Day 3 of Wimbledon this year will see a lot more than the scheduled 16 men’s matches. Due to the rain the first few days, plenty of matches have been pushed off from Tuesday to Wednesday (and some of Monday’s matches aren’t done yet). We’ve already shared our thoughts on those matches with you, so today we present our predictions for the 16 Round 2 matches scheduled. We look at four matches in this article, and the other 12 are split between three other articles. One features Andy Murray vs Oscar Otte, the second headlines Andrey Rublev vs Lloyd Harris, and the third features Denis Shapovalov vs Pablo Andujar. Predicting this set of matches are Jim Smith, Damian Kust, and Steen Kirby.
Wimbledon Day 3 Men’s Predictions
Egor Gerasimov vs Karen Khachanov
Damian:
Gerasimov improved his awful grass-court record with a win against Clarke, but the rise in the level of opposition will be steep. Khachanov isn’t used to success at Wimbledon either but he dismantled a much more competitive opponent in the first round.
Prediction: Khachanov in 4
Jim:
Karen Khachanov’s career has stalled, particularly this year, but he still has the tools to achieve success in the men’s game. His power should be particularly well-rewarded on the grass. Egor Gerasimov can do some damage too and he proved too strong for Jay Clarke in the first round. But Khachanov has the better all-round game and should have the edge.
Prediction: Khachanov in 4
Steen:
The H2H is split. Gerasimov was a surprising Round 1 winner after poor form this season, although the opposition was a wild card. Khachanov isn’t exactly playing his best either, but he should be able to redline his game if needed to get through this.
Prediction: Khachanov in 4
Frances Tiafoe vs Vasek Pospisil
Damian:
While it might be hard for Tiafoe to follow up the stunning Tsitsipas upset, his match rhythm should be a lot better than Pospisil’s right now. The Canadian hasn’t been playing much, while Tiafoe went deep at Queen’s and won the Nottingham Challenger.
Prediction: Tiafoe in 5
Jim:
This has the makings of a very entertaining match. Frances Tiafoe brushed aside Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first round with the Greek clearly struggling to bounce back from the disappointment of his French Open defeat. Vasek Pospisil, meanwhile, proved far too strong for the clay-courter Roberto Carballes Baena. The Canadian’s willingness to come forward and his skill in the forecourt should serve him well once again.
Prediction: Pospisil in 5
Steen:
Pospisil won their only meeting, but Tiafoe played lights out against Stefanos Tsitsipas in Round 1. Pospisil is a good grass court player and has come alive on the surface. The Canadian is inconsistent but he can challenge Tiafoe here and Tiafoe needs to avoid a let off after the euphoria of his Round 1 upset. I expect Tiafoe to figure this out but it could take all five sets.
Prediction: Tiafoe in 5
Novak Djokovic vs Kevin Anderson
Damian:
It was a five-setter at Wimbledon back in the day, but Anderson’s not in the same form or health at the moment. His serve can still hurt, and he blasted 40 aces in his opener, but it will be a mismatch from the ground. Anderson is dangerous but he won’t be able to keep up the required level in this long format.
Prediction: Djokovic in 3
Jim:
Three years ago, this pair met in the Wimbledon final. Novak Djokovic’s stock has risen even higher since then, with the Serbian winning his 13th Major that day and adding six more since. Kevin Anderson, in contrast, has been waylaid by a series of injuries, most seriously to his shoulder. His serve remains a potent weapon and his groundstrokes shouldn’t be underestimated either. But it is hard to see him challenging Djokovic.
Prediction: Djokovic in 3
Steen:
Djokovic leads 9-2 in the H2H. Djokovic has three Wimbledon victories over Anderson, including a final and a five-set match where he recovered from two sets down to prevail. The first set against Jack Draper was a blip for Djokovic that he recovered from. Anderson needed four long sets in the first round and isn’t near his best tennis these days. Djokovic could be troubled but should figure this out by the end.
Prediction: Djokovic in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
