Monday at the French Open was a total washout which means that the tournament schedule is behind where the organisers want it to be heading into a Tuesday where the ticket holders are going to see an awful lot more tennis than they were expecting to see.
That is of course should the rains of Monday relent but sadly the forecast is for more of the same on Tuesday which could send this event into a bit of chaos as the backlog begins to get serious.
Monday recap
Not one player set foot on the courts at Roland Garros on Monday with play called off as a washout shortly after midday. That means the matches which were scheduled for Monday will now be played early on Tuesday, weather permitting, with Tuesday’s original schedule coming later.
Our bets which were placed for Monday’s action remain in play for whenever the action gets underway again.
Tuesday – Men’s Matches
Just the two new men’s matches are on the card on Tuesday as Stan Wawrinka continues his title defence against the surprise package of the tournament Albert Ramos-Vinolas while Andy Murray takes on Richard Gasquet in the standout match which is due on Chatrier but not before 1pm UK time.
I’ve not really got much of a feel for the Wawrinka match. I would expect the Swiss player to come through there but you have to respect Ramos-Vinolas for his win and the demolition nature of it against Milos Raonic over the weekend.
I like Andy Murray here though. He has won six of the last seven meetings with Gasquet including a couple on the clay and what I specifically like is that when he wins sets he generally wins them by large margins.
Murray had it tough in the opening week of the tournament but those matches should be behind him now. He has had almost a week since the second of those five setters and had a couple of cruises over the weekend unlike Gasquet who was forced to play a lengthy four setter against Nishikori on Sunday.
Gasquet has looked in good touch in his last two matches but I sense Murray is a bad match up for him. Murray is a strategical machine in these big matches and unlike Nishikori you know the Scot will steer clear of the Gasquet backhand which is such a weapon. Even when he goes to it he can run it down.
Murray has to cover a 4.5 game handicap here and I expect him to do that. I think Gasquet might pinch a set but a close one but when Murray wins the sets I think he’ll be all over the Frenchman’s serve. In five of the last six Murray wins in this head to head he has won a set 6-1 or 6-2 and if he does that here he can cover the rest of the handicap by winning the match, something I think he’ll do.
Tuesday – Women’s Matches
There are no new women’s matches to the schedule on Tuesday due to the matches on Sunday not finishing before it got too dark. There could have been one match played but that would give a significant advantage to the two women who would be involved and the decision to leave that until Wednesday and maintain a level playing field is probably the right one.
That leaves the four matches which were scheduled for Monday and you will find a preview of those matches with my thoughts in the Day 9 preview.
Tips
WON – Back A.Murray (-4.5 games) to beat R.Gasquet for a 4/10 stake at 1.80 with Skybet
Back him here:
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