French Open 2022: 6 must-watch 3R matches on Day 6 ft. Rafael Nadal vs Botic van de Zandschulp, Carlos Alcaraz vs Sebastian Korda & more
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will both be in action on Day 6 of the 2022 French Open. The two have sailed through the draw so far, but things will only get tougher from here on.
Carlos Alcaraz, who clawed his way back from the brink of defeat in the previous round, is also set to take the court on Friday.
Diane Parry, meanwhile, will continue to carry French hopes in the tournament.
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On that nore, here's a look at some of the third-round matches that you simply cannot afford to miss on Day 6 of the 2022 French Open.
#1 Grigor Dimitrov vs Diego Schwartzman
The third round of the 2022 French Open will feature a clash between Grigor Dimitrov and Diego Schwartzman in a rematch of their Madrid Masters encounter a few weeks ago. The Bulgarian emerged victorious on that occasion.
Both players have had vastly different paths leading up to the third round. While Dimitrov cruised past Borna Coric and Marcus Giron, Schwartzman was thoroughly tested by his opponents.
Having come through a five-set epic against Jaume Munar in his last match, the battle-hardened Argentine will now be hoping to flip the script against Dimitrov.
#2 Rafael Nadal vs Botic van de Zandschulp
With his performances in the opening two rounds, Rafael Nadal has put to rest any concerns that fans had about his fitness coming into this year's French Open.
The 13-time champion faces his biggest test yet in the shape of Botic van de Zandschulp. The Dutchman has quietly delivered one solid performance after another in 2022 and his straight-sets dismissal of Fabio Fognini is a testament to his growing confidence on clay.
This will be the first meeting between the two players.
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#3 Amanda Anisimova vs Karolina Muchova
Two of the tournament's dark horses, Amanda Anisimova and Karolina Muchova, will lock horns in a highly-anticipated third-round match at the 2022 French Open.
Anisimova opened her campaign with a straight-sets win over Naomi Osaka before taking out Donna Vekic. Muchova, meanwhile, scored a huge win over last year's semifinalist Maria Sakkari in her previous match, edging the Greek in two tie-break sets.
This will be the first meeting between the two players and will pit Anisimova's power against Muchova's versatility
#4 Coco Gauff vs Kaia Kanepi
This clash between former Roland Garros quarterfinalists has all the makings of a close affair. Coco Gauff has developed quite a liking for clay. Her movement on the surface and the extra time that the slow courts allow for her groundstrokes make her a dangerous opponent.
Kanepi, on the other hand, possesses enough raw power to hit through any opponent on any surface. Her dismissal of former champion Garbine Muguruza in the first round is proof that she is in good touch.
Gauff eked out a tight two-set win in their only previous meeting in Parma last year.
Another upset in the books 📚
🇪🇪 @KanepiKaia topples No. 10 seed Muguruza 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 to advance to R2!
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#5 Carlos Alcaraz vs Sebastian Korda
Sebastian Korda is the only player to have beaten Carlos Alcaraz on clay this season, doing so in Monte-Carlo. The American will be hoping for an encore when the two meet in the third round of the 2022 French Open.
Korda scored solid wins over Richard Gasquet and John Millman to set up a showdown against Alcaraz. The Spaniard also made a strong start to his campaign at Roland Garros, dismantling Juan Ignacio Londero. But he was made to work hard in his previous match.
Alcaraz saved a match point in the fourth set and came back from a break down in the decider to eke out a five-set win against Albert Ramos-Vinolas, thrilling the packed Simonne-Mathieu crowd with his unbridled enthusiasm and shotmaking. The win would have filled him with confidence and he will now be looking to exact revenge on Korda.
#6 Angelique Kerber vs Aliaksandra Sasnovich
The last time Aliaksandra Sasnovich beat Emma Raducanu in a tournament (BNP Paribas Open), she went on to take down another Grand Slam champion in the next round in the form of Simona Halep.
The Belarusian, who outlasted Raducanu on Wednesday, will have a shot at repeating the feat as she takes on Angelique Kerber in the third round in Paris.
Kerber is on a seven-match winning streak, having lifted the trophy in Strasbourg heading into the French Open. Incidently, she scored her second win over Sasnovich in as many meetings en route to the title.
Aliaksandra Sasnovich hit 45 winners to get past Emma Raducanu in three sets -- that's today's Stat of the Day by @Infosys
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😤 Aliaksandra Sasnovich hit 45 winners to get past Emma Raducanu in three sets -- that's today's Stat of the Day by @Infosys
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