tadley

Felix Auger-Aliassime has lost in the first round of the French in four of his previous six appearances. His general Grand Slam performances are worse than expected, and he's already gone out in round 1 of the Australian this year. Daniel Altmaier seems to raise his level in slams and often gives a good account of himself against higher-ranked players. I think he can trouble Felix Auger-Aliassime, who isn't playing well and has too often suffered from cramping during matches.

Kopriva is a solid, reliable clay-courter with recent wins over Andrey Rublev, Luciano Darderi, and Fábián Marozsán. I expect him to play to his usual level, which will make him tough to beat. Moutet doesn't look in good form, losing four on the trot and winning just one set. Unless he finds his very best form, he looks vulnerable in this one.

Baez has had a disappointing clay-court swing, 8??"10, after a fine hard-court start to the year. That's unusual, as clay looks his best surface. With the courts playing fast, his hard-court form could be vital. Burruchaga has never won a Grand Slam main-draw match, and the faster courts won't favour him.

Kalinskaya is just 1??"4 at the French Open and doesn't play an awful lot of clay tennis. Boisson is in poor form but has been out for seven months with injury. Last year she had an improbable run to the semis, and with guaranteed home support I expect her to give it her all once again and can upset a fragile-looking favorite.

Essex's opening pair made 110 between them, but they still lost their opening game. That's a worry, as I'm not sure what is expected from the opening pair to get a win. Hants were disappointing in their opener, going down to Somerset. However, Somerset are a strong side, and last year's beaten finalists can bounce back.

According to the bookies, Gujarat Titans are the second-worst side in the competition, but I don't see it. Jos Buttler is a concern after a poor T20 World Cup campaign, but he is too good a player to keep playing that badly. I see him enjoying the fresh start. Even if he underperforms, there are enough quality batters in the side to step up. I also like their mix of bowlers and can see them going deep.

Mumbai Indians look the strongest side on paper and should go well. They had the best net run rate last season but just missed out on the play-offs by one point. They have a wealth of batting talent to choose from, although perhaps they are over-reliant on Bumrah in the bowling department. That may not matter, as I see them posting consistently high scores.

I'm just not convinced by Boult at the moment and think Bumrah is a much more reliable option. You can guarantee he will play his full quota of overs each match and simply looks the best, most consistent wicket-taker.

Clare won in 2024, but last year it didn't go well. Severe injury problems probably took their toll. They look in better shape this time and can certainly mix it with the best.

Lancashire underperformed, finishing 5th despite having a strong squad. They've really impressed with signings over the winter, enrolling quality players at this level, so I see them doing a lot better than 5th.

Warwickshire finished down in 5th last season but were hampered by drawing nine games, the most in the league. They've strengthened their squad and look capable of a better performance this season.

Verstappen kept himself in the title race last season despite clearly not having the best car. That speaks volumes about his skill, which should see him once again go well this season. Despite him slamming the new regulation, it should be to his benefit as he has the skills to master the new designs. The Red Bull has looked very promising in practice, so I rate him as the most likely winner.