Tatjana Maria vs. Elise Mertens - French Open prediction, form, head-to-head

Meeting for the 2nd clip connected clay successful a singles match, Tatjana Maria and Elise Mertens quadrate disconnected successful the opening circular of the French Open.

Heading into the 2nd Grand Slam of the year, the German exited the Morocco Open successful consecutive sets versus Yasmne Kabbaj 2-6 4-6, portion Mertens mislaid to Mirra Andreeva successful the past 16 of the Italian Open 3-6 3-6.

Match preview

Beginning with this match, Tatjana Maria volition anticipation to rotation backmost the years and reclaim immoderate of her magic from past large tournaments.

The 2018 Wimbledon quarter-finalist has not fared truthful good astatine these large events lately, exiting successful the opening circular of her past 4 Grand Slam singles tournaments.

Roland-Garros has not been an perfect aboveground for her, with Maria losing her opening-round lucifer astatine this tourney successful each of her erstwhile six appearances.

She has, however, precocious beyond her archetypal lucifer successful 3 of her past 4 singles events connected the WTA tour, with her champion showing of the twelvemonth coming successful France, reaching the semi-finals of the Rouen Open connected clay.

So acold this year, she has won 64.7% of her work games and been capable to seizure 65% of her archetypal serves.

For arsenic overmuch powerfulness arsenic she boasts connected her serve, she tin beryllium prone to conscionable arsenic galore errors, with 80 aces and 46 treble faults successful 2026.

Elise Mertens is hoping for a redemption communicative of her ain astatine Roland-Garros this twelvemonth aft a astonishment opening-round exit successful 2025.

That was the lone clip successful her past 9 appearances astatine this lawsuit that she went retired that early, portion she has made it to circular 4 doubly this decade.

In 12 of her past 13 Grand Slam appearances, she has precocious beyond her opening match, making it into the 4th circular 4 times.

The almighty Belgian has not mislaid an opening-round outing connected circuit this year, reaching the past 16 successful 2 of her past 3 singles tournaments connected clay.

Her work crippled has been coagulated each twelvemonth round, winning 74.4% of her work games wide and 70.7% of her archetypal serves.

On the other end, Mertens has won 39% of her instrumentality points successful 2026 and has been capable to person 50% of her interruption points.

Head To Head

Porsche Open (2024) - First Round: Mertens wins 6-1 4-6 6-0

Singapore Open (2025) - Second Round: Mertens wins 6-7 6-3 6-1

When these 2 archetypal met successful Maria’s location country, it was Mertens who came retired connected top, acknowledgment to winning 85% of her first-serve points.

The pursuing year, successful Singapore, the Belgian triumphed successful different adjacent lucifer by converting six of her interruption points, portion Maria managed lone two.

We say: Mertens to triumph successful 3 sets

While Maria tin marque things interesting, we judge Mertens is simply a small much battle-tested successful these spots, which should powerfulness her done if the going gets tough.