Some of the first round action at the 2023 French Open will see Kristina Kucova v Aliona Bolsova and Kristina Mladenovic v Kayla Day. Get the latest predictions along with the odds, preview and head to head for these matches along with Simona Waltert v Elizabeth Mandlik and Anna-Lena Friedsam v Nao Hibino.
Kristina Kucova v Aliona Bolsova Preview
Head-to-Head: Their only previous meeting came in the qualifiers of the 2021 Monterrey Open and Kucova had won that.
Only last year in February, Kucova was ranked 75th in the world, which wasn’t too far from her career-best. The obvious effort would have been to break into the top 70 at that stage. Unfortunately for the Slovak, she barely got any results going her way in the first half of the season and didn’t play a match after Wimbledon.
Kucova has returned to action this season but her ranking has fallen off the cliff. Now 443rd in the world, she earned herself a wildcard to feature at this tournament where she has been coming since 2009 but won just one match.
The struggling Kucova will find it tough here despite playing the qualifier Bolsova. Bolsova starts off a 1/3 favourite despite having made it through to the main draw as a lucky loser. She had gone down in straight sets in Tamara Zidansek but came through when Ajla Tomljanovic opted out.
We could be looking at a reasonably keen tussle but one that goes in favour of Bolsova.
Kucova v Bolsova Tip
Bolsova to win AND Over 19.5 games in the match: 7/5
Kristina Mladenovic v Kayla Day Preview
Head-to-Head: Mladenovic and Day have never faced off before this.
It’s been a fairly forgettable year for Mladenovic on the singles circuit with the Frenchwoman entering the French Open on the back of eight successive defeats. She has won a mere two sets across those encounters.
What makes this worse is Mladenovic’s record on clay this season a horrible 0-6, having not even made it the past the qualifiers at the Madrid and Rome Open and even lost in the first round of an ITF tournament.
She faces a player ranked only slightly higher than her 165th, but one who has won 16 of her 22 matches across all levels. Day needed to come through the qualifiers to make it to her first ever appearance at the French Open but she did that in fine style, overcoming Dalila Jakupovic and Miriam Bianca Bulgaru in straight sets and then scraping past Elina Avanesyan in three.
Day shouldn’t have a lot of problems here.
Mladenovic v Day Tip
Day to win in straight sets: 4/7
Simona Waltert v Elizabeth Mandlik Preview
Head-to-Head: Their only previous match came on the ITF circuit in 2022 with Mandlik winning that hardcourt match in straight sets.
This is a battle between two players ranked around 120th in the world, both of whom needed to overcome three players in the qualifiers to get through to the main draw.
Both had their moments, having to battle through some difficulties, with Waltert involved in a three-setter while Mandlik needing two of those to make the first round. So where does that leave us?
Well, for starters Mandlik is on the rise, having only hit a career-best ranking of 117th (she is now 118th), and is also coming off a finals appearance on the WTA 125 circuit. She was the runner-up at the Reus Open.
So while Waltert has a better overall record over the years, Mandlik’s current form gives her the edge here.
Waltert v Mandlik Tip
Mandlik to win: 10/13
Anna-Lena Friedsam v Nao Hibino Preview
Head-to-Head: The 92nd-ranked Friedsam and world number 112 Hibino will be facing off for the first time.
Friedsam’s overall form on clay this season has been quite solid, especially in the qualifiers of events. She is also coming off a double-bagel win over Shuai Zhang in Strasbourg last week which turned out to be Friedsam’s first main draw win on clay for 2023.
Hibino has done well on the ITF circuit but like Friedsam, hasn’t won too many main draw matches. At the WTA Paris, which is a 125 events, Hibino did make it to the quarterfinal, but was sent packing from the qualifiers at this French Open.
It was only the withdrawal of Jennifer Brady that allowed her to make it through as a lucky loser.
Things could tight in this encounter as a result of these two players’ reasonably similar proficiency on clay and we could see a third set.
Friedsam v Hibino Tip
Over 21.5 games in the match: 5/6
The 2023 French Open will be played from May 28 to June 11. Get our ultimate guide on tennis betting and predictions here.
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