Karolina Pliskova versus Maria Sharapova

In what is arguably the most intriguing of the third-round matches, Karolina Pliskova will square off against Maria Sharapova for a berth in the second week.  Pliskova may be seeded sixth to Sharapova's thirtieth, but most will look at this as a 50-50 prospect.  Neither woman has played particularly great to this stage, but both looked good coming into Paris.  Pliskova bagged the title in Stuttgart and made the semifinals of Madrid, while Sharapova posted notable results of her own with runs to the quarterfinals of Madrid and semifinals of Rome.  Each woman possesses some of the most lethal firepower on tour, and both are ultra-aggressive, looking to dictate play to avoid relying on their defense, which is the weakest part of their respective games. 

Suffice it to say, there is little to choose between the pair.  Pliskova definitely has the better serve, is more adept in the forecourt, and overall has a little more variety in her game.  Sharapova perhaps has a mental edge, however, in that she has won five majors – two of which came here – and did decisively win their only other meeting, which came in Fed Cup play three years ago.  Both are going to have to raise their games if they want to advance, and it is a close call to determine who is most apt to do so.  As the higher-ranked player, Pliskova maybe has a slight edge, especially since she is more match tough, but one dismisses Sharapova's chances at their own peril.

Marin Cilic versus Steve Johnson

Between the members of the Big 4 and the rise of a few impressive young guns, it can be easy to forget that there are others outside of those two groups, who are dark horse threats to make a title run here.  One such player is Marin Cilic.  The Croat tends to fly under the radar, but he is currently ranked Number 4 in the world and seeded third here in Paris.  He made the finals of Wimbledon last season and reached the final in Melbourne this past January.  His results have been a bit up and down throughout the first half of 2018, but he did play well in Monte Carlo and Rome, reaching the final four in the latter, so there is no reason to suppose he could not go far in the French capital. 

The man currently standing in his way is Steve Johnson.  Like most Americans, clay is not his preferred surface, but he did find success at some of the smaller clay tune-ups this past spring.  He reigned supreme in Houston and made the final four in Geneva before arriving in Paris.  He is the type of solid player that could trouble the Croat if he is off his game, and truth be told, Cilic has struggled a bit at the end of sets and when trying to close out the match through his first couple of rounds here.  That said, Cilic is a perfect 4-0 against the American, has vastly more experience at this level, and unquestionably has a better game, particularly from the backhand wing and on serve.  Assuming he plays within himself and does not press when the finish line looms, he should keep his pristine record against Johnson intact.

Angelique Kerber versus Kiki Bertens

The women's field at this year's Roland Garros is once again wide open, and two women still very much in the hunt for the title are Angelique Kerber and Kiki Bertens.  Unfortunately, for one of them, the journey will come to an end on Saturday.  Bertens, the eighteenth seed, is the lesser-known of the duo, but Kerber will be well aware of the danger she possesses.  The Dutchwoman had an astonishing run in Madrid where she came within a set of securing that prestigious title, and she is very much at home on the dirt.  She is a well-rounded competitor, who holds respectable rankings in both singles and doubles.  Furthermore, she is certainly the more offensive player, who enjoys a lot more pop off the ground and on serve.  She is sure to be the one making things happen out there. 

Of course, when at the top of her game, Kerber is one of the best at blunting and redirecting that power.  She is a former Number 1, has two majors under her belt, and after a dismal 2017, has shown multiple signs throughout the course of 2018 that she is steadily working her way back to championship form.  She will have to be at her best against Bertens, though, if she hopes to continue her ascent in the rankings.  They have split their two previous encounters, with each going the distance, but it was the German who won their battle here in 2016.  History is likely to repeat itself, provided she avoids becoming too passive, Kerber's consistency and wheels should be enough to frustrate Bertens and get the win.  But do not dismiss Bertens.  If she is able to maintain her own top level, she can take the racquet out of Kerber's hands to continue her own Roland Garros campaign.