French Open – With Day 5 at Roland Garros turning on second-round matchups, predictions lean heavily toward Aryna Sabalenka over Elsa Jacquemot, Diana Shnaider over McCartney Kessler, Camila Osorio over Yulia Putintseva, and Maria Sakkari over Claire Liu.
Day 5 at Roland Garros keeps the women’s draw moving into a set of second-round matchups where momentum—and who handles the clay best—could swing quickly.
Aryna Sabalenka is set to face Elsa Jacquemot in one of the marquee clashes. Multiple predictions circle around the same idea: Sabalenka’s ceiling on clay is higher. and Jacquemot may struggle to bring the kind of weapons needed to trouble the World No. 1. One look ahead has it as a matchup Sabalenka should control, with a straightforward pick of Sabalenka in two sets. The reasoning is consistent—Sabalenka may not have been at her sharpest in round one. where she was broken multiple times. but she still advanced comfortably. For Jacquemot. the forecast is that she’ll likely be able to swing more freely. with less pressure. but Sabalenka’s level is expected to rise deeper into the tournament.
In another second-round pairing, Diana Shnaider takes on McCartney Kessler. Here, the predictions also lean toward Shnaider, with more than one forecast landing on Shnaider in two. Shnaider is described as looking convincing in the first round. while Kessler needed a comeback victory after committing a large number of unforced errors. The matchup is framed as a test of how long Kessler can stay in it—her serve is seen as a way to keep things competitive—but clay is also described as a surface where Shnaider should be able to control the rally quality and ultimately the match.
There’s a different kind of tension in the Yulia Putintseva vs. Camila Osorio matchup, where the pick shifts to Osorio. One prediction expects a gritty. physical battle. the kind of clash both players are built to endure—less about overwhelming power and more about resilience. In that projection. Camila Osorio’s mentality and relentless attitude are what tip the scales. with a forecast of Osorio in three sets.
Other previews emphasize how the match could hinge on whether Osorio can turn the contest into a physical. defensive battle and neutralize Putintseva’s aggression. The idea for this matchup is that on slower clay, Osorio’s game may fit slightly better. Putintseva. meanwhile. is described as having fought back in trademark fashion in the opening round. but Osorio is seen as entering in good form and pushing for a first trip to the third round in Paris.
The final prediction set in this slate points to Maria Sakkari over Claire Liu. Sakkari is described as the superior clay-court player at her best. and the forecasts reflect that belief. with a pick of Sakkari in two. One preview notes that Sakkari ended a poor run in Paris with a confidence-boosting straight-set win in the opening round and now has an opportunity to build momentum. Another projection adds a more specific storyline: Sakkari’s first-round victory came with confidence. and she faces a qualifier in Liu who could be fatigued after significant time spent on court since qualifying. In that view, the Greek is positioned to reach the third round.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
French Open Day 5 Roland Garros women's second round predictions Aryna Sabalenka Elsa Jacquemot Diana Shnaider McCartney Kessler Yulia Putintseva Camila Osorio Claire Liu Maria Sakkari