his rhythm after a strong start to the season. Matteo Arnaldi, by contrast, looks like a man rediscovering his edge at just the right time, stringing together a Challenger title in Cagliari, a seven-match winning streak, and will feel increasingly confident in Paris especially if Griekspoor’s recent patchy clay form resurfaces under pressure.
Prediction: Arnaldi in 5
Ilemona
Matteo Arnaldi is athletic and builds points well on clay with strong fitness. Tallon Griekspoor can hit big but has been inconsistent on the surface lately. Arnaldi’s movement and steadiness give him the advantage in this matchup.
Prediction: Arnaldi in 4
Cizu
Despite being the better player overall, it’s fair to say that Griekspoor doesn’t enjoy clay, whereas in Arnaldi, you have a player who understands the surface even if not quite being successful on it. It’s a tough one to call, but over what could be a long match, you’d expect Arnaldi to dig in more.
Prediction: Arnaldi in 5
Sebastian Baez vs Roman Andres Burruchaga
Tope
Sebastián Báez and Roman Andrés Burruchaga arrive in Paris carrying more questions than momentum, setting up a first-round Roland Garros clash that feels like a reset button neither has fully pressed. Báez, once surging early in the season has stalled badly through the European clay stretch, unable to chain together wins. Burruchaga, meanwhile, briefly tasted breakthrough energy but that spark has faded with four losses in his last five. With both Argentinians desperately searching for rhythm on their favored surface, this has all the markings of a nervy, scrappy battle where margins shrink.
Prediction: Burruchaga in 5
Ilemona
Sebastian Baez is a dedicated clay-court player who excels at grinding with heavy topspin and great defense. Burruchaga will fight from the baseline but faces superior consistency and pedigree on dirt. Baez’s movement should wear him down over time.
Prediction: Baez in 3
Cizu
Baez is something of a clay-court specialist, but this season, he’s been anything but that. He, however, faces his compatriot Burruchaga, whom he’s beaten twice on clay previously. Baez might be floundering but I still expect him to come through here.
Prediction: Baez in 4
Daniil Medvedev vs Adam Walton
Tope
This feels like a classic “moment vs pedigree” clash on paper. Adam Walton has been grinding his way through the Challenger circuit but he’s still chasing consistency at ATP level. On the other side, Daniil Medvedev arrives battle-tested from Rome, where he pushed Jannik Sinner deep in a rain-hit semi-final, a reminder that the former world #1 is still very much operating at elite intensity despite the French Open being his least productive Slam. Walton stunned Medvedev in Cincinnati last year but this version of Medvedev feels sharper, heavier on serve, and more settled in baseline control. Expect Walton to test him in patches, especially early, but over five sets the difference in big-match experience and defensive elasticity should tell, with Medvedev likely grinding his way through rather than cruising.
Prediction: Medvedev in 4
Ilemona
Daniil Medvedev has steadily improved his clay game and uses deep returns to wear opponents down. Adam Walton brings power but can struggle in extended baseline battles. Medvedev’s tactical approach and recent adjustments make him hard to beat here.
Prediction: Medvedev in 3
Cizu
Medvedev continues his love-hate relationship with clay. But make no mistake, he’s improved tremendously on this surface. And his Rome exploits make any chance of a shock at the French Open against a player in Walton, who himself has no clay-court pedigree, very unlikely.
Prediction: Medvedev in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane – USA TODAY Sports
