It’s on to the second round at Roland Garros on Wednesday, when Frances Tiafoe and Denis Shapovalov are set for an intriguing showdown. Meanwhile, Grigor Dimitrov is going up against Fabian Marozsan.
Denis Shapovalov vs. (25) Frances Tiafoe
Tiafoe and Shapovalov will be squaring off for the seventh time in their careers and for the first time since 2021 when they clash in round two of the French Open on Wednesday. Shapovalov leads the head-to-head series 4-2, having won four in a row from the summer of 2018 through Queen’s Club in 2021 before Tiafoe prevailed 6-1, 6-4 at the Montreal Masters in ’21.
The 2024 campaign has been a borderline disaster for both players, so a third-round spot at a Grand Slam will be a much-needed result for either one. Shapovalov at least has an injury-related excuse, as he is on the comeback trail from a knee problem. The 25-year-old Canadian has advanced one round or more in three of his last four events following Monday’s 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 rout of Luca Van Assche. Tiafoe’s season has been inexplicable. The 26th-ranked American played great in 2022 and 2023, but so far this year his record stands at a modest 12-11. He is 2-5 in his last seven matches even after scraping past qualifier Mattia Bellucci 6-3, 3-6, 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-4 in round one. Shapovalov is the more aggressive player, so this match will be on his racket. Given his performance against Van Asshe, that is probably a good thing–especially with a struggling opponent on the other side of the net.
Pick: Shapovalov in 4
Fabian Marozsan vs. (10) Grigor Dimitrov
Dimitrov is flying under the radar with headlines being dominated by Rafael Nadal’s exit, Novak Djokovic’s recent struggles, and the health statuses of both Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. It would be no surprise, though, if Dimitrov makes noise of his own this fortnight. The 33-year-old Bulgarian is 24-8 this season and back in the top 10 thanks in part to a title in Brisbane and runner-up efforts in Miami and Marseille.
Up next for Dimitrov is a first-ever meeting with Marozsan. The 24-year-old Hungarian made a name for himself with a 2023 Rome upset of Carlos Alcaraz and he has built on that result in impressive fashion. He has earned 14 of his 26 tour-level match victories this season–including a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 beatdown of Mikhail Kukushkin on Sunday–and is up to No. 43 in the rankings. However, Marozsan has cooled off considerably on clay since reaching the Indian Wells fourth round and the Miami quarterfinals. This probably isn’t a great matchup for him, either, as his variety of spins, slices, and drop-shots is unlikely to give Dimitrov much trouble. The veteran can do all of that and do it even better.
Pick: Dimitrov in 4
