There should be no shortage of entertainment for the fans on day one at Wimbledon with 32 matches on the slate. As always, 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, Anett Kontaveit vs Bernarda Pera, Katie Swan vs Marta Kostyuk, Danielle Collins vs Marie Bouzkova and Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Kaja Juvan. But who will advance?
Wimbledon Day 1 Predictions
Ons Jabeur vs Mirjam Bjorklund
Jim: Ons Jabeur has bounced back from her shock first-round defeat at the French Open, winning the title in Berlin before enjoying a brief outing with Serena Williams in the doubles in Eastbourne. Mirjam Bjorklund has nothing to lose here, but Jabeur should have more than enough to see off the Swede.
Prediction: Jabeur in 2
Yesh: Jabeur stunned us all by falling at the first hurdle in Paris. I would be doubly stunned if she does the same in London.
Prediction: Jabeur in 2
Jakub: Jabeur is set to make her debut as # 2 in the world on Monday after she won the title in Berlin. Jabeur lost early in Paris, but I do not see a similar collapse coming here. Bjorklund has been on a steady rise over the past two seasons and is now inching toward the top 120. The Swede had not played any professional matches on grass before this month, but successfully qualified despite being pushed to a third-set tiebreak by Sara Errani in the first round. Still Jabeur should have too much.
Prediction: Jabeur in 2
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Irina-Camelia Begu vs Ekaterine Gorgodze
Jim: Neither of these players has much grass-court pedigree and neither has played a match on the surface so far this season. But Irina-Camelia Begu is the better player of the two and should be feeling confident after reaching the fourth at Roland Garros earlier this month.
Prediction: Begu in 2
Yesh: Begu is well past her peak, but she’s a solid player who will outwork opponents that can’t find her weaknesses. I doubt Ekaterine Gorgodze has the craft to handle her.
Prediction: Begu in 2
Jakub: It’s a tricky one to predict here as Begu enjoyed a strong fourth-round run at the French Open but chose not to play any grass warm-ups. Gorgodze is making her Wimbledon main draw debut and beat the Romanian in Madrid qualifying. Ultimately, I think Begu’s experience at Wimbledon and her third-round run here last season should make her the favourite, though it could be close.
Prediction: Begu in 3
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Lesia Tsurenko vs Jodie Burrage
Jim: This is a big opportunity for Jodie Burrage. She has played some excellent tennis in recent weeks and has been handed a relatively kind first-round draw. Lesia Tsurenko does have a wealth of experience, but she is not the force she once was. If Burrage can handle the occasion, she should be able to handle Tsurenko as well.
Prediction: Burrage in 3
Yesh: Burrage has been a British revelation this grass season. She should be able to continue that against a middling Lesia Tsurenko on the hallowed grounds of Wimbledon.
Prediction: Burrage in 2
Jakub: Question marks surround the Ukrainian veteran despite her quarterfinals run in Eastbourne out of qualifying, during which she upset Elena Rybakina, as she had to withdraw before facing Beatriz Haddad Maia in the final eight. Burrage has also had a good grass season, reaching the final in Ilkley and upsetting Paula Badosa in Eastbourne before falling to the aforementioned Brazilian. With current form and the crowd behind her, Burrage is the favourite.
Prediction: Burrage in 3
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Ann Li vs Lucia Bronzetti
Jim: There isn’t much in this match on paper. But Ann Li has probably been playing the better tennis of late, albeit not by much. Expect her to have just about enough to get past the Italian.
Prediction: Li in 3
Yesh: This could be a fun, evenly-matched battle between players similar in level and form. On the grass, I give Li the tiniest of edges.
Prediction: Li in 3
Jakub: After Li’s retirement from her first round at the French Open, expectations were low for the 21-year-old coming into the grass season. Li did not really surprise, perhaps outside of her win over Ludmilla Samsonova in Den Bosch. She could not have gotten a much better draw than Bronzetti though, who has never even played qualifying here and her only career non-retirement win on grass was over world #248 Justina Mikulskyte. Li is not really a threat here, but she should be winning this one.
Prediction: Li in 2
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