By Chris Oddo | Wednesday May 25, 2016

The top halves get back in action on Day 5 in Paris, which means Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and a host of enticing, sneaky-good matchups as Roland Garros finishes up second-round singles action.

Here’s what we’ll be checking out:

1. Eugenie Bouchard vs. Timea Bacsinszky, 1st Match, Chatrier

Eugenie Bouchard will come in as an underdog buoyed by some very positive sentiment as she prepares to face 8th-seeded Bacsinszky for the second time this year. The first time they met the Swiss prevailed in a fun tussle at Indian Wells that was attended by hockey legend Wayne Gretzky. The Great One was there to see Bouchard, but Bacsinszky ended up stealing the show and much of Gretzky’s attention. On Thursday on Chatrier, Bacsinszky will have to be on point to notch another win against the hungry Bouchard. There is an air of confidence about the young Canadian right now. She’s determined to get back to the top of tennis and what better chance to prove to the world that she’s on her way there than by beating a Top-10 player on Court Philippe Chatrier?

This should be a wonderful battle, and it truly is a tough one to pick. We’ll go with Bacsinszky on the strength of her clay-court prowess (though Bouchard is no slouch on clay) and her overall consistency.

Pick: Bacsinszky in three.

2. Rafael Nadal vs. Facundo Bagnis, 2nd Match on Chatrier

It’s nine-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal, on Court Philippe Chatrier. What more do we need to say? Oh by the way, Nadal is bidding to become the 8th man in history to earn 200 Grand Slam match wins.

Pick: Nadal in three

3. Venus Williams vs. Louisa Chirico, 4th Match on Lenglen

Venus Williams, the oldest woman left in the Roland Garros singles draw, has not been to the round of 32 in Paris since 2010. Williams is making her 19th appearance at Roland Garros, and will face rising American qualifier Louisa Chirico. The 20-year-old is relatively inexperienced--fresh off her first victory at a major—but actually owns a solid 2-2 record against Top-20 players. Both of those wins came on clay this season (Safarova, Ivanovic). It should be interesting to see what Chirico can do on a big showcourt against a bona fide American legend.

Pick: Williams in two

4. Dominic Thiem vs. Guillermo Garcia Lopez, second match, Court 2

Why this match is not on a bigger showcourt, god only knows. Thiem has had a breakout season in 2016 and he shows no sign of slowing down. He’s got 37 wins on the year and has gone 21-5 on clay. 32-year-old Garcia Lopez has been a touch from his best this season (10-7 on clay), but he’s an ultra-talented clay-courter that reached the round of 16 at Roland Garros in 2014, which was also the same year he defeated Stan Wawrinka in the first round. Remember that shocker?

Pick: Thiem in four

5. Timea Babos vs. Kristina Mladenovic, fourth Match, Chatrier

What’s not to like about this high-stakes battle between two former doubles partners? Mladenovic, one would think, has the edge because of her previously demonstrated ability to resonate with the extreme passion of the French fans. She knows how to use the vitality of the crowd and elevate her game in her home Slam. Mladenovic has never gone super-deep at Roland Garros but in each of the last two years she’s knocked off a Top-10 player in a big match on the terre battue. That said, Babos is a player on the rise and will likely make this a lively affair.

Pick: Mladenovic in three.