Galileo's Whacky French Open Picks

Hi All.

"I apologize for the boring picks. I promise that when the French swings round I will pick with reckless abandon."

I said that at the end of my picks when we had the Aussie Open. So, welcome to Galileo's whacky French Open picks. I hope you are all looking forward to the French Open as much as I am. I very much enjoyed the Australian, but that tends to be one of my favourite slams so that was expected.

The doubles draws are not released yet. The mixed is not even seeded. I will list some seeds I expect to do well instead:

Ladies Doubles
Hsieh Su-wei / Peng Shuai
Sara Errani / Roberta Vinci
Cara Black / Sania Mirza
Ashleigh Barty / Casey Dellaqua
Kristina Mladenovic / Flavia Pennetta
Liezel Huber / Lisa Raymond

Mens Doubles
Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan
Alexander Peya / Bruno Soares
Daniel Nestor / Nenad Zimonjiæ
Michaël Llodra / Nicolas Mahut
Jean-Julien Rojer / Horia Tecãu
Eric Butorac / Raven Klaasen

=NADAL QUARTER=
*POWER RANKINGS*
1. RAFAEL NADAL ESP...Nadal does not have the easiest draw, but he has a manageable draw. Ginepri could be playing in his last slam but he plays best in America [three ATP finals, winning them all and a 2005 US Open semi], not in France. He also does not play his best on clay and has not played in a slam since the 2012 US. The last time he played in the French [2010] he made the fourth round. Nadal will sweep him aside and then beat Thiem in the second round despite some resistance at first. Pospisil has been injured and in bad form most of the season. Expect an unknown to face Nadal in the third with the result predictable. Next up, Nadal will face Almagro or Haas. That battle of the one-handers will be a classic. Nadal will beat the winner of that in three tough sets, possibly four. Next up will be Nadal or Dimitrov and that will be much tough. There is no one capable of beating Nadal over five in this quarter and that is why he is top seeded.
2. GRIGOR DIMITROV BUL...It does not matter much. Dimitrov will play Ferrer for a quarterfinal berth but no more. I think Dimitrov is ready to step up. He has showed flashed of very good form over the past few weeks. I think that he would have a tricky draw on any other surface, but on clay he can beat Karlovic and Anderson. If he returns well, he should be able to make it to the fourth round without too much difficulty. His match-up with Ferrer is going to be a classic. I think it may even be the best match of the first week. I think Dimitrov has enough creativity to beat the wall-like Ferrer.
3. DAVID FERRER ESP...Ferrer has the easiest first three matches of this quarter. I think he will ease through those matches. He has shown patchy form, but is still the fifth seed here. If he can be a little more aggressive, he will go far. I think he can take a couple of sets off Nadal if he gets there. I think that if he beats Nadal he could go all the way to the final again.
DARK HORSE: MONACO, ARG...This is the closest we have. I could see the Argentinian [whose form has started to pick up] making a run here. He could beat Seppi and Ferrer. He could even then beat Dimitrov. Or he could lose in the opening round to Pouille. Almagro is not a dark horse because he is expected to do well. I think Monaco could easily beat Seppi.
WILD HORSE: ANDERSON, RSA...Really, who knows? He could crumble out in his opener or make a real go of it. He could serve Dimitrov off the court, but then Ferrer beat him very easily last year. I never seem to know when Anderson is going to perform. He is very frustrating in this way.
DONKEY: SEPPI ITA...Sepp is playing poorly. He is seeded 32 and on the way down. I predict nothing but misery for the Italian. He will go out in the first round to Giraldo, possibly in straight sets.
UNLUCKY HORSE: SOCK USA...Sock got a horrible draw. Almagro on clay, especially this clay, is a fearsome proposition. He will dismiss Sock, who is highly ranked enough to get automatic entry.
=In the End...=
Nadal defeats Dimi in four entertaining sets.

4TH ROUND: NADAL D. ALMAGRO, DIMITROV D. FERRER
SF: NADAL D. DIMITROV

=WAWRINKA QUARTER=
*POWER RANKINGS*
1. STANISLAS WAWRINKA SUI...Yep. Wawrinka has a pretty good draw. He would have taken it had you offered it to him before. Not only is he deservedly the third seed, but he is on form. He won Monte Carlo and he hasn't been playing too badly coming into this tournament. He opens with a tricky one, however. Top forty player Garcia-Lopez is a recent titlist who is a seriously good dirt-baller. Next could be Mannarino [or Lu] and then he has to play Lopez. He might drop a set, but he will come through those tests. He will then face Fognini or Monfils in the fourth. Both of these players will test Vavsy. They have nice draws, too, and that means their third round clash will be a blockbuster. The battle here is not physical. If Wawrinka can keep his head together, he should be able to outdo whichever of those two makes it to the fourth round. In the quarters [if they make it] Wawrinka should be able to defeat an injury-plagued Gasquet or Murray on clay.
2. ANDY MURRAY GBR...Murray is bad on clay. He has never made a final, he looks uncomfortable and he struggles to really beat the players he should. Losses to Berdych and Gonzalez in four in past editions of this tournament are examples of how he struggles. His draw here is not great, either. Golubev first and then Brown. Then recent titlist Kohl in the third round. If he gets through those, which he should, though probably having dropped a set or two, he faces Gasquet in the fourth round. He does not lose to Gasquet often, but he did find himself down two sets against the Frenchman here a couple years back. Luckily for him, Gasquet choked, but will he do so again?
3. RICHARD GASQUET FRA...This is the big question mark. He opens with Tomic and could play Hewitt afterwards. Neither of these players should trouble the French number one. His match against Verdasco in the third round is massive. The winner of that probably makes the quarterfinal. If he is injury free and can play into form, he should be fine. Well, as long as he doesn't inexplicably collapse.
DARK HORSE: PHILIPP KOHLSCHREIBER GER...We know he can play well here, just ask Djokovic. He has a lovely game for the clay. I think he has the physicality to stay with Murray over five. I also think he has the kind of power game that can trouble Murray if he can get it working. The German can also beat Gasquet or Verdasco. I can't quite bring myself to call him beating Murray, but the chances are decent.
WILD HORSE: THOMAZ BELLUCCI BRA...Yes, he ended up in this section. He plays Fognini in the second round and then probably Monfils. I could actually see him doing very well here. I could see him blasting through the draw and troubling Wawrinka. He could also go out quietly to Becker in the first round. I think a five-set loss to Fognini could be his fate here.
DONKEY: DONALD YOUNG USA...On clay? I don't think so. If he gets past Sela he lands Lopez. He has not got the best draw and I do not think he will get far. He isn't playing particularly well and if he makes the second round, I will be impressed.
UNLUCKY HORSE: BERNARD TOMIC AUS...Fighting back from a bad injury to playing the first round here is an achievement. He played in the qualies of some of the clay tournaments, so at least his form isn't unknown. His form isn't great but he is getting fit at the right time. The grass season is here.
=In the End...=
I think that Murray will make the fourth round, but no further. Gasquet will defy odds but ruin his 100 per cent grand slam quarterfinal record.

4th ROUND: WAWRINKA D. FOGNINI, GASQUET D. MURRAY
QF: WAWRINKA D. GASQUET

=FEDERER QUARTER=
*POWER RANKINGS*
1. ROGER FEDERER ESP...Federer is in alright form and not many of the players here can challenge him over five sets on clay. The birth of his twins may have slightly disrupted his preparation but I think he will come in inspired and have a good tournament. He made the final of Monte Carlo, playing quite well. He opens with Lukas Lacko and then has a qualifier after that. He should face Querrey or Tursunov in the third round. He will not lose a set until the fourth round. Gulbis has a good draw. He plays Youzhny in the third round. I think he will win that, though he usually plays abysmally at slams. Gulbis will take a set off Fed and he will make life difficult for the Swiss number two, but once Federer figures him out Roger will win without too much difficulty. Whoever comes out of the other section will be a challenge but not one who can take three sets off Roger.
2. TOMAS BERDYCH CZE...Berdych got a good draw, unlike last year. He should dismiss Polansky and Devvarman. He loses in the first round of a slam at least once a year, but I do not think it will come here. He does play Paire or Agut in the third round. He will almost definitely lose at least one set there. He won't lose to either of them. In the fourth round I think he will play Robredo. I don't know if he will beat Robredo. I don't think he will beat Fed over five on the dirt anyhow. He does have decent if not stellar form coming into the slam. So, what else is new?
3. TOMMY ROBREDO ESP...Should Berdman falter, Robredo will make a sixth quarterfinal here. He only makes the quarters in odd years [03,05,07,09,13] and he has not been brilliant so far this year, though he did make the fourth round in Aus. I think he definitely has a shot against Berdych and he can win in five. We know that. He should be Isner in the third round...
Two sets up on Costa, lost in five [2003], lost to Davydenko in five [2005], lost to Federer in four [2007], lost to Delpo in straights [2009], lost to Ferrer in straights [2013].
DARK HORSE: ROBERTO BAUTISTA-AGUT ESP...A Spaniard whose best surface is clay? No, get out of town. RBA is a seed at a major for the first time but will he major in disappointment or achievement? I think he will beat Lorenzi and Paire. I also think he will give Berdman a scare. I just don't know if he can take three sets off Berdych. He is on form, but Berdych could prove a step too far. If it was over three sets he would make the quarterfinals. That's why the fire sets needs to stay. It throws in another factor and provides more entertainment.
WILD HORSE: RADEK STEPANEK CZE...One half of the Czech Republic's Davis Cup winning duo. Well, the Art Garfunkel of the duo anyway. He lands Youzhny in the second round and that will be supremely entertaining. Stepsy could go all the way to the fourth round, beating Gulbis in the process. Or he could swear at the umpires, smash his rackets and lose in a bad tempered match in the first round.
DONKEY: JOHN ISNER USA...We've been here before. This is not America. Therefore, Isner will be poor.
UNLUCKY HORSE: LUKAS LACKO...In Australia, he opened with Djokovic. Now it is Federer. Poor guy. Well, at least his hotel bill will be small.
=In the End...=
Federer remains untroubled and reaches the semifinals with maybe a set or two dropped. Berdych drops a couple of sets, gives us another solid performance in a slam without being particular spectacular. Robredo plays above and beyond and Gulbis does something foolish. Sound about right?

4th ROUND: BERDYCH D. ROBREDO, FEDERER D. GULBIS
QF: FEDERER D. BERDYCH

=DJOKOVIC QUARTER=
*POWER RANKINGS*
1. NOVAK DJOKOVIC SRB...Not straightforward, but manageable. The Djoker comes in on decent form, but his wrist will be a question mark. The Rome titlist should do well here. He plays Sousa first up, which will be a challenge. That is not a first round he would have wanted, though he won't lose it. He plays Chardy or Traver next. That will also be difficult, especially on this surface with that crowd. Miloslav Mecir is in this section. No not that one, that one's son. Djokovic will play Cilic or Andujar in the third, probably Andujar. I think that has a good chance of going four. I don't even know who will land Djokovic in the fourth round. Melzer? Tsonga? Janowicz? I really don't know. Either way Djokovic makes the quarterfinals fairly easily and will then play Raonic. Raonic can beat him, but I think Djokovic should be able to out last him. Nishikori is physically unable to go five sets, so he is not a problem here.
2. MILOS RAONIC CAN...I know this has no relevance, but how well is Raonic going to do at Wimbledon? He could win the whole damn thing. Ahem. Before that we have to play Roland Garros. Well ,we don't but they do. Anyway, he opens with Kyrgios in about forty minutes or so as I write this. That will be a good one to watch. Raonic will beat Rosol fairly easily. Then he should out-hit Simon without too much difficulty, but that should go four. All Raonic has to do in the fourth round is wait until Nishikori's body breaks down. I estimate about three and a half hours should do it. Can he beat Djokovic in five in those quarterfinals? Yes. Will he? Hmmmm...
3. KEI NISHIKORI JPN...He is here by default. If Raonic loses he will go to the quarterfinals.
DARK HORSE: ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV UKR...He has the game to seriously disrupt. He could beat Kei in the third round and then slice Raonic to 'death' in the fourth round. He could even beat Djokovic in the quarterfinals. I am tempted to pick him to make the quarterfinals, but he has not the consistency nor the mental fortitude to do so.
WILD HORSE: JO-WILFRIED TSONGA FRA...The crowd could be enough to get him through a couple of rounds. He could also crumble in the first round. He opens with Roger-Vasselin and that will be tricky. Expect him to fall out of the top twenty this summer.
DONKEY: JERZY JANOWICZ...He's here? I didn't even realize and I won't realize when he loses in the first two rounds.
UNLUCKY HORSE: MARIN CILIC CRO...He drew Andujar. That is going to be five long sets. It will be an energy sapper. I can't even call who is going to come out of that, but I give the Spaniard a slight edge.
=In the End...=
Raonic does well. Djokovic does better. Nishikori's fitness is once again questioned. Jerzy Janowicz does something spectacular then retires with injury.

4th ROUND: RAONIC D. NISHIKORI, DJOKOVIC D. TSONGA
QF: DJOKOVIC D. RAONIC [in at least four]

=SEMIFINAL=
#1 NADAL D. WAWRINKA #3
#2 DJOKOVIC D. FEDERER #4
=FINAL=
#1 NADAL D. DJOKOVIC #2

...As Todd so rightly said : "...until proven otherwise in Paris, not Rome or anywhere else they play clay court events."

*WOMEN*
=ROUND OF 16 PREDICTIONS=
#1 Serena d. #17 Vinci
#7 Sharapova d. #19 Stosur
#14 Suarez-Navarro d. Schiavone
#18 Bouchard d. #8 Kerber
#11 Ivanovic d. #27 Kuznetsova
#4 Halep d. #22 Makarova
#6 Jankovic d. #10 Errani
#2 Li Na d. #24 Pavlyuchenkova

=QUARTERFINAL PREDICTIONS=
#1 Serena d. #7 Sharapova
#14 Suarez-Navarro d. #18 Bouchard
#4 Halep d. #11 Ivanovic
#2 Li Na d. #6 Jankovic

=SEMIFINAL PREDICTIONS=
#1 Serena d. #14 Suarez-Navarro
#4 Halep d. #2 Li Na

=FINAL PREDICTION=
#1 Serena d. #4 Halep

...Yep. There it is and it is plenty whacky. I don't think I can pick against a relatively healthy Serena. Not yet anyway.


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