For the LWOS panelists’ predictions of the Day 1 men’s matches, click here.
It’s Wimbledon time and our panelists will be bringing you predictions on some of the best women’s matches every day of the fortnight. For Day 1, LWOS columnists Niall Clarke and Linda Celia Ellis are joined by Pete Ziebron of tennisacumen.com.
Wimbledon Women’s Singles Day 1 Panelist Predictions–Including Bencic/Pironkova
Maria Sharapova vs Johanna Konta
Pete
As recently as 2 months ago, Johanna Konta was playing $25K ITF events (I saw her lose to eventual Champion Sofia Arvidsson in Surprise, AZ this February). Throughout the year, Konta has been able to take sets from Mladenovic, Gavrilova, and Pliskova before reaching the quarterfinals in Eastbourne last week, defeating #8 Makarova and #20 Muguruza before falling to eventual Champion Belinda Bencic. All eyes will be on the Brit as she takes on former Wimbledon Champion and world #3 Maria Sharapova in the first round. Following a tussle in the opening set, Sharapova steadies her game in the second set to win in straights.
Prediction: Sharapova in 2
Linda
This could be a tricky first round match for Sharapova. Konta is coming off a confidence building run at Eastbourne. Konta took out Makarova the #4 seed and Muguruza the #14 seed before losing to the eventual winner of the tournament, Bencic, in three sets. With no grass court tournament matches under her belt Sharapova could find herself in a battle with the home crowd behind Konta.
Prediction: Sharapova in three sets.
Niall
Bad luck for Konta here who after a very good Eastbourne run would have fancied a few rounds at Wimbledon. Unfrotunately the draw was not kind to the Brit and the chances of a good run are all but gone. It is hard to see how Sharapova loses this one. I don’t believe Konta has enough weapons to trouble the fourth seed.
Prediction: Sharapova in 2
Belinda Bencic vs Tsvetana Pironkova
Pete
One of the most anticipated matches in opening round of the Ladies draw features a red hot Belinda Bencic against Tsvetana Pironkova, a nemesis to 5-time Wimbledon Champion Venus Williams at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Bencic, the tournament’s 30th seed, is on a roll as she won her first career title on Saturday against former Wimbledon Finalist Aga Radwanska and also reached the final of yet another grass event in Den Bosch two weeks earlier. Pironkova reached the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2010 and is a threat to nearly everyone in the field. Four consecutive weeks of play on the lawn will ultimately be a bit too much for Bencic against a more experienced player. Prediction: Pironkova in 3
Linda
Pironkova is currently ranked #41 but she seems to shine on the grass and has knocked off high seeded players in previous years at Wimbledon. Benic played the final of Eastbourne with a heavily taped knee and with the short turnaround time she may not be completely recovered. I think Pironkova could take this in three sets.
Prediction: Pironkova in 3
Niall
Both players play very well on grass, and have seemingly come to life during this season. Bencic is fresh off her first WTA title in Eastbourne, so her form is perfect heading in to Wimbledon. Pironkova also had a good run to the quarter finals, and is a former semi-finalist at Wimbledon. I think Bencic’s form means the match favours the Swiss, but it should be close.
Prediction: Bencic in 3
Heather Watson vs Caroline Garcia
Niall
Both players are not in good form at the moment, having so-so warm up events. Garcia has the bigger weapons of the two, and I feel the match is on her racket. If she plays well I doubt Watson can muster anything up in response. But the Frenchwoman is highly unpredictable, and with the crowd against her could easily lose her mind. That said, I think the confidence of the doubles title will help Garcia here and she will prevail in straight sets.
Prediction: Garcia in 2
Linda
Although Garcia is ranked about twenty places higher than Watson on the WTA tour this should be a close contest. The pressure of playing in front of the home crowd at Roland Garros saw Garcia lose in the first round. Now the table has turned and her opponent will have the pressure of playing in front of the home crowd. Both players have a played a few grass court tournament matches so they should be comfortable on the surface but I give the advantage to Garcia who may be able to play a bit more relaxed.
Prediction: Garcia in 3
Pete
Caroline Garcia will be seeking to regain the form she showed earlier this year when she reached consecutive finals in Acapulco and Monterrey. Since that time, the Frenchwoman and #32 seed at The Championships has only gone 10-10, including a disappointing first round exit at Roland Garros. Heather Watson started 2015 win her 2nd career title in Hobart in January. However, like Garcia, she has not played well following her title, going just 9-12 since Hobart and 2-2 in two grass court events. The eventual winner of this match finds themselves in a very challenging part of the draw and should they survive the first 2 rounds, a probable meeting with world #1 Serena Williams in the 3rd round. Garcia is happy to leave the clay courts behind her and wins a hard fought match.
Prediction: Garcia in 3
Alison Riske vs Lucie Safarova
Linda
Safarova reached the final at Roland Garros so she should be playing with a lot of confidence. She did however lose in the first round at Eastbourne to Cibulkova but that was a tough first round match up. Safarova had a good Wimbledon in 2014 reaching the semi-finals before losing to Petra Kvitova. Riske is currently ranked at 44 on the WTA tour and really does not have any weapons to hurt Safarova. This should be a straight forward straight sets match for Safarova.
Prediction: Safarova in 2
Niall
Coming off her French Open final, it will be interesting to see how Safarova plays at Wimbledon. She has semi-final points to defend, but will the added pressure be too much? Riske is a dangerous player to draw in the first round, as the American is also very capable on grass. It will be a tough match for the Czech, but I feel despite a scare she will pass through.
Prediction: Safarova in 3
Pete
Historically, Alison Riske has played her best tennis on the lawns of England. This year however, she arrives at Wimbledon having lost three of her last four matches on grass and is only 11-15 on the year. Riske and Safarova did meet earlier this year, with Safarove winning 4 & 2 in the opening round of Madrid on clay. Safarova elected to play just one event on grass, an opening round loss last week in Eastbourne, but arrives at Wimbledon with renewed confidence from her solid win in Doha earlier in the year and impressive march to the Roland Garros final. Prediction: Safarova in 2
Dominika Cibulkova vs Daniela Hantuchova
Niall
A very interesting round one match here with Cibulkova making her return from injury in Eastbourne a few days ago. Hantuchova is not as a good as she once was, but is still a dangerous player to be drawn against first round. Cibulkova barely showed any rust when she defeated Safarova in Eastbourne, so I feel she might just pull this one out of the bag too.
Prediction: Cibulkova in 3
Linda
Although still capable of playing some great tennis Hantuchova is sitting at #72 in the rankings. Cibulkova is on the comeback from injury but in Eastbourne she played well enough to take out the #3 seed Safarova in the second round but then lost to grass court specialist Pironkova in the next round. I think the power, speed and intensity of Cibulkova will be too much for Hantuchova and I expect Cibulkova to come out on top in straight sets.
Prediction: Cibulkova in 2
Pete
In a battle between Slovakian Fed Cup teammates, Dominika Cibulkova enters Wimbledon shortly after returning from surgery. Her entry into Eastbourne last week was her first action since early February in Antwerp. Early signs look good for Cibulkova as the former Australian Open finalist defeated Safarova before falling to grass court prowess Tsvetana Pironkova in 3 sets in the 3rd round. Likewise, Daniela Hantuchova competed well two weeks ago in Birmingham as she reached the quarterfinals before falling to former Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki. Cibulkova’s eagerness to play tennis once again gives her the nod against her countrywoman.
Prediction: Cibulkova in 3
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