Wimbledon kicks off on Day 1 and right away a host of men’s seeds may be in danger, headlined by Stan Wawrinka. Nick Kyrgios and Marin Cilic are also hoping to avoid being upset. Our panel of Yesh Ginsburg, Steen Kirby, and Brett Margolies are on hand to preview and predict the best 5 matches of the day.
(20)Nick Kyrgios vs. Pierre-Hugues Herbert
Steen: A knee injury has bothered Kyrgios lately, he’s ultra talented and his power is thumping on grass, but given he’s a headcase this match could easily get away from him. The steady drumbeat of Herbert’s serve should bother the young Aussie, in the end Kyrgios should win though. Kyrgios in 4
Yesh: As long as Kyrgios’ head is in this match, he’ll win it easily. Then again, that’s never a guarantee. Kyrgios in 3
Brett: The always unpredictable Nick Kyrgios will be taking the court for the first time since injuring his left hip last week against Donald Young. Wimbledon is a tournament the Aussie has always played well at and I don’t think anything will change this year. Kyrgios in 3
Denis Shapovalov vs. Jerzy Janowicz
Steen: JJ’s terrible work ethic has undermined his talent, the Polish player still has plenty of power and the ability to play aggressive on grass to win points. Shapovalov is a rising young gun, and his time will come to win matches like this, all of that said, his limited slam experience gives Janowicz a slight edge. Janowicz in 5
Yesh: Janowicz once reached the semifinals here, but his inconsistency eventually cost him. This is Shapovalov’s first huge chance on a major stage. Let’s see what he can do with it. Shapovalov in 4
Brett: Denis Shapovalov returns to Wimbledon as a defending champion.(juniors that is) This year he’s looking to make his mark at the pro level. He draws a player in Janowicz who made the semifinals in 2013, but he’s done nothing recently to make me believe he can get past the 18 year old Canadian. Shapovalov in 5
(31)Fernando Verdasco vs. Kevin Anderson
Steen: Both players are good on grass but in shaky form. Anderson has had an edge on faster surfaces, as his serve is a more consistent weapon than Verdasco’s forehand. Verdasco can be a threat in slams, but I have Anderson winning with tiebreaks. Anderson in 4
Yesh: Kevin Anderson has struggled recently, but his huge serve on the grass should be able to get past Verdasco in what should be a tight match. Anderson in 5
Brett: After struggling earlier in the year it seems that the big serving South African is starting to play close to the level that got him to number 10 in the world. When he’s playing well he’s capable of beating anyone, and I expect him to utilize his weapons on a surface that favors his game. Anderson in 4
(5)Stan Wawrinka vs. Daniil Medvedev
Steen: Medvedev, a rising young Russian, has nine wins on grass this year, Wawrinka has none. Despite his noted Grand Slam accomplishments, Wawrinka has never performed well on the green stuff, largely due to the fact his game is built for baseline rallying, not shorter points. Medvedev has the weapons to win this, and I’ll back his resolve to pull out an upset win. Medvedev in 4
Yesh: Wawrinka recently hired Paul Annacone to try and improve his grass game. Wawrinka is coming off a French Open final, which should give him confidence. Wawrinka in 3
Brett: I think this is a match that has potential to be the best of the first round. After making the semifinals in Eastbourne, it seems that Medvedev is capable of knocking the 5th seed out on day one. Medvedev still hasn’t recorded a win at a grand slam, and question marks on if he can last in a best of five match leads me to believe that Wawrinka will come through in the end. Wawrinka in 4
(7)Marin Cilic vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber
Steen: Kohli has a h2h edge in this matchup, but the veteran is not as sharp in terms of form, or on this surface compared to Cilic. Cilic is 6-2 on grass, and looks set to make a deep run this Wimbledon because of a favorable draw. He shouldn’t allow Kohlschreiber to disrupt that. Cilic in 4
Yesh: This is a very good first-round match. Kohlschreiber has struggled recently, but he moves better on the grass than Cilic. But Cilic’s power should be enough to pull through. Cilic in 5
Brett: After three consecutive quarterfinal appearances at the All England Club Marin Cilic is looking to go a step further this year. Kohlschreiber is a player that will force Cilic to be on his game from the start and look for him to do just that. Cilic in 3
Main Photo:
