Day 2 at the French Open features 24 men’s singles first-round matches as the tournament moves deeper into the opening stage and players begin their push toward Round 2. Among the highlighted matchups, Ugo Humbert is viewed as the clear favorite over Adrian Mannarino. All three writers point to Humbert’s stronger clay-court suitability, bigger serve, and greater overall comfort on the surface. Mannarino’s struggles on clay this season, including a losing streak on the surface, make an upset unlikely, with predictions ranging from Humbert in three to four sets.
Another notable contest pits Andrey Rublev against Ignacio Buse. The debate centers on whether Buse can carry the momentum from his recent breakthrough title run, which included a qualifying-to-champion surge in Hamburg. While Buse’s recent form and confidence have drawn respect, two of the three predictions still lean toward Rublev, citing his experience and stronger weapons. The third writer sees a realistic upset chance for Buse if he can maintain the level that carried him to his first ATP title.
Jenson Brooksby’s return to top-level tennis continues against clay specialist Mariano Navone. Brooksby has impressed by re-establishing himself in the Top 100 after his comeback, but the matchup is considered difficult on clay, particularly against a player whose game is built for long rallies and surface-specific consistency. Navone is seen as the safer pick, with all three predictions favoring him, though the projected scorelines vary from a tight five-set battle to a more decisive straight-sets win.
Rafael Jodar, one of the emerging names of the clay season, faces Aleksandar Kovacevic in another first-round match drawing strong attention. Jodar’s rise has been rapid, moving from outside the top ranks to earning a seeded position at Roland Garros. Writers praised his baseline quality, recent form on clay, and growing maturity in pressure moments. Kovacevic’s attacking style is noted as a possible challenge, but not enough to offset Jodar’s momentum. All three predictions back Jodar to advance, most commonly in three sets.
Overall, the Day 2 men’s predictions reflect a pattern common to Roland Garros: established names with stronger clay credentials are favored, but several matches carry upset potential because of recent form swings, breakthrough performances, and the unpredictability of a Grand Slam debut or comeback run. Humbert, Rublev, Navone, and Jodar are the leading projected winners in these featured contests, though Buse remains the most plausible candidate to surprise if his winning form continues.
