By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, May 31, 2015
Sloane Stephens swept Venus Williams in the opening round and will try to take down world No. 1 Serena Williams in the quarterfinals.
Photo credit: Getty
On each day of the French Open we will provide you with notes on three matches to watch, plus notes and numbers to keep you well-equipped for the day ahead.
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1. (1) Serena Williams vs. Sloane Stephens, 3rd Match Court Philippe Chatrier
On clay, speedy players who can retrieve Williams's blasts, counter on the run and force Serena to play an extra ball can challenge the world No. 1. Stephens is one of the fastest women in the game, she can crack her forehand with ambition and used her backhand down the line effectively to sweep Venus Williams in round one. Stephens has not lost a set so far.
The two-time champion has been a slow starter, dropping the opening set of her last two matches and fighting back from a break down to defeat former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka in a controversial fourth-rounder. Serena knows she cannot afford a slow start against Sloane and should play with more energy and urgency against the woman who beat her in the 2013 Australian Open quarterfinals. Since that match, Williams has defeated Stephens twice in a row, including a 6-7, 6-2, 6-2 victory at Indian Wells in March.
2. Jack Sock vs.(6) Rafael Nadal, 3rd Match Court Suzanne Lenglen
Typically, you'd have to visit an industrial-strength centrifuge to see such massive spin. Two of the heaviest forehands in the game collide in the first meeting between the pair where both men will be targeting the opponent's backhand. Nine-time champion Nadal is playing to become the first man to win 70 matches at Roland Garros — and set up a potential marquee quarterfinal with world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.
When he's landing his explosive first serve to set up his massive forehand, Sock can play first-strike tennis. The Houston champion leads the tournament in double faults (24) and faces the challenge of serving aggressively to force mid-court returns without giving Nadal, who has broken serve 19 times in three matches, too many looks at second serves.
3. (1) Novak Djokovic vs.(20) Richard Gasquet, 4th Match Court Philippe Chatrier
These two have a history and it's been a horror show for the Frenchman. Djokovic has won 10 of their 11 meetings, including both clay-court encounters. Since Gasquet scored his only win over the Serbian at the 2007 Tennis Masters Cup, Djokovic has won 17 of the last 18 sets they've played.
The world No. 1 rides a 25-match winning streak into this rematch of the 2011 Roland Garros round of 16, which Djokovic swept in straight sets. Gasquet is playing for his 400th career win, Djokovic is bidding for his sixth straight trip to the quarterfinals. It's a battle of brilliant backhands, but Djokovic is the more dangerous returner, whose aggressive court positioning enables him to take the ball earlier and dictate rallies.
By the Numbers
3 Number of Americans who have taken a set off Nadal on clay (John Isner, Andy Roddick and Sam Querrey)
6 Number of match points Elina Svitolina needed to beat Alize Cornet and reach her first major quarterfinal
15 Years since two Frenchmen-Thierry Champion and Henri Leconte-reached the last eight at Roland Garros
73 Rank of Horacio Zeballos, the lowest-ranked man to ever beat Nadal on clay in the 2013 Vina del Mar final
75 Percentage of first-serve points Garbine Muguruza has won, which leads the tournament
6-6 Flavia Pennetta's career record in Grand Slam fourth-round matches
29-1 Novak Djokovic's record in his last 30 matches vs. Frenchmen, with his lone loss coming to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Toronto last year