French Open 2019 Odds: Rafael Nadal Opens as Huge Favorite Against Roger Federer
Jun 4, 2019
Roger Federer of Switzerland, left, gestures with Spain's Rafael Nadal after winning their men's singles final match in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Roger Federer is 0-5 against Rafael Nadal all-time at the French Open, and oddsmakers don't see the Swiss picking up his first win in the 2019 semifinals Friday.
Nadal is a -950 favorite (bet $950 to win $100) over Federer at the Caesars sportsbook. They haven't met at Roland Garros since the 2011 final, which Nadal won in four sets.
Federer received a walkover against Nadal in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open in March. Before that, he took the last five of their head-to-head meetings. Nadal's last victory was in the 2014 Australian Open semifinal.
Nadal has a23-15edge on Federer in their rivalry, though, and his dominance on clay is a big reason for that advantage. The Spaniard is 13-2 against Federer on the surface.
The respective performances of the two stars will have factored into the odds as well.
Federer is coming off a hard-fought four-set victory over Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarterfinals, which was his first match against a ranked opponent. Nadal dispatched of No. 27 seed David Goffin in four sets in the third round and dismantled seventh-seeded Kei Nishikori in straight sets in the quarters.
Nadal appears to be well on track for his 12th French Open title since 2005.
Federer will turn 38 in August and Nadal celebrated his 33rd birthday Monday. Regardless of the outcome, fans will savor what could be the last battle between the legends in Paris.
French Open 2019 Results: Tuesday Winners, Scores, Stats and Singles Draw Update
Jun 4, 2019
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 04: Rafael Nadal of Spain shakes hands with Kei Nishikori of Japan following their mens singles quarter-final during Day ten of the 2019 French Open at Roland Garros on June 04, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer won their quarter-final matches on Tuesday at the 2019 French Open, claiming spots in the last four.
Nadal was his usual brilliant self on the clay of Roland Garros, cruising past the challenge of No. 7 seed Kei Nishikori.
The Spaniard won 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 in an excellent display in Paris.
Federer joined his great rival in the semi-finals after a tough match against Swiss compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka.
The icon dropped the second but muscled past Wawrinka 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4, setting up a clash with Nadal.
In the women's draw, Johanna Konta was at the top of her game as she eliminated Sloane Stephens in straight sets.
The British No. 1 will face Marketa Vondrousova after she defeated No. 31 seed Petra Martic.
Tuesday Results
Men's Singles
(2) Rafael Nadal bt. (7) Kei Nishikori: 6-1, 6-1, 6-3
Nadal and Federer are ready to give tennis fans a treat as they set up a semi-final encounter in the French capital.
The pair have not faced each other since 2017, and their last clash at Roland Garros was in the 2011 final.
Nadal prevailed in four sets in that match, and the Spaniard has won the competition an eye-watering 11 times during his career.
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 04: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a forehand during his mens singles quarter-final match against Kei Nishikori of Japan during Day ten of the 2019 French Open at Roland Garros on June 04, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aurelien Meunie
The Spaniard was in cruise control on Tuesday as he hurdled the challenge presented by Nishikori.
In what should have been a stiff test, Nadal crushed the Japanese star in straight sets.
Nishikori could only win five games over the three sets, and Nadal appears ready for a 12th success in Paris.
It was the 11th time Nadal has beaten Nishikori in 13 career matches.
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 4: Roger Federer of Switzerland embraces Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland at the net after his quarter finals win on Day Ten at the French Open held at Roland Garros on June 4, 2019 in Paris, France (Photo by Peter Staples/ATP Tour)
Wawrinka was always going to be a difficult opponent for Federer, with the countryman knowing the intricacies of the No. 3 seed's tactics.
Federer claimed the first via a tie-break, but Wawrinka grabbed the second to stun the legend.
However, the 37-year-old was not to be denied. Federer worked hard to close out the match, claiming the third by another tie-break and winning the final set 6-4.
Nadal has defeated Federer on clay 13 times, but the Swiss has the better of the results in recent matches, per SI Tennis:
Nadal leads 13-2 overall on clay and 5-0 at Roland Garros, but Federer has won the last five meetings between the two legendshttps://t.co/RxyOipzTBQ
Konta continued her return to form as she beat No. 7 seed Stephens with ease.
The Brit was electrifying as she won in straight sets against the American.
Konta has battled her way back to her best and will now face Vondrousova after her close win over Martic.
The Czech 19-year-old won the first with a convincing tie-break and closed out the victory 7-5 in the final set.
French Open 2019: Tuesday Roland Garros Schedule and Bracket Predictions
Jun 3, 2019
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 02: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates his victory over Juan Ignacio Londero of Argentina in the third round of the men's singles during Day 8 of the 2019 French Open at Roland Garros on June 02, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by TPN/Getty Images)
The 2019 French Open quarter-finals get under way Tuesday as Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer return to the competition's last eight against Kei Nishikori and Stanislas Wawrinka, respectively.
Nishikori completed a 6-2, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 6-7 (8), 7-5 victory over Benoit Paire on Monday after their Sunday meeting was suspended, and Nadal looks sure to be the more rested of the two.
Federer is back at Roland Garros for the first time since 2015 and will feature in the quarters for a 12th time. However, fellow Swiss Wawrinka will look to end his dream of making it back to the French Open final after eight years away.
Following a rush of upsets in Paris, No. 7 Sloane Stephens is now the second-highest seeded player left in the women's singles, second only to No. 3 Simona Halep.
She'll face England's Johanna Konta—who has made it past the first round for the first time in five Roland Garros appearances—while Petra Martic attempts to stop Marketa Vondrousova's fairytale run.
Tuesday's Schedule (Predicted Winner)
Men's Singles
(3) Roger Federer vs. (24) Stanislas Wawrinka (Federer)
(2) Rafael Nadal vs. (7) Kei Nishikori (Nadal)
Women's Singles
(7) Sloane Stephens vs. (26) Johanna Konta (Stephens)
(31) Petra Martic vs. Marketa Vondrousova (Vondrousova)
With 12 sets won from a possible 12 thus far in Paris, both Nadal and Federer are looking relentless ahead of the quarters, but it's at this stage of the competition where the quality rises to the top.
That being said, there's simply no denying Nadal's domination when playing on clay. A flawless 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 win over Juan Ignacio Londero in the fourth round illustrated why he looks like the top pick capable of blocking Novak Djokovic's run to the crown, via the Tennis Channel:
Nadal celebrated his 33rd birthday on Monday. Tennis TV celebrated the date with a compilation of his best career moments, many of which have come on clay:
Roland Garros has a potential semi-final matchup between the Spaniard and Federer, 37. It's a Grand Slam reunion between stars who may not have many more meetings in them.
Federer's 22 career victories victories over Wawrinka, who has beaten him three times, indicates the former should be capable of topping this fixture for a seventh time in succession, per ATPTour.com.
Federer is also yet to drop a set in four matches thus far at Roland Garros, and AFP noted he and Wawrinka have a history in this stage of the French Open:
And neither should she considering Konta has beaten Stephens twice in their first two matches against one another earlier this year, per SteveGTennis.com.
The most recent of those was a comeback win at the Rome Masters in May, though the American's straight-sets win over Garbine Muguruza in the fourth round suggests she's improved on clay since then.
Martic, 28, may look a firm favourite for her clash against Vondrousova based on the fact she's seeded 31st while her opponent is unranked, but the margins are closer than they appear.
Vondrousova, 19, is 38th in the WTA rankings—seven places below Martic—but she's only 158 points off her foe's total despite having played four tournaments fewer than the Croat this season.
Yet to drop a set in the competition and having already knocked out Anastasija Sevastova and Carla Suarez Navarro—seeded 12th and 28th, respectively—Vondrousova looks like good value for another upset.
French Open 2019 Results: Sunday Winners, Scores, Stats and Singles Draw Update
Jun 2, 2019
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 02: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates victory during his mens singles fourth round match against Juan Ignacio Londero of Argentina during Day eight of the 2019 French Open at Roland Garros on June 02, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer both continued their serene progress at the 2019 French Open, as they each enjoyed straight-set wins in Round 4 on Sunday.
Defending champion Nadal is chasing a remarkable 12th title at Roland Garros and had little issue getting the better of Juan Ignacio Londero 6-2, 6-3, 6-3. Federer was also in sparkling form, as he continued his immaculate record at the competition this year with a 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 win over Leonardo Mayer.
Meanwhile, Stanislas Wawrinka got the better of Stefanos Tsitsipas in a five-set epic that lasted over five hours.
In the women's draw, 19-year-old Marketa Vondrousova shocked 12th seed Anastasija Sevastova.
Here are the results from Sunday's play and a closer look at the best of the action from Roland Garros.
French Open - Sunday Results
Men's Draw
(2) Rafael Nadal bt. Juan Ignacio Londero: 6-2, 6-3, 6-3
(3) Roger Federer bt. Leonardo Mayer: 6-2, 6-3, 6-3
Having been a little below his usual stunning standards in the previous round against David Goffin, Nadal was back at it again Sunday.
The Spaniard was into his rhythm quickly, making it hard for Londero to establish any sort of momentum in the contest. The victory took his tally of wins at Roland Garros to an extraordinary number; here's the moment the match was wrapped up:
One of the only players in the draw who looks capable of stopping Nadal is Federer, as the veteran Swiss is performing brilliantly on his return to the French Open for the first time in four years.
Mayer had no answer to Federer's blend of finesse and ferocity on the clay, as the Swiss breezed into the next round. Tennis journalist Reem Abulleil noted how quickly the third seed has been dispatching his opponents in Paris:
Roger Federer reaches the quarter-finals without dropping a set.
R4 6-2 6-3 6-3 v Mayer (1hr42min) R3 6-3 6-1 7-6(8) v Ruud (2hr11min) R2 6-4 6-3 6-4 v Otte (1hr36min) R1 6-2 6-4 6-4 v Sonego (1hr41min)
Averaging 107.5 minutes per match (1hr47min/match)#efficiency
In the match of the day, Tsitsipas and Wawrinka slugged it out in a five-set epic. The latter twice went a set ahead, only to be pegged back by his young opponent; however, at the end of a tense decider, Wawrinka dug deep and was able to seal the victory with a stunning backhand winner down the line.
In the women's draw, the standout performance came from Vondrousova, as she continued her exceptional run at the competition.
The WTA Insider account reflected on what has been an exceptional few months for the youngster:
19yo Marketa Vondrousova has made the QFs or better at every tournament she’s played since the Australian Open.
One game from continuing that streak and make her 1st Slam QF. Leads 62 50 over Sevastova.
Her progression also continued a trend of teenage players thriving at the French Open this year:
Teenage Dream:
With 17yo Amanda Anisimova (USA), 18yo Iga Swiatek (POL), and 19yo Marketa Vondrousova (CZE), this is the 1st time 3 teenagers have advanced to the R16 at a Slam since 2009 @usopen, and 1st time @rolandgarros since 2008. #RG19pic.twitter.com/K9HlBw4SH0
There was also a win for Johanna Konta, as she comfortably came through her match with Donna Vekic. Having never previously won at Roland Garros before this year's edition, the Briton is now playing as well as any player in the draw.
In the women's bracket on Monday, defending champion Simona Halep will be in action against Iga Swiatek, while men's top seed Novak Djokovic is up against Jan-Lennard Struff.
French Open 2019: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal Cruise to Wins in Sunday's Play
Jun 2, 2019
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 02: Roger Federer of Switzerland returns the ball in his Men's Singles fourth round match against Leonardo Mayer of Argentina during Day eight of the 2019 French Open at Roland Garros on June 02, 2019 in Paris, France.. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal continued their strong play at the 2019 French Open on Sunday, easily advancing to the quarter-finals without dropping a set.
Federer cruised past Leonardo Mayer, while Nadal handled Juan Ignacio Londero without too many issues.
In the women's draw, Johanna Konta beat Donna Vekic in straight sets. Garbine Muguruza and Sloane Stephens will battle it out in arguably the day's marquee contest later on Sunday.
Here are select results from Roland Garros' early Sunday action:
Men's Singles
(3) Roger Federer bt. Leonardo Mayer: 6-2, 6-3, 6-3
(2) Rafael Nadal bt. Juan Ignacio Londero: 6-2, 6-3, 6-3
Mayer had never made it to the fourth round at the French Open, and his struggles on the clay showed. He couldn't keep pace in the rallies and allowed Federer to step into the court time and time again, with disastrous results.
Federer's first real challenge awaits in the quarter-finals, where he'll face the winner of the match between Stanislas Wawrinka and Stefanos Tsitsipas. The latter knocked him out of the Australian Open earlier this year.
Londero didn't give Nadal significantly more trouble, although he flashed his ability on his favoured clay surface in the final set. But in the bulk of the rallies, he had no answers for the Spaniard's brilliance:
Classic Nadal.
The reigning champion takes a two sets to love lead over Londero.
Nadal's next opponent will be the winner of the match between Kei Nishikori and Benoit Paire.
In the women's draw, Konta used efficient tennis to force her way past Vekic and into the quarter-finals. No British women's player had done so in over 30 years:
The 28-year-old has been steadily building up her form after a poor 2018 season, peaking at the Italian Open, where she made it to the final before losing to Karolina Pliskova. She'll face Stephens or Muguruza next.
French Open 2019: Sunday Replay TV Schedule and Live-Stream Guide
Jun 2, 2019
Roger Federer continued his successful return to the French Open Sunday, as he picked up a 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Argentina's Leonardo Mayer in the fourth round of the Grand Slam tournament.
It took Federer just one hour and 42 minutes to dispatch Mayer, and his effective serving was the key difference in the match. Federer won 39 of 47 points on his first serve, and he also won five of his 10 break-point opportunities.
Federer, who had not competed at Roland-Garros since 2015, has earned a spot in the quarterfinal round. His next match will come against the winner of the Stan Wawrinka-Stefanos Tsitsipas match.
If the third-seeded Federer can survive that match, a semifinal meeting with defending champion Rafael Nadal is quite likely. Federer has an 0-5 record against Nadal on the red clay of Paris.
Nadal has a match scheduled for 10 a.m. ET against Argentina's unseeded Juan Ignacio Londero.
Other key men's matches include sixth-seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece meeting former champion and No. 24 seed Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland and Japan's seventh-seeded Kei Nishikori meeting unseeded Frenchman Benoit Paire.
Replay Info
TV: Tennis Channel (3 p.m. ET, 11 p.m. ET and 1 a.m. ET on Monday)
The fourth round began with several women's matches early Sunday, and the most notable was the 6-2, 6-0 victory of the Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova over 12th-seeded Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia.
The unseeded Vondrousova has been having a remarkable run in Paris as she has reached the quarterfinal round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career. She has reeled off four consecutive straight-set victories to this point, and she has not allowed any of her opponents to win more than four games in any set.
The 19-year-old Vondrousova had no problems with the 85-degree heat, as the left-handed player reeled off nine consecutive games after Sevastova closed to within 3-2 in the first set.
The victor had a huge advantage over her opponent in effective serving. Vondrousova won 18 of 25 points when she connected on her first serve, while Sevastova won just 10 of 30 when she was able to put her first serve into play.
Fifth time is the charm.....
Petra Martic celebrates her first career Grand Slam quarter-final in five attempts with a 5-7 6-2 6-4 win over Kaia Kanepi.
Vondrousova is a player on the rise in women's tennis, and she will meet 31st-seeded Petra Martic in the quarterfinal round.
Martic survived a two-hour, 12-minute match with Kaia Kanepi to advance with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 victory. Martic's big edge in the match came when she approached the net.
Martic won 15 of the 24 points when she advanced to the net, while Kanepi was successful on just five of 12 net points.
The two players were relatively close in most other key statistics in the match.
Vondrousova and Martic met in the second round of the Australian Open, and Martic won that match. Vondrousova has a 25-5 record since her loss to Martic.
The other early women's match saw 26th-seeded Johanna Konta of Great Britain defeat 23rd-seeded Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-4. The Croatian simply could not match Konta's power, as the victor had seven aces compared to one for Vekic. Konta won 69 percent of her first serves, while Vekic was successful on 47 percent of her initial serves.
French Open 2019 Results: Federer, Nadal Wins Highlight Friday's Action
May 31, 2019
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 31: Roger Federer of Switzerland throws his sweatband into the crowd during his mens singles third round match against Casper Ruud of Norway during Day six of the 2019 French Open at Roland Garros on May 31, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Garbine Muguruza all booked their spot in the next round of the 2019 French Open on Friday, losing just a single set between them.
Federer cruised past Casper Ruud, winning in his 400th career Grand Slam match, while Muguruza bagged an impressive win over Elina Svitolina. David Goffin took a set off Nadal, who switched gears and closed the deal in the fourth set.
Here are select results from Friday's action.
Men's Singles
(2) Rafael Nadal def. (27) David Goffin: 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
(3) Roger Federer def. Casper Ruud: 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (8)
The 37-year-old veteran took on Ruud, a 20-year-old talent from Norway who showed why he's so highly regarded on a few occasions.
The final set, in particular, was a strong showcase of his skills, as he matched Federer from the baseline in the rallies and forced a tie break, where experience eventually won the day.
Federer produced several moments of magic:
🗣️ "This guy is the most elegant, spectacular, beautiful player I've ever seen play this game"
McEnroe marvels at Federer's majestic forehand #RG19
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) May 31, 2019
Nadal was unable to get rid of Goffin in three sets, but after a brief stumble in the third, he roared back to form in the final set to book his spot in the next round.
In Goffin, the clay specialist was handed a tricky draw this early in the competition, but such a strong test in the third round could help him moving forward. The 32-year-old showed slick footwork and the ability to adjust when needed, boding well for the latter stages.
In the women's draw, Muguruza handled Svitolina with relative ease, setting up a big showdown with Stephens:
Big statement win by Garbine Muguruza, beating Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-3.
She'll face the winner of Stephens-Hercog next in #RG19 fourth round; if it's Stephens, it's going to be seen by many as a de facto semifinal.
Consistency has been an issue for the 25-year-old since she won the French Open in 2016, and she has fallen out of the WTA top 10 after struggling for much of 2018. Muguruza appears to be peaking at the right moment, however, making her a dangerous opponent for Stephens.
The American beat Hercog in three sets but needed six match points to do so, all but gifting her opponent the second set. She'll have to be far sharper to get past Muguruza in the next round.
French Open 2019: Replay TV Schedule, Live Stream for Friday's Draw
May 31, 2019
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 29: Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a forehand against Yannick Maden of Germany in the second round of the men's singles during Day 4 of the 2019 French Open at Roland Garros on May 29, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by TPN/Getty Images)
French Open favourites Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer resume action on Friday, hoping to head into the weekend with fourth-round berths secured.
Nadal will face his first ranked opponent of this year's tournament when he meets 27th seed David Goffin, and Federer is a big favourite to knock out Swiss compatriot Casper Ruud in the third round.
Lucas Pouille was the earliest seeded casualty in Friday's men's singles draw, succumbing 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 9-7 to Martin Klizan in what was a roller-coaster ending to their suspended match from Thursday.
Karolina Pliskova was seeded second in the women's order but also fell out of contention after Petra Martic made her look average in a 6-3, 6-3 win. Marketa Vondrousova also upset No. 28 Carla Suarez Navarro 6-4, 6-4 and will face Anastasija Sevastova, who edged out Elise Mertens 6-7 (3), 6-4, 11-9.
Madison Keys and Priscilla Hon also resumed their suspended match from the previous day, and the American took the third set in 30 minutes to advance 7-5, 5-7, 6-3.
Friday's Early Results
Men's Singles
Martin Klizan bt. (22) Lucas Pouille: 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 9-7
Benoit Paire bt. Pablo Carreno Busta: 6-2, 4-6, 6-7 (1) (retired)
(7) Kei Nishikori vs. (31) Laslo Djere, TBD
(3) Roger Federer vs. Casper Ruud, TBD
Juan Ignacio Londero vs. Corentin Moutet, TBD
Nicolas Mahut vs. Leonardo Mayer, TBD
(2) Rafael Nadal vs. (27) David Goffin, TBD
(6) Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Filip Krajinovic, TBD
(24) Stan Wawrinka vs. Grigor Dimitrov, TBD
Women's Singles
(31) Petra Martic bt. (2) Karolina Pliskova: 6-3, 6-3
It was a mixed day of emotions for Klizan, who knew his outing against Pouille would be short but not necessarily sweet with the score poised at 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3, 3-1 at the end of play on Wednesday.
Having won the last five games of the third set, Klizan allowed Pouille the same courtesy to draw level on two sets apiece. Tennis writer Jose Morgado detailed the composure the Slovak summoned near the match's climax to clinch victory from there:
In a match suspended due to darkness yesterday, when Klizan was three games away from winning, the Slovak loses 10 of the first 13 games played today but then comes back from 3-5 in the 5th to beat Pouille 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-4, 3-6, 9-7 to reach the R3
Benoit Paire's win over Pablo Carreno Busta was somewhat more fortunate, as the pair enjoyed a close duel. Only after losing a third-set tiebreak 7-1 did the Spaniard make the decision to retire due to an injury.
Martic's straight-set win over No. 2 Pliskova was much more decisive, and the Tennis Channel was quick to offer the 28-year-old deserved praise for her blowout victory:
The Croat recorded only 14 unforced errors, per Roland Garros—half as many as her opponent—but it was Pliskova's dismal second-serve rate of 33 percent that hampered her.
It was far from an astute performance from the favourite, although Martic's underdog status slightly masks just how fearsome she's been on clay of late, as WTA Insider highlighted:
No.31 seed Petra Martic continues to roll. She knocks out No.2 Karolina Pliskova 63 63. What a final game of the smallest of margins. Martic now leads the tour with 14 clay wins this season. Full of confidence. Huge win. #RG19
Vondrousova, 19, is through to the French Open fourth round for a first time, as is her next opponent, Sevastova. Despite being 10 years the Czech's senior, the Latvian has only made it past the first round three times in seven attempts.
Sevastova came back from a set down to beat No. 20 seed Mertens on Friday, although Vondrousova is gathering pace as one to watch.
French Open 2019: Friday Schedule and Predictions for Roland Garros Bracket
May 30, 2019
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 29: Rafael Nadal of Spain returns a shot in his mens singles second round match against Yannick Maden of Germany during Day four of the 2019 French Open at Roland Garros on May 29, 2019 in Paris, France (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will return to Roland-Garros on Friday hoping to navigate their way through the 2019 French Open third round.
Nadal takes on David Goffin in what will be their fifth clash (the first meeting in Paris), while Federer faces Casper Ruud as he hopes to reach the fourth round for the 14th time in his career.
Highly seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas and Kei Nishikori will also be back in action, each seeking to win their maiden Grand Slam crown, while 2015 men's champion Stan Wawrinka faces Grigor Dimitrov.
In the women's draw, Spanish contenders Garbine Muguruza and Carla Suarez Navarro face ninth seed Elina Svitolina and Marketa Vondrousova, respectively, while Sloane Stephens is set to meet Polona Hercog.
Friday's Schedule (Predicted Winner)
Men's Singles
Juan Ignacio Londero vs. Corentin Moutet (Moutet), TBD
(7) Kei Nishikori vs. (31) Laslo Djere (Nishikori), TBD
Pablo Carreno Busta vs. Benoit Paire, 11:30 a.m. BST/6:30 a.m. ET
(3) Roger Federer vs. Casper Ruud (Federer), 11:30 a.m. BST/6:30 a.m. ET
(2) Rafael Nadal vs. (27) David Goffin (Nadal), 1 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET
Nicolas Mahut vs. Leonardo Mayer (Mayer), 1:30 p.m. BST/8:30 a.m. ET
(6) Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Filip Krajinovic (Tsitsipas), 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET
(24) Stan Wawrinka vs. Grigor Dimitrov (Dimitrov), 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET
Women's Singles
(15) Belinda Bencic vs. (23) Donna Vekic (Bencic), TBD
Veronika Kudermetova vs. Kaia Kanepi (Kanepi), TBD
(31) Petra Martic vs. (2) Karolina Pliskova (Pliskova), 10 a.m. BST/5 a.m. ET
(20) Elise Mertens vs. (12) Anastasija Sevastova (Sevastova), 10 a.m. BST/5 a.m. ET
(28) Carla Suarez Navarro vs. Marketa Vondrousova (Suarez Navarro), 10 a.m. BST/5 a.m. ET
(19) Garbine Muguruza vs. (9) Elina Svitolina (Muguruza), 11:30 a.m. BST/6:30 a.m. ET
(7) Sloane Stephens vs. Polona Hercog (Stephens), 1:30 p.m. BST/8:30 a.m. ET
(26) Johanna Konta vs. Viktora Kuzmova (Konta), 3:30 p.m. BST/10:30 a.m. ET
Nadal will face his first seeded opponent of the competition thus far in Goffin.
Like Nadal, No. 27 Goffin has yet to lose a set at Roland-Garros this year, but the Belgian has never beaten his Spanish rival in three meetings on clay, with his only success on a hard surface and indoors.
The Tennis Channel demonstrated the electric form Nadal enjoyed during his second-round win over Yannick Maden:
He's here! He's there! He takes the point with just a flick of the wrist.@RafaelNadal earns our @RokitOfficial shot of the day with this one, which also helped him secure his 88th French Open win.#RG19pic.twitter.com/ZtsUCW3CYz
Third seed Federer has performed impressively considering this is his first appearance at Roland-Garros in four years. Again, both he and third-round opponent Ruud have won six sets from six so far, and the Norwegian stoked the rivalry leading up to their match, per tennis writer Jose Morgado:
Ruud on facing Federer. Says he was always one of his favorites but... ‘I’ve been a little bit more of a Rafa fan and Rafa guy’ pic.twitter.com/a8Qe0HXuRn
Second seed Karolina Pliskova has motivation to do well when she takes on No. 31 seed Petra Martic, not least because of the boost it could bring to her rankings, per WTA Insider:
With Kiki Bertens’ retirement, only No.2 Karolina Pliskova can overtake No.1 Naomi Osaka in Paris.
- Osaka clinches the No.1 ranking if she makes the final.
- Pliskova can take the No.1 by making the final, but if Osaka makes the SF, then KP must win the title. #RG19pic.twitter.com/qjgQsxBNi1
Martic, 28, has made it to the French Open fourth round twice in her career but has never gone further. Pliskova has only made it past the third round on one occasion but made it to the semi-finals in 2017, when she was defeated by Simona Halep.
Pliskova has made the semi-finals at three of the four Grand Slams and could be looking at a favourable run to that stage again at least if she overcomes Martic.
French Open 2019: Replay TV Schedule, Live Stream for Wednesday's Draw
May 29, 2019
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 29: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates victory during his mens singles second round match against Yannick Maden of Germany during Day four of the 2019 French Open at Roland Garros on May 29, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal eased through to the third round of the 2019 French Open on Wednesday as he saw off Yannick Maden in three sets.
Sloane Stephens and Garbine Muguruza also advanced in straight sets, but men's No. 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas had to come from a set down to beat Hugo Dellien.
The American, who was runner-up at Roland-Garros last year, began the second set in much the same fashion as she did the first, racing to a 3-0 lead.
An impressive comeback from Sorribes Tormo forced a tiebreaker after the pair shared four breaks of serve apiece, but Stephens was able to avoid a third set.
Muguruza enjoyed a more straightforward time against Larsson.
The 2016 French Open winner was gifted a decisive break in the opening set after a double-fault and a pair of unforced errors from Larsson.
A dominant showing in the second set from the Spaniard saw her drop just four points on her serve as she wrapped up the match in 64 minutes.
Tennis writer Jake Davies gave his take on a commanding performance from Muguruza:
Garbiñe Muguruza defeats Johanna Larsson 6-4, 6-1 to reach the French Open third round. Moving well, committing to the forehand side that little bit more than she has in the last twelve months, and doing a good job of breaking down Larsson's poor backhand side. Good performance.
