It promises to be an entertaining first day at the Championships with 64 players in first-round action. As ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match, including Taylor Fritz vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Carlos Alcaraz vs Fabio Fognini, 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 book their spot in the second round at Wimbledon?
Wimbledon Day 1 Predictions
Frances Tiafoe vs Elmer Moller
Ateet: Frances Tiafoe put in an inspired performance against Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 Wimbledon, only to ultimately fall short against the eventual champion, and will be looking to display that level again. He has an easy first-round matchup against Elmer Moller, who hasn’t played on grass this season. It should be a comfortable win for the American player.
Prediction: Tiafoe in 3
Damian: Tough to say what Moller will be able to produce on grass as usually his serve and forehand don’t survive under pressure in quicker conditions. Tiafoe is not untouchable but his motivation and intensity go up a little bit at the Slams. Maybe Moller will have a set of peak backhands, just hard to imagine an upset in the long run.
Prediction: Tiafoe in 4
Ilemona: Moller will be dangerous if he serves well and keeps points short. Tiafoe’s game suits grass, but he’s been up and down this season. If this turns into a scrap, it could get uncomfortable.
Prediction: Tiafoe in 4
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Francisco Cerundolo vs Nuno Borges
Ateet: Grass is not the favourite surface of either player, but both are good enough to play at a high level. Francisco Cerundolo played just one grass-court event before this, where he lost in the first round. Nuno Borges arrives with much better preparation, but he is still quite inexperienced on this surface. Cerundolo has beaten the Portuguese player before at this tournament and is again the slight favourite for me.
Prediction: Cerundolo in 5
Damian: Both players have been fine this season, but grass isn’t their best surface. Cerundolo has won an ATP Tour title on it before and has that kind of game where if he fires up, conditions don’t really matter anymore. Especially in the best-of-five format, you can see him dropping a horrible set but still having enough time to lock in.
Prediction: Cerundolo in 4
Ilemona: Neither player is a natural on grass, which makes this a bit of a toss-up. Borges has a solid baseline game, while Cerundolo might look to take a few more risks. Whoever adapts quicker should pull ahead.
Prediction: Cerundolo in 5
Alexei Popyrin vs Arthur Fery
Ateet: 22-year-old Arthur Fery has never won a tour-level match in his career and has the stern challenge of doing so against Alexei Popyrin, who is a much more established player and has a dangerous game. Popyrin has the advantage in this matchup, but Fery might be able to feed off the crowd if he can make it close.
Prediction: Popyrin in 4
Damian: We’re still waiting for Fery to make good on his talent and while he’s not the tallest player out there, his touch and ability to take the ball early make him a dangerous customer on faster surfaces. Would be great for him to give a good showing here, but the assumption is Popyrin probably has enough in the longer format.
Prediction: Popyrin in 4
Ilemona: Popyrin has the bigger weapons, but Fery’s used to these courts and could make things tricky. If the Australian finds a rhythm on serve and with him serve, it might be one-way traffic. But the crowd could help Fery hang around.
Prediction: Popyrin in 3
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Tallon Griekspoor vs Jenson Brooksby
Ateet: Tallon Griekspoor is coming off a great week in Mallorca, where he won the title. This was his first ATP title since 2023. Griekspoor’s disruptive game is extremely challenging on grass, and he will be a threat to everyone. Brooksby is also in great form and plays well on this surface. It should be an exciting match with lots of first-strike tennis, but my prediction is in favour of the Dutch player.
Prediction: Griekspoor in 4
Damian: Both players reached grass-court finals this week, so at least they will be arriving in London at a similar level of fatigue. Brooksby’s season has been so weird with the historic Houston title, then nothing for two months, and now a big run as a lucky loser. You never know with his unique game, but Griekspoor is tough to make uncomfortable and is the favorite here.
Prediction: Griekspoor in 4
Ilemona: Brooksby’s awkward game can frustrate even the most in-form players, but he’s still working his way back from injury. Griekspoor’s been steady this season and has the tools for grass. This might come down to who handles the longer rallies better.
Prediction: Griekspoor in 5
Main photo credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
