Osaka to fall to Azarenka? Abrams thinks so and picks 7 other French Open women’s 2nd Rounders with Serena, Halep, Keys, Anisimova, more

French Open
Stade Roland Garros
Paris, France
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Women’s Second Round Picks

Vika Azarenka over Naomi Osaka
World #1 Namoi Osaka looked so vulnerable in her first round win over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and Vika Azarenka, a former #1 and two-time Grand Slam champion, looked so overpowering in her win over 2017 French Open champ Jelana Ostapenko, that I believe Azarenka will win this match. Osaka is a great player, but she’s not a great champion yet. I think Vika wants this more, and that will ultimately be the tipping point.

Danielle Collins over Ash Barty
You couldn’t find two people who are more polar opposites: Barty seems like a happy-go-lucky Aussie, while Collins is like a caged tiger waiting to get out and bite anyone in her way. They are starting what appears to be a long-term rivalry, and Barty has taken the first round. Here, in round two, Collins appears far hungrier, and after her first round demolition of Tatjana Maria, in which the American only lost two games, Collins looked omnipotent. I think she’ll take this one from the amiable Aussie, but not before Barty puts up a fight.

Serena Williams over Kurumi Nara
Is it me, or does Serena Williams get the easiest draws ever in Women’s tennis? Boy, you don’t see her playing anybody that has a chance of beating her in the first couple of rounds, and that always gives her a chance to play herself into a tournament, and we all know that she’s toughest in the second week of a Slam. Kurumi Nara is all of 5’1” and I think Serena has her by close to 100 pounds, so physically Williams is just out of Nara’s class, but I guess the draw is the draw. In my opinion, Serena is yesterday’s news, but as long as she’s playing pancakes, she’ll win. Put her up against a tough player and let’s see what happens. After all, it’s 2019, not 2006.

Simona Halep over Magda Linette
Simona Halep, the defending champion and the third seed here, is going to take Magda Linette, the Pole, ranked 87th, and just mop up the floor with her. Halep is in her “fighting-dog” mode, and when she gets a hold of an opponent such as Linette, who doesn’t have anything to hurt Halep with, she will sink her teeth into her and never let go. The rallies will be good, but the score will be lopsided in favor of the Romanian.

Aryna Sabalenka over Amanda Anisimova
Aryna Sabalenka wants revenge. Amanda Anisimova, the exciting 17-year-old American, beat Sabalenka in the Australian Open, and beat her bad. Sabalenka will want revenge, and I think she’ll get it. However, the Warrior Princess is very subject to wildness and inconsistency, a death wish on clay. If she’s wild in any way, the American will make her pay, and pay with the match. This should be a dogfight, but a really entertaining one, and I am looking forward to this matchup.

Maria Sakkari over Katerina Siniakova
Maria Sakkari lost all of one game in the first round and looks particularly focused. I don’t give Katerina Siniakova much chance. Not because Siniakova isn’t a good player, but because Sakkari looks particularly intent on the task at hand, and that can’t be good for the 42nd ranked woman from the Czech Republic.

Daria Kasatkina over Monica Puig
This is really a tossup, and I’d really hope that Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig could get through this, if for no other reason than she could really use a nice run here in Paris. But Daria Kasatkina, a 22-year-old Russian, who is ranked #21, is playing her own brand of very good tennis. Kasatkina is 2-1 versus Puig, with the last match, on clay, won by Kasatkina. I think that has meaning, and tips my pick to the Russian.

Madison Keys over Priscella Hon
Priscella Hon struggled to a nice first round three set win over Timea Babos. But Madison Keys took care of business against Evgeniya Rodina, losing only three games, and getting off the court in an hour. Keys looks focused, and when she is, she’s one of the very best players on the WTA Tour. I think Keys runs away with this match and simply overpowers her 21-year-old opponent from Down Under. But as with some other gifted players, you just never know with Keys.