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. 4 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime squares off against the always stingy Daniel Altmaier. Tope Oke, Ilemona Onekutu, and Cizu Harbor offer their insights. But who will advance?
French Open Men’s Day 3 Predictions
Valentin Vacherot vs Thomas Faurel
Tope
Thomas Faurel battled through qualifying without dropping a set and will be banking on home support and confidence from a flawless qualifying campaign to spring a surprise on the Paris clay. Standing in his way is Valentin Vacherot, whose season has already produced one of the standout clay-court runs outside the elite tier. Faurel has earned his shot, but Vacherot will be the one advancing.
Prediction: Vacherot in 4
Ilemona
Valentin Vacherot brings solid baseline play and has shown good stamina on clay in recent outings. Faurel will rely on home support and variety to stay in the match. Vacherot’s steadier recent performances and physical style give him the tools to edge out the longer exchanges.
Prediction: Vacherot in 4
Cizu
Following a very impressive run in Monte Carlo, Vacherot has not featured much on clay. Faurel, though, represents an easy start to the campaign for the Monégasque in the French capital. It feels like a match Vacherot should seize control of.
Prediction: Vacherot in 3
Alexei Popyrin vs Zachary Svajda
Tope
Alexei Popyrin arrives in Paris with momentum finally building after a difficult start to the year. The Australian has looked increasingly comfortable on clay, pushing deep into tournaments, showing the aggressive all-court game that once made him one of the tour’s most dangerous floaters. Across the net, Zachary Svajda has struggled to find his footing on the surface, winning just one of six clay-court matches this season. This matchup appears heavily tilted in Popyrin’s favour. If the Australian maintains the level he has shown throughout the clay swing, he should have too much firepower and confidence for Svajda and is expected to advance comfortably in the opening round.
Prediction: Popyrin in 3
Ilemona
Alexei Popyrin can lean on his big serve and aggressive forehand to take control on the clay. Zachary Svajda fights hard from the baseline but can be vulnerable to heavier hitting. Popyrin’s ability to dictate play and current level should see him through to the second round of the French Open.
Prediction: Popyrin in 4
Cizu
Popyrin had looked a bit lost lately. His last two tournaments, though, offer some encouragement. In Svajda, he finds a player in troubling form and in many ways, out of his depth. The Australian should make good here.
Prediction: Popyrin in 4
Corentin Moutet vs Vit Kopriva
Tope
Vit Kopriva arrives at Roland Garros with plenty of confidence after a productive clay-court swing that has showcased the best tennis of his career. Despite a couple of tough losses, Kopriva has looked comfortable on the dirt and appears well-positioned to make an impact in Paris. Corentin Moutet, meanwhile, comes into his home Grand Slam searching for answers with a disappointing 3-6 record on clay this season. Given Moutet’s recent struggles and Kopriva’s steady form on the surface, this looks like a golden opportunity for the Czech to claim a statement win over a higher-ranked opponent.
Prediction: Kopriva in 5
Ilemona
Corentin Moutet thrives on clay with clever drop shots and changes of pace that disrupt rhythm, especially with the home crowd behind him. Vit Kopriva is a steady baseliner but often struggles against that kind of variety. Moutet’s creativity and comfort on the surface make him tough to handle at the French Open.
Prediction: Moutet in 5
Cizu
Here’s an interesting match-up featuring Kopriva, who’s certainly capable on clay, and the mercurial Moutet. This is going to be a fun affair with lots of creative stuff on show. Moutet, though, backed by a boisterous French crowd who will feed off his creative game, should have enough to prevail.
Prediction: Moutet in 5
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Daniel Altmaier
Tope
Since an encouraging quarter-final run in Monte Carlo, Felix Auger-Aliassime clay-court campaign has stalled, with first-round defeats in Rome and inconsistent performances raising questions about his confidence. The former world No. 6 still possesses the firepower to dominate on any surface, but he will need to rediscover his composure in the key moments if he is to avoid another disappointing start at the French Open. Standing in his way is Daniel Altmaier, one of the tour’s most dangerous clay-court floaters. The German has revived a sluggish season with strong runs and with their clay-court meetings split evenly, there is reason to believe he can upset the Canadian in Paris
Prediction: Altmaier in 5
Ilemona
Felix Auger-Aliassime has worked hard on his clay game this season with improved movement and some strong results in the lead-up tournaments. Daniel Altmaier is a proven grinder on the surface who can push opponents in long rallies with his consistency. Auger-Aliassime’s recent form and ability to finish points with power should help him navigate the tougher moments.
Prediction: Auger-Aliassime in 4
Cizu
Auger-Aliassime has struggled throughout this clay season and has yet to leave his mark. Luckily for him, his first-round opponent, Altmaier, has had an equally rough time on clay, even at lower levels. It’s probably why Auger-Aliassime makes it through fairly comfortably.
Prediction: Auger-Aliassime in 4
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane – USA TODAY Sports
