Better late than never! Because of the rain on Monday, some of the women on Day 3 of Wimbledon will be playing two matches in the same day. And even though these matches were set on short notice, we here at LWOT are going to offer our predictions on them. We also have predictions for the matches that were set on time, in articles featuring Victoria Azarenka vs Nadia Podoroska, Jessica Pegula vs Cristina Bucsa, and Iga Swiatek vs Sara Sorribes Tormo. Predicting these matches are Yesh Ginsburg, Damian Kust, and Shane Black. Who do you think will advance?
Wimbledon Day 3 Women’s Predictions
Marie Bouzkova vs Anett Kontaveit
Yesh:
Kontaveit looks to be in solid form, and she’ll want to perform well as she prepares for retirement. She’s still got the game, and I don’t think she’s ready to leave tennis just yet.
Prediction: Kontaveit in 3
Damian:
The magic of looming retirement tends to bring out the best in players and maybe Kontaveit can enjoy a good run in her last event. I’ll count on it as particularly on grass, Bouzkova just doesn’t seem like that much of a threat, despite her quarterfinal run last year. Kontaveit should be controlling the rallies here.
Prediction: Kontaveit in 3
Shane:
Anett Kontaveit’s kept her career alive with a straight-set Round 1 victory. She now faces a significant test against No. 32 seed Marie Bouzkova. Kontaveit is the better grass player and should be able to dictate the pace of play. I expect her to keep this final tournament run going with a tight win over the 24-year-old Czech. Prediction:
Kontaveit in 3
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Belinda Bencic vs Danielle Collins
Yesh:
What a shame to see this in the second round of a Major. Neither woman is quite at their best at the moment, though neither is too far off. Even though she’s on shorter rest, I think the Collins game is a tiny bit better on grass. But this should be a good one.
Prediction: Collins in 3
Damian:
Bencic was a question mark coming into Wimbledon, but she managed to fend off Katie Swan with ease. The Swiss is usually fantastic on grass with her ability to redirect off low balls and flat ball-striking. Collins has the raw power to trouble her, but these courts will make it tougher for her than usual.
Prediction: Bencic in 2
Shane:
No. 14 seed Belinda Bencic gets a tricky Round 2 matchup against Danielle Collins. The former top-ten-ranked American does not have a lot of previous success on grass. Bencic, on the other hand, favors the grass as her best surface. Her consistency will force Collins to overhit.
Prediction: Bencic in 2
Rebeka Masarova vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto
Yesh:
Cocciatetto looked pretty impressive against Camila Osorio, which I wasn’t really expecting on grass. Masarova managed to finish her upset of Mayar Sherif (which I also wasn’t really expecting) on Monday, so she should be more ready for the occasion (even if this match isn’t played until Thursday).
Prediction: Masarova in 3
Damian:
Masarova had a great run to the quarterfinals in Bad Homburg just before Wimbledon, but then had to retire. Looks like she’s fine now though as he defeated Sherif in a long match. This isn’t an easy match for her against Cocciaretto, who might be a bit underrated on grass. Can Masarova’s serve be the deciding factor?
Prediction: Masarova in 3
Shane:
The winner of Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Rebeka Masarova will reach the third round at Wimbledon for the first time. I expect this to be a back-and-forth encounter, but I favor Cocciaretto’s baseline prowess. Prediction:
Cocciaretto in 3
Sloane Stephens vs Donna Vekic
Yesh:
Predicting Sloane Stephens is always an exercise in futility. The American can be the best in the world one day and then barely seem like a Top 100 player the next. She’s been somewhat more consistent recently, but is still impossible to trust. If her game is at its best, she should still be better than Vekic. But how can you guarantee that?
Prediction: Vekic in 3
Damian:
We’re yet to find out if Vekic is a bona fide contender this Wimbledon, but it’s an issue that probably won’t be cleared up here. The Croat has a lot of experience on grass and should be able to find another good performance on the surface. She’s definitely better suited to it than Stephens is.
Prediction: Vekic in 2
Shane:
No. 20 seed Donna Vekic squares off against Sloane Stephens in a blockbuster Round 2 match. Both women are solid grass-court players and picked up easy Round 1 victories. Stephens will look to be aggressive against Vekic, but she must pick her spots. Ultimately, I believe Vekic will do enough to bother the American into a high amount of baseline errors.
Prediction: Vekic in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
