Before each day of play at the French Open, we'll preview and predict three must-see matches. For full coverage of the season's second Slam, go to our tournament page.
At first glance, while Djokovic will be facing a seed for the first time in Paris, this fourth-round match looks much like his first three: i.e., a glorified, straight-sets practice session. He has played Bautista Agut four times and has dropped just one set. When they met last month in Madrid, Djokovic won, 6-2, 6-1, on a quicker version of clay that should have suited Bautista Agut. But the Spaniard has looked good so far at Roland Garros; he hasn’t dropped a set in three matches, and he’s coming off a 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 win over a quality opponent in Borna Coric. Last year at the U.S. Open, Bautista Agut caught fire and pushed Djokovic to four. That may be all we can hope for, drama-wise, in this match, but it would be exciting while it lasted.
Winner: Djokovic
Two days after escaping in a second-set tiebreaker against Kristina Mladenovic, Serena will return to the same court to face a better opponent in Svitolina. Is that a cause for worry in her camp? Possibly. Serena is 3-0 against the hard-hitting, gradually improving Ukrainian, but Svitolina took a set from her at the Australian Open last year. And with new coach Justine Henin in her corner, she’s been sharp so far in Paris; in her last match, Svitolina ended a losing streak to Ana Ivanovic. I don’t think she’ll do the same against Serena, who will likely come ready and prepared, but it will be interesting watching Svitolina try. The 21-year-old is going to have a breakout win someday. If nothing else, Serena won't want to lose to her old rival, Henin.
Winner: S. Williams
The day ends with a toss-up match between the eighth-seeded Bacsinszky and the ninth-seeded Venus. While Venus has won their only two meetings in straight sets, and has rediscovered her clay game this week, Bacsinszky is in better long-term form. She hasn’t dropped a set in Paris, and she’s 13-2 since Miami; her only losses during the clay season have been to Simona Halep in Madrid and Garbiñe Muguruza in Rome. She looks ready to repeat her semifinal run from last year at Roland Garros.
Winner: Bacsinszky