A few third-round picks from Wimbledon to get into today, and we've got a mix of a comfortable favorite, a genuinely tricky match, and one that's hard to call. Who do you think comes through?
WTA Wimbledon Predictions
Belinda Bencic vs Anna Kalinskaya
Head-to-head: Bencic 4-1 Kalinskaya
Bencic owns this rivalry pretty convincingly, and the one Kalinskaya win feels more like an outlier than a trend. Bencic has been playing some sharp grass-court tennis lately and her flat, low ball is exactly the kind of thing that causes problems on this surface. Kalinskaya has the weapons to hurt anybody on a good day, but her consistency can waver when matches get tight.
I think this goes three sets just because Kalinskaya will have her moments, but Bencic's experience and the h2h weight behind her should still find a way to get through here, all things considered.
Prediction: Bencic in 3
Aryna Sabalenka vs Jelena Ostapenko
Head-to-head: Sabalenka 3-1 Ostapenko
On paper this looks like a mouthwatering grass-court match because Ostapenko can absolutely demolish anyone when she's hitting clean, and Wimbledon is her favorite playground. But Sabalenka is playing some of the best tennis of her career right now and has become so good at not panicking when rallies get chaotic, which is exactly what you need against Ostapenko.
Hard to see this being competitive at all.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 2
Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Iva Jovic
Head-to-head: Alexandrova 1-0 Jovic
The ranking suggests Jovic is the slight favorite here and she's been impressive in stretches this season, but Alexandrova is a quietly solid grass-court player and won their only previous meeting, so this feels far from straightforward. Jovic is still young and her level can fluctuate within matches and Alexandrova won't give her anything for free.
That said, I feel like Jovic's ball-striking on this surface gives her just enough of an edge when she's on, and she takes it in three. We'll see.
Prediction: Jovic in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Rob Prange/AFP7 via ZUMA Press Wire
