Scott Ferguson has another three top tennis tips for you as the French Open continues on Thursday at Roland Garros.
Recommended bets
2pts Jan-Lennard Struff to win 3-0 or 3-1 at 8/11
1pt Pablo Cuevas to win -2.5 games at 4/5
1.5pts Delbonis v Fognini Total Games over 37.5 games at 10/11
For advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record
- By Scott Ferguson
Jan-Lennard Struff vs Radu Albot
Out on Court 12 in mid-afternoon, we see two handy players ranked in the 40s facing off.
German Jan-Lennard Struff has been in fine form, his 8-5 record during the clay swing includes wins over David Goffin, Stefano Tsitsipas, Marin Cilic and Grigor Dimitrov, while his R1 success over the 20th seed Denis Shapovalov was the second time he'd beaten him in six weeks.
It took the likes of Rafael Nadal and Kei Nishikori to stop him in Barcelona and Rome, so the form lines are strong.
Moldovan Radu Albot has struggled to string victories together once the season reached the clay. After four straight R1 or R2 exits, he reached the semi-finals last week in Geneva, beating a trio of players outside the top 50, before succumbing in straight sets to Nicolas Jarry.
As a player who prefers the surer footing of hardcourt, he struggles to reach the extremes of the court under pressure - a weakness Struff can be banked on to exploit.
On another surface, Albot might just have the edge, but on clay, it's a big advantage to the German and he should prevail relatively easily.
2pts Jan-Lennard Struff to win 3-0 or 3-1 at 8/11
Pablo Cuevas vs Kyle Edmund
Veteran Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas suits up for his 36th clay court match of the season (26 wins, nine losses so far) while British number one Kyle Edmund is chasing just his third win from eight on the red dirt in 2019.
Cuevas is your specialist grinder on this surface, solid on both sides, decent serve and will just wear his opponent down unless they have great weapons combined with immense patience. Recent defeats to the likes of Dominik Thiem, Stefano Tsitsipas and Matteo Berretini, all seeded here, illustrate that he retains most of the ability which saw him reach the top 20 a few years ago.
Edmund prevailed in an entertaining two-day battle over local hope Jeremy Chardy in the first round, holding his nerve while the Frenchman pounded down aces and winners, but was unable to capitalise on his chances.
That match will feel more like a hardcourt-slugging match than this contest constantly sliding to all corners of the court. Edmund was solid on clay in 2018, was seeded 16th here and took Fabio Fognini to five sets, but it just hasn't happened for him this season, with the win over Chardy breaking a five-match losing streak which lasted 50 days.
It could be the spark to reignite his spirit, but I'd say he's more likely to have his mind drifting away thinking of the grass courts of Queen's.
If Edmund is to take a set, it's more likely to be with a single break, while if Cuevas gets on top, he could run away with it. We'll go with the game handicap.
1pt Pablo Cuevas to win -2.5 games at 4/5
Federico Delbonis vs Fabio Fognini
Italian Fabio Fognini has been in fine form since the Tour returned to Europe, winning his first Masters Series title in Monte Carlo then reaching the third rounds in the Madrid and Rome equivalents.
But a lot of tough matches often leaves a mark, and in his case, it's a right thigh injury he has dealt with since Monte Carlo.
"For some weeks I have been carrying a pain in my leg, one day it's good, the other it's bad, and here the wet and cold climate does not help me."
While it's obviously not enough to stop him playing, it's a concern over five sets against a player he only has a 4-3 h2h record against.
Left-handed Federico Delbonis beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in four sets to open his tournament, in a match which could have been significantly faster had he converted more than 29% of his break points.
Delbonis dominated on serve, being broken just once and winning a very high 68% of second serves. That figure is unlikely to be repeated against a far better returner in Fognini, but it highlights a game in strong shape which has troubled the Italian many times before.
With five of their previous seven clashes going the full distance, these two are well matched and despite Fognini's recent rise in ranking, the chances of another long battle are strong.
1.5pts Delbonis v Fognini Total Games over 37.5 games at 10/11
