Serena Williams versus Kristyna Pliskova

Out of habit, people automatically assume that Serena Williams is the favorite in every match she plays, and it is for good reason.  She is one of the greatest to ever play the sport, and prior to her hiatus for maternity leave, she was head and shoulders above the rest of the field.  Her legendary feats are why many are reluctant to count her out in Paris this year and will easily see her as the favorite in her opener against Kristyna Pliskova.  Pliskova is the identical twin of sixth seed Karolina Pliskova, but unfortunately for her, her success has been nowhere near identical.  She has only one singles title to her name and is currently ranked Number 70. 

Yet, if ever there were a chance for her to score a big victory over the likes of someone like Williams, it would be now.  Where the Czech has a few quarterfinal runs under her belt on the dirt this spring, Williams comes into Paris cold after withdrawing from both Madrid and Rome.  Furthermore, Williams has only played four matches all season, and is even at 2-2.  Again, it goes against the grain to bet against the American.  She boasts more firepower and the greatest serve women's tennis has ever seen.  She is decisively the better mover in this clash and enjoys a larger wealth of experience at this level.  So, while allowing that she is presently more vulnerable to an upset, more than anything, this match should serve as a barometer of what fans can expect from Williams at this event going forward.

Tomas Berdych versus Jeremy Chardy

The battle between Tomas Berdych and Jeremy Chardy is sure to be one to capture the attention of the home crowd.  Berdych, who has the somewhat dubious distinction of being considered by many to be one of the best players to have never won a major, has endured struggles of late.  He still comes into Paris ranked a respectable Number 20, but after losing his opening match at all three of the clay Masters events this spring, is unlikely to be feeling confident.  Not that Chardy is in much better shape.  Although he did make it to the final four in Turkey, he was relegated to playing a couple of Challengers before Roland Garros.  Additionally, although he has reached the second week at each of the four majors, he has not enjoyed nearly the same amount of success at the slams as Berdych, and he has lost all five of his previous encounters with the Czech. 

That said, the last two encounters were competitive four-set affairs at Wimbledon, and Chardy is someone capable of playing above his current ranking of Number 86.  They are in a very workable section of the draw, so it all comes down to who wants to make the most of the situation to hopefully turn around his 2018 season.  With the more consistent, powerful game and superior experience, Berdych is the natural favorite to emerge victorious.  But if Chardy has his game firing on all cylinders, he unquestionably has the tools to rob Berdych of a win and delight the home crowd by making something special happen in the French capital.

Garbiñe Muguruza versus Svetlana Kuznetsova

In a battle of former champions, Garbiñe Muguruza will take on Svetlana Kuznetsova for the right to move through to the second round.  It is with a sense of nostalgia that fans will hope this is a competitive match.  After all, Kuznetsova is a two-time major champion just like the Spaniard.  She is capable of playing tremendous defense and testing the patience of her opponents, and when at her best, possesses an all-around game full of variety that can unsettle any opponent.

Muguruza is the better player, however, as her being the third seed would suggest.  She hits bigger off the ground, gets more mileage out of her serve, and holds a clear edge in their rivalry at 5-1.  The Spaniard has a reputation for occasionally being mentally fragile though and given the string of early losses she suffered in the tune-up events for Roland Garros, has hardly looked like a favorite to secure a second crown here in Paris.  Her last match against the Russian was a close three-setter in Cincinnati last summer as well, so if she fails to play the level of tennis suggested by her ranking, an upset could be in the cards.  That may not be the most likely outcome, but it would not amount to a colossal upset if it did.

Photo Sources: Cameron Spencer,  Julian Finney, Denis Doyle/Getty Images Europe