Expect plenty of exciting tennis on day one at Wimbledon. There are 32 matches on the schedule and, as always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the schedule, including Anett Kontaveit vs Bernarda Pera, 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 Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Kaja Juvan. But who will reach the second round?
Wimbledon Day 1 Predictions
Elise Mertens vs Camila Osorio
Yesh: Bad break for Camila Osorio, who just hasn’t quite found her huge breakout yet. It’s coming, but don’t expect it here, as she has to play a great grass courter to start.
Prediction: Mertens in 2
Glenys: Mertens is the 24th seed for Wimbledon. In the warm up events in Birmingham and Eastbourne, the Belgian went out in the first round singles. However, doubles in Birmingham saw Mertens make the final. Osorio on the other hand has lost in the first round of the three warm up events in Nottingham, Birmingham and Eastbourne.
Prediction: Mertens in 2
Jakub: Mertens has been decent on grass in the past, reaching the third round or better at Wimbledon in her last three appearances but the Belgian has had a tough season, especially on grass. Mertens has gone 1-3 only beating Storm Sanders, who is mostly a doubles player while taking a loss to Kirsten Flipkens, for whom Wimbledon will be her final singles tournament. Osorio Serrano is tough to evaluate, as she had a great third-round run at Wimbledon as a qualifier last season but went 0-3 without winning a set on grass this season. It’s a tough one to call but I think Mertens will come through here.
Prediction: Mertens in 3
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Zhang Shuai vs Misaki Doi
Yesh: Zhang Shuai is in impressive form on the grass, fresh off a run to the final at Birmingham. She couldn’t finish that final, so her health is perhaps a question. But assuming she’s fit, she should win easily against Misaki Doi.
Prediction: Zhang in 2
Prediction: Keys in 2
Glenys: Doi has nothing to lose against 33rd seed Zhang. The Japanese was original due to play Madison Keys, but the American withdrew. Doi now has to prepare for a match against a different opponent. It will be a difficult match for Doi, Zhang will win in straight sets.
Prediction: Zhang in 2
Jakub: Zhang, a 2019 Wimbledon quarterfinalist, went to the final of Birmingham, a very solid grass court player. The 33-year-old was solid on grass and has a 5-1 record against the Japanese players. Doi had a fourth-round run here in 2016 but has really struggled this season. Since her semifinal run in Adelaide to start the year, the 31-year-old has lost 11 of her last 13 matches. Zhang should be the favourite here.
Prediction: Zhang in 2
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Clara Tauson vs Mai Hontama
Yesh: Clara Tauson is yet another potential star who just can’t find the breakout performances. She has as good a draw as any to start one here, though.
Prediction: Tauson in 2
Glenys: Tauson comes into Wimbledon with very little grass court match play. Hontama has already won three matches to make the main draw. Qualifiers can be dangerous in the first round, as they have the matches under their belt.
Prediction: Hontama in 3
Jakub: Tauson has been very unlucky, injuries plaguing her all season since week one. After rising into the top 50, the 19-year-old has only played seven events and none since Madrid. Hontama successfully qualified, coming back from a set down against both Lizette Cabrera and Lulu Sun in her last two matches. The 22-year-old will be making her Slam main draw debut and it could very well be a winning one with Tauson’s rust coming in and lack of grass experience. This match is a toss-up for me so I will lean towards Hontama here.
Prediction: Hontama in 3
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Maddison Inglis vs Dalma Galfi
Yesh: This might be the least-looked-forward-to match of the opening round. I think Inglis has more potential on grass, so we’ll go with her for now.
Prediction: Inglis in 3
Glenys: Hungarian Galfi won the ITF title in Ilkley in the run in to Wimbledon. Defeating home favourite Jodie Burrage, Galfi was top seed in Ilkley. Inglis played the Hungarian in Indian Wells qualifying, where Galfi took the match, but not before dropping the first set. However, that was on hard court, and Ilkley was grass.
Prediction: Galfi in 3
Jakub: Despite having a losing record for the past two seasons, Inglis has managed to keep herself in the top 150. She qualified by beating 36-year-old Mandy Minella and Natalija Stevanovic in the last two rounds, both 6-2 in the third. Galfi is coming in after winning the ITF 100 title in Ilkley, where she also beat Minella as well as Yanina Wickmayer or Jodie Burrage in the final. The Hungarian is a Wimbledon Girls’ Doubles champion from 2015, avenging her final loss from the year before. Galfi’s level on grass as well as her win in their previous meeting at Indian Wells earlier this year should make her the favourite.
Prediction: Galfi in 2
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