The All England Club moves into its second week as Day 7 at Wimbledon provides us with four women looking to punch their spot in the quarterfinals. A loaded slate is on deck, paced by No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner squaring off against American Ben Shelton. As always, we at LWOT have roundtable predictions for all Grand Slam action. Shane and Damian offer their insights.
Wimbledon Day 7 Men’s Predictions
Grigor Dimitrov vs Daniil Medvedev
Shane
Medvedev will have less than 24 hours to recover from his win over Struff, something to monitor if this match goes the distance. Dimitrov came from two sets down against Shang in Round 2 and has been in control since. He hugs the baseline well and will have success pushing Medvedev deep into the court. However, the Russian does not mind playing in that role. Look for Medvedev’s serve to be the difference in a tight encounter that will certainly feature a tiebreak or two.
Prediction: Medvedev in 5
Damian
Dimitrov went two sets to love down against Shang in the second round, but got out of that and has been serving incredibly well throughout the event. It can be enough to defeat Medvedev, who was still fighting to make this round with Struff yesterday. The Bulgarian’s killer slice is also a tool that can help him against his particular opponent.
Prediction: Dimitrov in 5
Carlos Alcaraz vs Ugo Humbert
Shane
Reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz once again won a five-setter in the previous round against Tiafoe. Typically after those long matches, the Spaniard bounces back with a strong performance. Humbert is a solid grass-court player and is having a great season, but Alcaraz has his sights on the final Sunday.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 3
Damian
Alcaraz wasn’t at his best against Tiafoe, but he remains one of the favorites for the title. Humbert is a potentially dangerous opponent though with a game that’s extremely well-suited to this surface. He’ll shoot his shots and go for that flat-hitting aggression, but it likely won’t be enough to win three sets.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 4
Tommy Paul vs Roberto Bautista Agut
Shane
Tommy Paul is one of the least talked about top 15 players in the world. After winning a five-setter in Round 2, he responded by dropping just nine games in his win over Bublik. Bautista Agut is coming off a five-setter against Fognini, making me question if he’ll have the legs to compete against one of the most athletic players on tour. Paul should win enough free points on serve to comfortably cruise into the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time.
Prediction: Paul in 4
Damian
Bautista Agut survived an amazing battle with Fognini and at this stage of his career, you gotta wonder if it won’t take its toll physically. He has already played one Grand Slam round four with Paul where he wasn’t at his freshest. The recent Queen’s champion is so solid and won’t be put under pressure here in the same way that Virtanen almost got him in the second round.
Prediction: Paul in 4
Jannik Sinner vs Ben Shelton
Shane
After a tough four-setter against Berrettini in the second round, Sinner dispatched Kecmanovic in straights last round. Shelton, on the other hand, has played 15 sets in the first three rounds (on top of playing doubles). The American has a game perfectly suited for grass, but Sinner is one of the best returners in the game. I trust the Italian in this one. He has proven to buckle down in tiebreaks.
Prediction: Sinner in 4
Damian
Shelton might be knackered by the time he gets to this one and he was already struggling a little bit vs Shapovalov. It’s a shame, because the American’s playstyle usually allows him to keep any match close regardless of the quality of the opponents. Winning three sets against Sinner right now is an incredible challenge anyway.
Prediction: Sinner in 4
Main Photo Credit: Peter van den Berg – USA TODAY Sports
