French Open 2023 tips: Men's singles day 11 guide and suggested bets
- Barend Prins
- 6 June 2023
There are a couple of mouthwatering clashes in the men's quarter-finals on Wednesday, with Alexander Zverev taking on Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Holger Rune facing Casper Ruud.
Day 11 guide - Selected men's matches
Times subject to change
Holger Rune (6) vs Casper Ruud (4) Wednesday, 7 June, Time: 10:00
In the previous round, Ruud, currently ranked number four in the world, faced a tough challenge from Chile's Nicolas Jarry.
Although he won the first set in a tie-break, Ruud had to overcome deficits in the next two sets.
Remarkably, he rallied back from being 4-1 down in the second set and 4-2 down in the third set to secure a hard-fought victory of 7-6(5), 7-5, 7-5.
This win not only advanced him to the quarter-finals of Roland Garros but also marked his second consecutive appearance at this stage.
Despite being outperformed by Jarry in terms of winners, Ruud displayed great resilience by saving 14 out of 17 break points.
On the other hand, Rune, the sixth-ranked player, engaged in an entertaining five-set thriller against Francisco Cerundolo in the previous round.
After winning the first set in a tie-break, Rune encountered a comeback from his opponent, who levelled the match by winning the second set.
The Dane got his nose back in front in the third, but Cerundolo dominated the fourth set, conceding only one game.
However, he squandered three break points at 4-4 in the fifth set, allowing Rune to break his serve and eventually claim victory in the ensuing tie-break.
With this triumph, Rune improved his 2023 record to 30-10 and his Roland Garros record to 7-1.
While Ruud has won four out of their five previous meetings, Rune emerged victorious in their most recent encounter during the Rome semi-finals three weeks ago.
Both players exhibit a similar style of play, characterized by powerful groundstrokes, strong serves, and agility on the court.
Nonetheless, Ruud holds a slight advantage on clay, where he has excelled throughout his career.
With a remarkable 114-42 record on the surface and nine out of his 10 titles won on clay, Ruud is widely regarded as a formidable clay-court player.
In contrast, Rune, though a work in progress on clay with a 35-21 record and two titles, has made significant progress this season, winning 15 out of his 18 matches.
In their journey to the quarter-finals, Ruud has been dominant, winning in straight sets, while Rune has endured more challenging matches that went the distance.
Despite Rune's recent victory over Ruud, the Norwegian is favoured to emerge triumphant in their second best-of-five-set encounter, given his previous success against Rune and his strong track record on clay.
It is worth noting that Ruud defeated Rune in their 2022 Roland Garros quarter-final clash - a hard-fought four-setter, and a similar result is quite likely
Suggested bets
Set score prediction: Ruud to win in four sets
Alexander Zverev (22) vs Tomas Martin Etcheverry Wednesday, 7 June, Time: 10:00
Zverev, currently ranked 27th in the world, had a relatively smooth journey in the fourth round against Grigor Dimitrov, having previously endured a four-set battle against Frances Tiafoe.
The German started strongly, comfortably securing the first set by conceding just one game.
However, Dimitrov mounted a strong comeback, breaking Zverev's serve. Nonetheless, Zverev regrouped and took a commanding two-set lead.
In the third set, after leading 3-0, Zverev suffered a setback when he was broken. However, he quickly refocused and secured a 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 victory, reaching his fifth Roland Garros quarter-final in six years.
With this win, Zverev now holds a season record of 20 wins and 14 losses, with a clay court record of 27 wins and 7 losses in Grand Slam tournaments.
On the other side of the net, Etcheverry, ranked 49th in the world, saved a set point in a tightly contested tie-break against Yoshihito Nishioka to claim the first set.
Nishioka's challenge faded in the subsequent two sets, winning just one game as Etcheverry triumphed.
He displayed some excellent shot-making, blasting 37 winners and 12 aces to secure his first-ever Major quarter-final appearance.
Notably, he defeated 18th seed Alex de Minaur and 15th seed Borna Coric in the previous rounds before facing Nishioka.
The Argentine is 19-12 in 2023 and maintained a Grand Slam record of five wins and five losses, including a 4-1 record at Roland Garros.
Both Zverev and Etcheverry are regarded as baseliners, but Zverev possesses a distinct advantage with his powerful serves, strong groundstrokes, and good court movement.
While both players excel on clay, Zverev boasts greater experience, consistency, and pedigree. With a clay court record of 120 wins and 47 losses, including six titles, Zverev's accomplishments surpass Etcheverry's 19-17 record on the surface.
Impressively, Etcheverry has yet to drop a set in the tournament, whereas Zverev conceded only one.
However, considering Zverev's vast experience in the latter stages of Grand Slam events, he is favoured to secure a hard-fought victory in this match.
Suggested bets
Set score prediction: Zverev to win in five sets
