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French Open Odds: Day 5 Preview and Picks
By Charles Bricker
Covers.com

No. 31 Mikhail Youzhny (-175) vs. No. 39 Robin Haase (+125)

Haase is at a career best ranking and off to a good Roland Garros start with an easy win over Ivan Dodig. Youzhny, meanwhile, easily handled James Blake. The Russian is 15-7 for the year, while Haase is at 13-12. Haase has no dominating weapon, just a very solid and complete game. Youzhny's streakiness is a product of his emotional play.

Pick: Haase

No. 29 Bernard Tomic (-120) vs. No. 50 Santiago Giraldo (-120)

Tomic, just 19, beat Giraldo a couple weeks ago in a three-setter in Rome and this is a chance for him to make a bigger statement by reaching the third round of the French. He's young and immensely talented, but he's had a very nondescript clay season. Giraldo is a South American who feels more at home on clay than hardcourts. His last three losses all are split-sets.

Pick: Tomic

No. 84 Sergiy Stakhovsky (+200) vs. No. 112 Tommy Haas (-294)

You don't want sentiment to get in the way of your prediction process, although you have to like the way Haas started with a four-set win over Filippo Volandri. He'll never make top-20 again, but his experience will carry him by his Ukrainian foe, who had a very big opening round win over countryman Alexander Dolgopolov.

Pick: Haas