Day 5 at Wimbledon means the start of the third round. Who’s going to advance to Manic Monday? At LWOT, we’re going to give you our thoughts on every single Day 5 match. These predictions have four of the matches, but we also have the other four Day 5 matches as well. Predicting these matches for you are myself (Yesh Ginsburg), Tracey Essex, and Jim Smith.
Wimbledon Day 5 Women’s Predictions
Caroline Wozniacki vs Shuai Zhang
Tracey:
If the Dane’s solid service holds through this match, Zhang has absolutely no chance to win. But, as things often go with Wozniacki, she can fall apart during what should be an easy win, especially at a Slam. But this is the slam where she hasn’t yet made the quarterfinal, and I think Wozniacki is intent on rectifying that. Sure, there’ll be some nail biting as Wozniacki’s best eludes her, but Zhang doesn’t have the weapons or the experience to take out this caliber a player.
Prediction: Wozniacki in 2
Jim:
Wozniacki has exceeded my expectations by reaching the third round and her draw is now looking relatively open. A first Wimbledon quarterfinal is far from impossible for the Dane then. But she will need to be at her best to beat Zhang, who is in fine form and yet to drop a set. But for the first time in a long time, Wozniacki really is playing something close to her best tennis.
Prediction: Wozniacki in 3
Yesh:
Wozniacki has had some blips this tournament, but her level has been pretty solid overall. She now has added power to her game that she didn’t used to have, and her movement on the grass looks fine. More importantly, though, Zhang doesn’t have the power to make Wozniacki uncomfortable at all.
Prediction: Wozniacki in 2
Su-Wei Hsieh vs Karolina Pliskova
Tracey:
Karolina Pliskova hasn’t dropped a set in London. Perhaps her confidence was bolstered by her success in Eastbourne and it’s carried over into Wimbledon. Seems the Czech is at the top of her game and it’ll take quite a bit before she’ll be bounced from a match. Hsieh Su-wei hasn’t dropped a set yet, besting both Jelena Ostapenko and Kirsten Flipkins. The Taiwanese has the guile and craft that’ll prove difficult for Pliskova. But, Pliskova has the power to blow Hsieh right off the court.
Prediction: Pliskova in 3
Jim:
Pliskova might rightly count amongst the favourites for the title this fortnight, but this is a dangerous match for her, make no mistake about it. Hsieh is a giant-killer extraordinaire and her crafty game is particularly effective on the grass. That said, if Pliskova can keep her head and find her first serve reliably, she should have just enough to blast past Hsieh.
Prediction: Pliskova in 3
Yesh:
Pliskova looks in great form, and she absolutely dominated Monica Puig in the last round. Hsieh provides a very different type of challenge, though. Her game has variety that can throw off the Czech. Still, I think Pliskova’s game is too strong right now, no matter what slices she has thrown at it.
Prediction: Pliskova in 2
Dayana Yastremska vs Viktorija Golubic
Tracey:
Just last week, Yastremska defeated Golubic in Eastbourne. Their styles are so similar and I’m sure Golubic has already visited her missed opportunities in Eastbourne. But, buoyed by knocking out the #27 seed Sofia Kenin, I like Yastremska for the win.
Prediction: Yastremska in 3
Jim:
Yastremska’s win over the in-form Sofia Kenin was one of the most impressive of the tournament so far. The big-hitting Ukrainian has the game to do some real damage this fortnight. Golubic has enjoyed a fine run herself, but it is hard to see how she can overcome the power of Yastremska.
Prediction: Yastremska in 2
Yesh:
Yastremska is better than Golubic and in good form. On top of that, she just beat Golubic last week. And the match wasn’t close. Yastremska will have all of the confidence here.
Prediction: Yastremska in 2
Polona Hercog vs Coco Gauff
Tracey:
Polona Hercog pulled off an amazing upset, exiting Madison Keys in two easy sets. It’s not altogether that surprising since the American has never fared well on grass. Cori “Coco” Gauff seems to be thriving at Wimbledon. The 15-year-old has such easy power and a strong serve. Most important, it seems the teen can pick apart her opponent’s game and change her own to exploit weaknesses. Hercog has never advanced past the third round at a Major. And, I expect that won’t change.
Prediction: Gauff in 2
Jim:
What a story Gauff has been. Perhaps even more impressive than her stunning victory over Venus Williams was the manner in which she backed it up against Magdalena Rybarikova. She will take some stopping. Hercog, meanwhile, has been playing some excellent tennis in her own right, halting the challenge of Madison Keys decisively. But will she be able to live with the power of Gauff? I don’t think so.
Prediction: Gauff in 2
Yesh:
Beating a struggling Venus Williams was quite a challenge for Gauff. We can’t underestimate that. But a much greater challenge was backing it up against a very good grass courter. She’s comfortable with herself on court and with how she plays. She now gets a matchup against Polona Hercog, a player with definite weaknesses. Gauff’s story should continue until Manic Monday, at the very least.
Prediction: Gauff in 2
Main Photo:
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