It should be an entertaining first day at the All England Club with 32 matches on the slate at Wimbledon. As ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match, including Taylor Fritz vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Frances Tiafoe vs Elmer Moller, Daniil Medvedev vs Benjamin Bonzi, Joao Fonseca vs Jacob Fearnley, Holger Rune vs Nicolas Jarry, Matteo Berrettini vs Kamil Majchrzak, and Alexander Zverev vs Arthur Rinderknech. But who will secure their spot in the second round?
Wimbledon Day 1 Predictions
Carlos Alcaraz vs Fabio Fognini
Ateet: Carlos Alcaraz is on the longest winning streak of his career and is hoping to three-peat the Wimbledon. Fabio Fognini, on the other hand, is on a five-match losing streak in all competitions. Expect some dynamic rallies and shot-making in this one, but Alcaraz should win comfortably.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 3
Damian: Horrible draw for Fognini getting the tournament favorite in this opening round, but then again with his current form he wouldn’t have beaten 90% of the players in the field anyway. At least he gets to play his last Wimbledon match in front of a big crowd and who knows, maybe he’ll produce a patch of peak hitting to snatch a set? Unlikely, but possible.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 3
Ilemona: Fognini still has flashes of brilliance, but his best days are behind him. Alcaraz should have the edge in every department, though grass can sometimes throw up surprises. If Fognini finds rhythm early, it might get interesting—but only for a bit.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 3
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Nishesh Basavareddy vs Learner Tien
Ateet: The clash of young American talents is highly anticipated and is one of the best first-round matches of this year’s Wimbledon. Learner Tien is the higher-ranked player and has the experience of winning tour-level matches on this surface. Nishesh Basavareddy is still searching for his first grass win and might come up short again.
Prediction: Tien in 5
Damian: This was the top rivalry in American Challengers last year, although when they actually played it was typically Tien standing strong. Basavareddy always looked uncomfortable in this matchup with his opponent knowing how to make him spray. Should be fun, but recent form also suggests Tien probably takes it.
Prediction: Tien in 4
Ilemona: Both are young and still finding their feet on the pro tour, so this could go either way. Tien has looked a bit more composed in recent outings. Expect some nervous moments, but also bursts of clean shot-making from both ends.
Prediction: Tien in 4
Vit Kopriva vs Jordan Thompson
Ateet: Jordan Thompson has won his last four first-round matches at Wimbledon and has a good draw to make it five. Vit Kopriva has never won a match here, and his experience doesn’t compare to that of Thompson’s. This won’t be an easy win for the Australian player, but he should get it done.
Prediction: Thompson in 4
Damian: Thompson is a very good grass-courter, but his season so far has been interrupted by injuries. That includes Queen’s Club just two weeks ago, which makes this match pretty open. If Thompson is fit, he’s got the slice grinding game and a big serve to probably dominate Kopriva on grass. But it’s not a given at the moment.
Prediction: Thompson in 4
Ilemona: Thompson has had a decent build-up on grass, while Kopriva has struggled to adapt. Still, early rounds can be tricky, and nerves might play a part. If Thompson stays solid, he should come through.
Prediction: Thomson in 4
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Jan-Lennard Struff vs Filip Misolic
Ateet: Having failed to qualify for the main draw the last two years, Filip Misolic has finally done that and now has a solid chance of winning his first-round match against Jan-Lennard Struff, who has been struggling with form this season. Struff has won just two of his last 10 matches in all competitions. However, he is much more experienced at this level and has the game to thrive on it. I expect the German to raise his level and win this match.
Prediction: Struff in 4
Damian: Misolic is flying right now and even though grass doesn’t suit him that much, he was able to roll into the main draw with a brilliant win against Hassan. The pressure was on, he was rushed heavily, but he was so confident in the tougher moments. Struff’s form right now is not quite there, so maybe the Austrian will have a shot. But on grass this still looks tricky.
Prediction: Struff in 5
Ilemona: Struff’s power game can click at any moment, but his form lately has been patchy. Misolic doesn’t have the experience, but he might catch Struff cold if things don’t settle quickly. A lot depends on how well the German serves.
Prediction: Struff in 5
Main photo credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
