We will see half of the first round on Day 2 at Wimbledon, which means a whopping 32 men’s singles matches on the slate. And, as always, our team here at LastWordOnTennis will share their thoughts on every single match with you. We split the 32 matches between eight articles, with the other articles featuring Alexander Zverev vs Alexander Blockx, Ben Shelton vs Otto Virtanen, Alexander Bublik vs Thanasi Kokkinakis, Alex de Minaur vs Roman Andres Burruchaga, Matteo Arnaldi vs Quentin Halys, Stan Wawrinka vs Matteo Berrettini, and Frances Tiafoe vs Terence Atmane. Predicting these matches are Amanda Bergman, Cizu Harbor, and Tope Oke. Who do you think will advance?
Wimbledon Day 2 Predictions
Taylor Fritz vs Dusan Lajovic
[Editor’s note: This article was written before Jack Draper withdrew, so some predictions still include his match.]
Amanda:
In probably the toughest first-round matchup in the entire tournament, it’s a brutal draw for both Taylor Fritz and Jack Draper. Draper had a solid comeback tournament in Eastbourne and has the home crowd on his side, but Fritz’s high level of comfort on grass and ability as well as in best-of-five matches should get him through.
Prediction: Fritz in 4
Cizu:
Easily the match of the first round, and quite frankly, a shame that we’re getting this match this early into the tournament. Fritz is quietly one of the best players on this surface, and while Draper’s ceiling and potential could be right up there with anyone’s, the feeling is that he needed a couple of matches in this tournament before a match like this. The British crowd will do their best to drive their own on, but I still can’t see anything other than a Fritz win at this point.
Prediction: Fritz in 4
Tope:
Dusan Lajovic enters this first-round clash as a lucky loser, which tells you everything you need to know about where the momentum sits. Taylor Fritz carries a career grass-court win rate of 66% against Lajovic’s woeful 26% on the surface, and the Californian is coming off a Wimbledon semifinal run last year. The Serb is a grinder built for clay, and on this turf Fritz’s serve, his ability to save break points at a superior clip, and his sheer comfort at the All-England Club should prove decisive. Expect Fritz to close this out comfortably.
Prediction: Fritz in 3
Damir Dzumhur vs Arthur Fery
Amanda:
Arthur Fery is coming into Wimbledon with some momentum after a good grass season, while Dzumhur only won in qualifying in the grass tournament he played. Fery is playing well right now and can make the most of his wildcard with this first-round matchup.
Prediction: Fery in 4
Cizu:
Fery, being a Brit, has spent quite some time on the grass at this time of year. The Bosnian, in comparison, has played only three matches, albeit winning a third of them. Fery therefore arrives with far better conditioning and has also impressed. Playing in front of a crowd firmly in his corner against an unfancied opponent is exactly what he’d have wanted, and he looks poised to capitalize.
Prediction: Fery in 3
Tope:
Damir Dzumhur’s grass-court record offers little reason for confidence having never reached the third round at the Wimbledon. Fery, by contrast, is riding genuine momentum and the belief of a man who already knows how to win on this stage after upsetting Popyrin here last year. The Brit should take this.
Prediction: Fery in 4
Valentin Royer vs Harry Wendelken
Amanda:
Wild card Harry Wendelken will be making his Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon, and this matchup is a good opportunity for Valentin Royer, who’s struggled to put together wins this season. Wendelken hasn’t played at this level before and Royer’s experience will likely be the difference-maker.
Prediction: Royer in 3
Cizu:
A match featuring two players who could really use a run of wins. Both players have struggled lately, with Wendelken only making it here courtesy of a wild card. It makes this one tough to call and not a particularly fun one to call. I’ll side with Royer in a match that is likely to be far from a spectacle.
Prediction: Royer in 4
Tope:
Valentin Royer arrives at Wimbledon with modest grass-court form and a second-round appearance here last year at least confirms he can navigate the surface. Harry Wendelken, handed a wildcard, made his tour debut at Queen’s earlier this month and pushed van de Zandschulp before falling in straight sets, raw, but not without promise. Royer’s ranking edge makes him the favourite, but Wendelken’s home crowd could turn this into a proper contest.
Prediction: Wendelken in 5
Jakub Mensik vs Toby Samuel
Amanda:
Toby Samuel has been quietly on the rise, punctuated by a semifinal run in Eastbourne, but Jakub Mensik is a tough first-round opponent. Mensik’s only grass match this season resulted in a loss, but this is a less tricky matchup that Mensik should be able to dictate.
Prediction: Mensik in 3
Cizu:
Toby Samuel has a strong serve and forehand, as well as impressive mobility for his height. The problem he faces is that all these things apply to his opponent, Jakub Mensik, and the Czech does them at a much more serious level and with far more consistency. In fact, the only thing going for the Brit is that he’s enjoyed far more time than Mensik, who played only one match before this. That’s probably why I see him maybe snatching a set.
Prediction: Mensik in 4
Tope:
Jakub Mensik’s grass-court form is a work in progress following a first-round exit at Queen’s Club. Toby Samuel, making his SW19 main draw arrives with momentum, however, Mensik’s class should tell, but Samuel’s recent form on the surface makes this a trickier opener than it looks on paper.
Prediction: Mensik in 5
Main Photo Credit: Andy Abeyta/Desert Sun/USAToday Network
