2016 French Open Men’s Singles Semifinals Expert Picks and Predictions

And then there were four. The 2016 French Open Semifinals features the best and brightest of the Men’s Singles Draw after a gruelling tournament on clay. There’s defending champion Stan Wawrinka taking on Andy Murray, while world No. 1 Novak Djokovic takes on young up-and-comer Dominic Thiem.

This is the point of the tournament in which it’s difficult to pick the winner with just the best of the best left. Read on as we take a look at what the experts have to say heading into the semifinals of Roland Garros.

For an in-depth look at each of the matches, check out our complete previews for Djokovic vs. Thiem and Murray vs. Wawrinka.

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Experts Picks and Predictions for the 2016 French Open Men’s Singles Semifinals

Bleacher Report

Expert | Prediction
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett | Djokovic
Jeremy Eckstein | Murray

It’s not going to be an easy match for Novak Djokovic, despite him being 2-0 against Dominic Thiem. The world No. 1 last met his opponent at the 2016 Miami Open, fending off 14 break point opportunities. Djokovic took the match in straight sets, but Thiem will be encouraged at how well he played the former.

Djoker has just one set in his current run at Roland Garros. He may struggle to keep up with the 22-year-old’s energy heading already this deep into the tournament. Thiem has played much like a future Grand Slam champion. Incredibly athletic, the Austrian could match Djokovic’s ferocity in rallies.

Alas, Thiem won’t win his first Grand Slam title this year, Merlisa Lawrence Corbett of Bleacher Report believes. Djokovic’s experience should carry him to another French Open final.

Jeremy Eckstein takes a look at the other half of the Men’s Singles semifinals, a match between Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka. Murray holds an 8-7 edge in 15 head-to-head meetings, but Wawrinka has won each of the past three. The powerful Swiss won the two meetings on clay in 2008 and 2013. Slower courts seem to help Wawrinka wind up on his bigger strokes.

Wawrinka won the French Open last year, his second career Grand Slam title. However, Eckstein believes that Murray has been lights out in this tournament. The Scot should be steadier under pressure en route to a four-set victory.

Sports Chat Place

Expert | Picks
Randy Chambers | Djokovic & Murray

Randy Chambers likes Andy Murray to advance to his first career French Open final. The head-to-head record favors Wawrinka due to the Swiss wining the past three matches. But Murray is playing the better, cleaner tennis in the French Open. He’s showing signs that he’s reaching his peak form at the perfect time at Roland Garros.

Chambers is also going with the higher seed in the other semifinal match, picking Novak Djokovic tobeat 22-year-old Dominic Thiem. The Austrian is playing the best tennis of his life, and has plenty of recent success against top-10 players. But the world No. 1 is still a massive step up from any of the players Thiem has played against in Paris.

Armed with these experts’ picks, it’s time to create a betting account and get in on the business end of the French Open.