The women’s second round at the French Open takes place Thursday in hot Paris conditions, with the tournament already producing several surprises. Top-five seeds Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula have both been eliminated, while other higher-ranked players have been pushed hard, reinforcing the depth and unpredictability of women’s tennis on clay.
One of Thursday’s matches features Julia Grabher against Amanda Anisimova at 7:00 EST. Grabher enters with mixed recent form, having played mostly lower-level events and failing to qualify in Rome. She did win her opening-round match at Roland Garros, but her overall level remains uncertain. Anisimova, meanwhile, is returning after nearly two months away because of injury. She won her first-round match in straight sets, but her match fitness and clay-court rhythm are still difficult to judge. Based on that, Anisimova is viewed as the more trustworthy pick, though the recommendation is to keep any stake smaller than usual because of her layoff. The preferred value angle is Anisimova to win in straight sets.
Another second-round matchup pits Maja Chwalinska against Elise Mertens, also at 7:00 EST. Chwalinska has been one of the form players of the tournament so far, winning four straight matches and eight of her last 10. Her first-round upset over Qinwen Zheng was one of the biggest early results in the women’s draw and showed that she is playing with confidence. Mertens, a top-25 player, has had solid but not spectacular recent results. Her losses have come against strong opponents, and she opened the French Open with a straight-sets win over Tatjana Maria. Mertens is the favorite on paper, but Chwalinska’s form suggests she can make the match competitive. The suggested betting approach is Mertens in a parlay, while Chwalinska +1.5 sets is highlighted as a value play because she looks capable of taking at least one set.
Ann Li meets Diane Parry at 8:00 EST in another intriguing contest. Li comes into the match after a straight-sets win over Shuai Zhang and has already posted strong clay-court results this season, including a notable victory over Iga Swiatek in Madrid. Parry, one of only two French women to reach the second round, will have strong home support and should benefit from the Paris crowd. While Li appears to be the steadier player, the home advantage could make Parry a difficult opponent. The article notes that an over on sets is possible, but the safer betting angle is Parry +1.5 sets, with the expectation that she can at least push the match deep or take a set.
Overall, the second round on Thursday reflects the volatile nature of this year’s women’s French Open, where form, injuries, and home support could all play major roles in determining which players advance.
