The third slam of the season is in full swing as the third round of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships wraps up on Day 6. The All England Club draw has given us some scintillating Round 3 matchups, including Elena Rybakina vs Caroline Wozniacki. As always, we at LWOT have our roundtable predictions for all the Wimbledon action. Damian, Jordan, and Yesh offer their insights.
Wimbledon Women’s Day 6 Predictions
Ons Jabeur vs Elina Svitolina
Damian
Svitolina made the semifinals last year and was making us think she might actually contend for a Slam title soon as she was playing such inspired, confident tennis with the flat-hitting aggression. It’s kinda disappeared since, but of course she’s not to be underestimated. I have to take the two-time Wimbledon runner-up though, she’s looking like a threat in London again.
Prediction: Jabeur in 3
Jordan
This is such an interesting matchup. Jabeur’s power and variety on grass against Svitolina’s rock-solid consistency. Although the two-time runner-up played well in the opening rounds, I am going with Svitolina to pull off the upset. Jabeur has struggled to be consistent for several matches in a row this year, and opponents with the consistency of Svitolina are the players she has struggled most against this season.
Prediction: Svitolina in 3
Yesh
What a match this should be. Two potential title contenders going at it in Round 3. A little disappointing for the players, but a treat for the fans. Both are looking very solid and comfortable, but I think the Ukrainian has the slight advantage with her ability to turn on more power in crunch time.
Prediction: Svitolina in 3
Bernarda Pera vs Jelena Ostapenko
Damian
That’s already a solid run for Pera as she’s usually not that dangerous on grass with her lefty topspin forehand being her main strength. She defeated one volatile big-hitter in Garcia and has another opponent who can often blow herself off the court now. But Ostapenko has been deadly in the first two rounds. She wants that Swiatek round four and will do everything to get it.
Prediction: Ostapenko in 2
Jordan
Pera, who had never won a match at Wimbledon until this year, shocked Caroline Garcia in the last round. That shows she is capable of soaking up power, which is the key to beating Ostapenko. The Latvian is also notoriously inconsistent, but she is a much better grass-court player than Pera at her best. Her power will almost certainly overwhelm Pera if she finds it consistently enough, and if she stays composed in the rallies when Pera gets balls back into play.
Prediction: Ostapenko in 2
Yesh
For perhaps the first time in her career, Ostapenko looks completely comfortable playing on grass. She’s keeping her massive power in range, which is a scary prospect for the rest of the tournament.
Prediction: Ostapenko in 2
Danielle Collins vs Beatriz Haddad Maia
Damian
The last season of Collins’s career is by far the best and it seems that she’ll be deadly even at her weakest Major. It’s tough to know what to expect from Haddad Maia though with the Brazilian having a more natural grass-court game, but overall this year being in pretty mediocre form. I might grant a small edge to Haddad Maia, it’s super close though.
Prediction: Haddad Maia in 3
Jordan
This is a really tough match to call. Haddad Maia has a better record overall on grass, but Collins, unsurprisingly because of how she has played this season, is looking more comfortable on the surface than she ever has. Yet, I am still leaning in Haddad Maia’s direction. The few extra points she gets with her strong slice serve on grass and her ability to get Collins moving might give her the slightest of edges.
Prediction: Haddad Maia in 3
Yesh
Danielle Collins is looking comfortable on grass for the first time, in the final Wimbledon of her career. That should be pretty important as she faces a grass-court talent who is untested this tournament, as Haddad Maia received a virtual walkover in the last round.
Prediction: Collins in 2
Elena Rybakina vs Caroline Wozniacki
Damian
Very fun that we’ll get a match between these two Slam champions as that didn’t seem like a possibility when Wozniacki retired a few years ago. She’s back and she’s slightly more proactive than before, which might make her a bigger threat on grass in her prime. But this is Rybakina we’re talking about and her powerful game will still make her a sizable favorite here.
Prediction: Rybakina in 2
Jordan
Rybakina being pushed to three sets by Laura Siegemund in the last round demonstrated how she sometimes struggles against players whose games are based on putting a lot of balls back into play. That means Wozniacki, whose success has been built on consistency, will not be an easy matchup. Rybakina has won a lot of matches in deciding sets this year, and I feel she might need to go the distance to prevail again.
Prediction: Rybakina in 3
Yesh
We are in for one heck of a battle between Elena Rybakina and Caroline Wozniacki. Given current points in their careers, Rybakina is just better on the grass. But Wozniacki seems to have a fire that hasn’t always been there since her return from retirement last year. The Dane might be playing some of the best grass-court tennis of her career right now. Let’s see if that’s enough to take out one of the title favorites.
Prediction: Wozniacki in 3
Main Photo Credit: Peter van den Berg – USA TODAY Sports
