Ruud vs Safiullin Headlines French Open Day 2 Picks

French Open Day 2 men’s singles begins with 24 first-round matches, and three writers make their picks across the slate—led by Casper Ruud over Roman Safiullin, plus multiple forecasts in key clashes.

Day 2 of the French Open brings a full slate of first-round pressure—24 men’s singles matches, each one another step toward Round 2. The tournament’s best will be chasing the same thing: a clean passage through the opening round, when the margin for error is smallest.

This is where the momentum starts to look like destiny. MISRYOUM has compiled predictions from writers Zain Mustafa. Manuel Traquete. and Ilemona Onekutu. split across matches in this and other coverage. In this piece, the focus turns to four matchups—featuring the marquee pick of Casper Ruud versus Roman Safiullin.

The first clash pairs Frances Tiafoe against Eliot Spizzirri. Zain Mustafa frames it as an all-American contrast: Spizzirri’s point construction against Tiafoe’s flair. He leans on Tiafoe’s serve and movement to push him through, predicting Tiafoe in 4. Manuel Traquete points to Spizzirri’s injury struggles all season. saying he’s unlikely to reach a very high level. and he expects Tiafoe to win this first round as he moves into Round 2. His prediction is Tiafoe in 3. Ilemona Onekutu also picks Tiafoe in 3. arguing that Tiafoe’s aggression and athleticism can overwhelm opponents. even with Spizzirri fighting hard in front of home fans.

Next comes Jaume Munar against Hubert Hurkacz, a matchup that swings on how quickly Hurkacz finds rhythm. Zain Mustafa expects a long, topsy-turvy first-round contest on slower conditions. He believes Hurkacz’s serve could be the difference. but he also says Munar should handle the physical grind better. especially because Hurkacz is “still not quite back to the level” he was before injury. Zain’s prediction: Munar in 5.

Manuel Traquete goes the other way on pure talent but lands on the same match length. He says that at his best, Hurkacz would be the favorite, but he’s been far from that level. With Munar becoming “a very tough opponent to beat” in the past year. Manuel predicts Munar to score the win in five sets as well.

Ilemona Onekutu, however, selects Hurkacz. She highlights Hurkacz’s huge serve and the way he can dominate with his forehand on faster clay. Munar knows the surface well and “grinds effectively,” but Ilemona leans toward Hurkacz’s power and improving clay results, predicting Hurkacz in 4.

The slate then turns to Roberto Bautista Agut versus Brandon Nakashima. Zain Mustafa leans on history, saying Bautista Agut has had success in this matchup thanks to forehand consistency. But he adds that Bautista Agut is nowhere near his best level now. and that if Nakashima serves well and keeps the match backhand-to-backhand. Nakashima should have the success needed to win. Zain’s prediction: Nakashima in 4.

Manuel Traquete also picks Nakashima in 4, noting that Nakashima won this matchup with ease in Rome. He argues Bautista Agut looks close to retirement, while Nakashima has established himself as a solid ATP-level player—even if he doesn’t really enjoy playing on clay.

Ilemona Onekutu sides with Bautista Agut instead, predicting Bautista Agut in 5. She calls him a smart, consistent clay-court constructor who excels at point building, while she says Nakashima can get exposed in long rallies. For her, experience and tactics on clay are the deciding edge.

And then there’s the headline matchup: Casper Ruud versus Roman Safiullin. Zain Mustafa believes Ruud can shift the match quickly. He points to Ruud falling out of the Top 20. then says Ruud is back to playing some of his better clay tennis in recent weeks. He also describes Safiullin as an opponent with a decent backhand and an exceptional serve “if in rhythm.” Still. Zain’s prediction is Ruud in 3. saying Ruud will need to be sharp early—and expects him to progress.

Manuel Traquete lands on the same result. He emphasizes Ruud’s fantastic track record at this tournament and says he’s been playing at a very good level recently. Manuel also points to Ruud’s goal of reaching a third final at the French Open. predicting that it’s very unlikely Safiullin will be the one to derail him. His pick: Ruud in 3.

Ilemona Onekutu agrees again with a Ruud-in-3 forecast. She highlights Ruud’s clay pedigree, citing multiple finals at this event. Safiullin, she says, can play well, but will find it tough to match that consistency over five sets. Her prediction is also Ruud in 3, driven by Ruud’s movement and topspin controlling most rallies.

What stands out across these picks is how often the deciding factors are less about headline names and more about timing—serves getting into rhythm, movement holding up in physical stretches, and whether players can sustain their level long enough to make Round 2 feel inevitable.

Elsewhere on Day 2, the remaining 24 matches are split across five other articles, including Stan Wawrinka vs Jesper de Jong, Gael Monfils vs Hugo Gaston, Ben Shelton vs Daniel Merida, Tommy Paul vs Rinky Hijikata, and Rafael Jodar vs Alexandar Kovacevic.

French Open Day 2 men's singles Casper Ruud Roman Safiullin Frances Tiafoe Eliot Spizzirri Jaume Munar Hubert Hurkacz Roberto Bautista Agut Brandon Nakashima