The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Daria Gavrilova vs Elise Mertens: French Open live scores

2nd June, 2018
Start time: Around 10:30pm (AEST)
Court: 7
TV: Live, Fox Sports
Online: Live, Foxtel app or Foxtel now
Overall record: Played 4, Mertens 3, Gavrilova 1
Last meeting: 2018 Australian Open, second round - Mertens defeat Gavrilova 7-5, 6-3
Betting: Mertens $1.36, Gavrilova $3.50

Daria Gavrilova last ten matches: won 6, lost 4
Elise Mertens last ten matches: won 9, lost 1
Daria Gavrilova. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)
Expert
2nd June, 2018
1

Daria Gavrilova will be out to reverse an embarrassing exit from the Australian Open when she takes on Elise Mertens in the third round of the French Open. Join The Roar for live scores from around 10:30pm (AEST).

When this pair met in the third round of this year’s Australian Open, it was all Mertens.

Starting their clash after midnight, due to a long day on centre court with matches going the distance, Gavrilova was in no mood for wasting time early on.

She raced out to a 5-0 lead in the first set, but it was all downhill from there, as the Belgian – who has rapidly risen through the world rankings – put on a masterclass to win 7-5, 6-3.

The pair also met in the first round of last year’s French Open, when Mertens won in three sets.

Despite their history at grand slams, Gavrilova has fought well on clay against Mertens and has got herself out of some tough situations already during the second grand slam of the year.

After solid form in the lead-up, which included victory over world No.3 Garbine Muguruza in Rome, the Australian has been pushed to three sets by Sorana Cirstea and Bernarda Pera over the first two rounds.

While she has gone off the boil at times, as only Dasha can do, she has dominated those third sets and played very good tennis when it counted.

Advertisement

If she can avoid those quiet spots and come good when she needs to, relying on her grittiness from the baseline, then she is every chance.

Mertens has put together an impressive run up the world rankings in the last 12 months. Now up to No.16 in the world, she has built her game on raw power, which saw her make the semi-final of the Australian Open.

Unfortunately, Mertens’ game doesn’t suit clay. The 16th seed has had a couple of straight-set victories so far, but struggles in Madrid during the build-up won’t leave her overly confident the deeper we get into the tournament.

Prediction
Gavrilova should be able to hit back on the more preferred clay here. As much as her grand slam record, particularly in Paris, is underwhelming, the power game of Mertens becomes somewhat effected on a slower surface.

Gavrilova in three sets.

Be sure to join The Roar for live scores from around 10:30pm (AEST) or at the completion of Maximilian Marterer versus Jurgen Zopp
on Court 7 and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.

close