First-round action continues on Monday at Roland Garros, where Ben Shelton faces Spanish clay-courter Daniel Merida. An all-unseeded showdown will see Matteo Berrettini square off against a struggling Marton Fucsovics.
(6) Ben Shelton vs. Daniel Merida
Ben Shelton’s 2026 clay season has told two very different stories. He won the Munich event in April, becoming the first American man to capture a clay-court title above the ATP 250 level since 2002, but then dropped his opening match in both Madrid and Rome without much fanfare. The American has been candid about his struggles finding consistency on the dirt, and you could be forgiven for approaching this opener with some caution. But there is a case to be made for Shelton at Roland Garros, specifically. He owns a 30-11 record at Grand Slams, a 73 percent win rate that ranks fourth among active top 20 players, and he has said himself that he tends to produce his best tennis when sets four and five come into play. The best-of-five format suits him in a way the Masters 1000 circuit does not.
The opposition, though, is worth respecting. Daniel Merida is 21 years old, ranked 86th, and is in genuinely good form. He made the final in Bucharest and came up through qualies to reach the third round in Madrid. The Spaniard won the Tenerife Challenger in February and boasts a 28-14 clay record over the past 52 weeks at the Challenger and ITF level. There are no ATP titles on his resume, but his comfort on the red stuff is clear — and with Paris temperatures forecast to hit 90 degrees on Monday, a drawn-out grind in the heat would play directly into Merida’s hands.
Cheryl pick: Shelton in 4
Ricky pick: Shelton in 5
Matteo Berrettini vs. Marton Fucsovics
Matteo Berrettini is not exactly the name you want to see on the other side of the net at Roland Garros. Over his career on clay at the ATP level, the Italian has gone 70-28 — and that 71 percent win rate is no accident. His game, built around a huge serve and heavy topspin from the baseline, translates naturally to the red stuff. The issue coming into 2026 has been health. Berrettini pulled out of the Australian Open with an abdominal injury and comes into Roland Garros ranked at a modest world No. 107, having posted just a 3-2 record on the year.
Marton Fucsovics, meanwhile, has endured a rough season by any measure. The Hungarian is 6-10 in 2026, winning fewer than 40 percent of his matches, and is playing well below his ranking of 58th. Berrettini leads their head-to-head series 2-0, including a straightforward 7-5, 6-4 victory in Vienna as recently as last October. If the Italian is fit, Fucsovics is not the opponent who will expose any remaining vulnerability.
Cheryl pick: Berrettini in 4
Ricky pick: Fucsovics in 5