The great courts of Roland Garros in Paris will host the 125th French Open commencing Sunday. First Round coverage begins on the Tennis Channel tomorrow from 4 AM to 2 PM CT. Tennis Channel, NBC and NBC Sports Network will provide coverage throughout the fortnight in the City of Lights. What a setting.

On Thursday, June 10th, Tennis Channel will provide coverage of the Women’s Singles semifinals from 8 AM-1 PM CT . NBC will carry the action from 11-2 PM CT and NBCSN will provide coverage from 10 AM-1 PM CT.

On Friday, June 11th, Tennis Channel will broadcast the Men’s Semifinals from 7:45 AM-3 PM CT and NBC will have coverage from 11 AM-3 PM CT and NBCSN will provide coverage from 10 AM-2 PM CT.

On Saturday, June 12th, NBC will broadcast the Women’s Final from 8 AM to 11 AM CT.

On Sunday, June 13th, NBC will broadcast the Men’s Final at 8 AM to 11 AM CT as well.

Weather in Paris looks 70’s, 80’s with rain chance in the middle of this upcoming week, always some rain in Paris, but the temperature overall looks perfect.

Key storylines in the Men’s are, will Novak Djokovic get closer to Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer? If he wins at Roland Garros, it will be his 19th Slam, one shy of Rafa and Fed, who are tied with the all time lead at 20. Can Rafa win his 14th Open title? He won at Barcelona and in Rome at the Italian Open in early May, so his form looks good heading into the French. How about Dominic Thiem, a finalist from 2018 and 19. He’s got a shot. Daniil Medvedev is the No.2 seed, so people are believing in him. Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas is playing well and knocking on the door for a major and German Alexander Zverev is certainly a threat.

On the Women’s side, the big story is Naomi Osaka wants to not have to do press conferences. The French Open officials are planning on fining her $20,000 per skipped press conference. She seems to think it affects her mental game. When there are issues like this with a player, you wonder if they’re setting themselves up for failure. Ash Bart is the 2019 French Open champion, so she’s a factor as the No.1 seed. Osaka is No.2.

Here are predictions for the 125th edition. Awesome way to start the summer.

Men’s Semifinals

This is interesting because Rafa, Novak and Roger are all in the same bracket. So, I’ll take

Rafa over Novak 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3

In the other men’s semi

Dominic Thiem over Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5

Those will be some epic battles in the semis.

Men’s Championship, Sunday, June 13th, 8 AM CT NBC

Thiem, the 27 year old from Lichtenworth, Austria, is going to be a tough out, but I have to go with the soon to be 35 year old, turns 35 June 3rd, from Mallorca, Spain to capture his record setting 14th French Open championship and his 21st Major, to take the lead for now. Just don’t know if Roger at 39 and battling knee injuries these days can keep up anymore. Give me the fighter from Spain.

Rafa over Thiem 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2

Men’s Champion: Rafa Nadal

Women’s Singles

Semifinals

I’m going to take 8th seed ,Iga Swiatek, over No.1 seed Ashleigh Barty in the semis.

Swiatek over Barty 6-4, 3-6, 7-5

Other semi

Eleventh seed Petra Kvitova over No.2 Osaka 5-7, 6-4 7-6 (7-5)

Osaka is such a talent it’ll get her through many of these matches, but her head case actions at present will cost her against the 31 year old Czach who has reached the semis at Roland Garros in 2012 and 2020 and won Wimbledon twice, in 2011 and 2014.

Championship Match, Saturday, June 12th, 8 AM CT, NBC

I’ll take the soon to be 20 year old, she turns 20 on Monday, Raszyn, Poland native to go back to back at the French. She is defending champion after defeating Sophia Kenin last September, 2020. This is a real talent with a chance to do special things in the Women’s game and definitely be a major threat to Osaka in dominating the women’s game in the next 10+ years.

Iga Swiatek over Kvitova 6-4, 6-3

Amended Prediction for SEC Championship Game. Sunday 2 PM CT Hoover Met, ESPN2

Well my pick of the Vanderbilt Commodores didn’t work out. Still like them as a factor in the NCAA Tournament, but the Dores hitters were having an off day yesterday against a very good pitcher for the Ole Miss Rebels, senior right hander Tyler Myers. Looks like UT will defeat Florida in the semis, they are up 4-0 in the bottom of the 8th. I like the Arkansas Razorbacks to take care of business with Ole Miss in the nightcap.

Championship prediction

Give me the No.1 team in the country. They do it all and their stellar reliever, senior Kevin Kopps, is the best pitcher in college baseball. I like the Hogs to grab the lead and Kopps to close the deal and enable the Hogs to capture their first SEC Championship and gain major momentum heading into the National Tournament where they will be the No.1 seed. The NCAA Announcement Show is on Monday at 11 AM CT on ESPN2.

Arkansas 5, Tennessee 3

NBA Playoffs Change

This is not a change in my prediction of the Milwaukee Bucks over the LA Lakers in 7 for the NBA Championship, but I noticed that if the Bucks win over the Miami Heat today and they are up 3-0 in the series and leading game 4, 98-88 in the 4th Quarter, the Bucks will play possibly the Brooklyn Nets in the quarterfinals. I had the Bucks defeating the Nets in the semis, but they’re playing earlier. So here it is.

East

Bucks over Nets In 7 in Quarters

Bucks over Philly 76ers in 7 in semis.

West, the same.

Lakers over Jazz in semis

NBA Championship Series

Bucks over Lakers in 7

NBA Champion; Milwaukee Bucks

MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo

Stanley Cup Finals Prediction

Lost out on my Pittsburgh Penguins over Colorado Avalanche prediction as the Penguins bowed out in the first round to the New York Islanders. So here is my revised Stanley Cup Finals Prediction.

Boston Bruins over Colorado Avalanche in 7

Conn Smythe Trophy Winner

Most Valuable Player in Stanley Cup Playoffs

Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins