Three to See, Roland Garros Day 1: Garbiñe Muguruza-Kaia Kanepi; Jenson Brooksby-Pablo Cuevas; Carlos Alcaraz-Juan Ignacio Londero

LOOK BACK: Alcaraz dismisses Zverev for Madrid title

Garbiñe Muguruza vs. Kaia Kanepi

The 28-year-old Muguruza and the 36-year-old Kanepi have been on tour together for more than 10 years, but they’ve faced off just once, at the Australian Open in 2014, a match that Muguruza won in three topsy-turvy sets. This one could be a similar thrill ride, as these two big hitters trade winners and errors, hot streaks and cold streaks. Muguruza has won this tournament before, but Kanepi is almost as famous for raising her game at the majors; she has been to the quarterfinals in Paris twice, and she made it to the quarters at the last Slam, in Melbourne, and nearly beat Iga Swiatek while she was there. Neither of these women has been on a roll this spring, but it’s Muguruza who has suffered a series of surprising and frustrating defeats on clay. Winner: Kanepi

Jenson Brooksby vs. Pablo Cuevas

This is a matchup of varied strengths and weaknesses. Brooksby has youth on his side: He’s 21, Cuevas is 36. He also has form and ranking: He’s ranked 34th to Cuevas’s 118th. Brooksby brings an unorthodox style and gritty temperament that has gained him some ground on clay this spring. After losing in the first round in Houston and Madrid, he won two matches in Rome, including one over David Goffin. But Brooksby is still a neophyte on dirt compared to his opponent; three of the Uruguayan’s four career titles have come on clay, and his grinding, heavy-topspin game will always be tough to break down on the surface. It will be interesting to see how Brooksby goes about it. Winner: Brooksby

Carlos Alcaraz vs. Juan Ignacio Londero

In Sunday’s last match in Chatrier, we’ll get our first glimpse of Alcaraz as a Grand Slam favorite. The 19-year-old will be rested; he skipped Rome after winning back-to-back titles in Barcelona and Madrid—and beating Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic back to back along the way. Will he feel any nerves when he reappears in Paris? He wouldn’t be human if he didn’t. But he says that rather than feeling stressed about his new status, he’s excited by his new opportunity. Alcaraz will start against an old school Argentine dirtballer; Londero, 28, is ranked just 141st, but he has won a title on clay, three years ago in Cordoba. Alcaraz will need to be aggressive, and deploy his various weapons, to create some separation with Londero. Fortunately for Alcaraz, that’s what he does best. Winner: Alcaraz