With 64 players set to take to the courts at the All England Club, there should be plenty of exciting tennis on offer on day one at Wimbledon. As ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the schedule, including Elise Mertens vs Camila Osorio, Emma Raducanu vs Alison van Uytvanck, Maria Sakkari vs Zoe Hives, Ons Jabeur vs Mirjam Bjorklund, Katie Swan vs Marta Kostyuk, Danielle Collins vs Marie Bouzkova, and Anett Kontaveit vs Bernarda Pera. But who will advance?
Wimbledon Day 1 Predictions
Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Kaja Juvan
Jim: Will Beatriz Haddad Maia become the latest in a long line of players to have enjoyed great success in the lead up to a Slam only to crash out in the first round? It’s not unthinkable, with fatigue potentially an issue, but losing in the semifinals in Eastbourne probably did her a favour in the long run and she should be able to get past Kaja Juvan comfortably enough.
Prediction: Haddad Maia in 2
Yesh: Haddad Maia finally lost on grass this past week, falling in the semifinals in Eastbourne, but her 12-match win streak should firmly cement her as a favourite here.
Prediction: Haddad Maia in 2
Jakub: Haddad Maia has been an absolute star on grass, winning Nottingham and Birmingham before losing in Eastbourne semifinals to eventual champion Petra Kvitova. Juvan took a loss to Lauren Davis and retired against Lucia Bronzetti. The Brazilian has been an elite grass player and should advance to the second round.
Prediction: Haddad Maia in 2
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Zhu Lin vs Yanina Wickmayer
Jim: Yanina Wickmayer has been on the comeback trail in recent weeks and she has looked sharp most of the time, not least in coming through the qualifying at Wimbledon. If she can maintain that level, expect her to have just about too much for Zhu Lin.
Prediction: Wickmayer in 3
Yesh: Wickmayer has been M.I.A. for much of the last two years, but she was in impressive form in qualifying for Wimbledon. Don’t let the current ranking fool you. Wickmayer is likely currently a top 50 player, and SW19 is a great place to prove it.
Prediction: Wickmayer in 2
Jakub: Zhu beat the Belgian in their previous match in 2019 but lost both of her grass matches to Jodie Burrage. Wickmayer, a former-world #12, has been impressive in her comeback this season. Wickmayer is a strong player and should get her first Wimbledon win in three years.
Prediction: Wickmayer in 2
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Rebecca Marino vs Katarzyna Kawa
Jim: For a player with Rebecca Marino’s skillset, this is a pretty winnable match. Katarzyna Kawa shouldn’t be underestimated, but Marino’s big serve and powerful forehand should give her weaponry that the Pole simply cannot match.
Prediction: Marino in 3
Yesh: Marino might not have the success of a few other Canadians, and her career never really took off. Still, she moves well on grass and is in decent form right now.
Prediction: Marino in 3
Jakub: Marino managed to qualify for Roland Garros and followed it up with strong results, reaching the second round as a lucky loser in Eastbourne and taking a set off Jelena Ostapenko as a qualifier. Kawa successfully qualified for Wimbledon, earning straight-set wins over Sophie Chang and Leolia Jeanjean to be able to play her second main draw at a Slam after US Open 2020. The Canadian is the favourite for me and should be the winner here.
Prediction: Marino in 2
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Alison Riske vs Ylena In-Albon
Jim: Don’t be surprised to see Alison Riske go deep into the second week at Wimbledon. Yes, the American has not been absolutely at her best so far this season, including on the grass, but she seems to come alive at the All England Club and has a game perfectly suited for the conditions in SW19.
Prediction: Riske in 2
Yesh: Riske is a grass court guru who has struggled on the green this year. Still, she got a favourable draw to play her way into form here.
Prediction: Riske in 2
Jakub: Riske, a strong grass-court player reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 2019 and reached her third grass final in Nottingham this season. In-Albon is making her Slam main draw debut and looked decent, reaching the quarterfinals in Gaiba. Riske should be a big-time favourite here, potentially mixing it up in the second week.
Prediction: Riske in 2
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