A few second-round picks from Wimbledon today, and the standout matchup is clearly Andreeva against a former champion. We've also got Bencic back on the grass and Sabalenka doing what Sabalenka does. Let's get into it.
WTA Wimbledon Predictions
Barbora Krejcikova vs Mirra Andreeva
Head-to-head: Krejcikova 1-3 Andreeva
Krejcikova is the defending champion here, which always counts for something at Wimbledon, and grass is comfortably her best surface. That said, Andreeva has won three of their four meetings and is clearly the better player right now, sitting at a career-high ranking and playing some of the most consistent tennis on tour. The h2h tells the story pretty well.
Krejcikova's game, with that flatter, varied ball striking, can absolutely cause problems on this surface and this won't be a walkover. But Andreeva has become so good at not panicking when rallies get complicated, and I think that composure is what pulls her through in the end.
Prediction: Andreeva in 3
Belinda Bencic vs Xinyu Wang
Head-to-head: First meeting
Bencic is back on tour and playing at a Grand Slam for the first time in a while, so there's always a question of match sharpness, but her grass-court game is genuinely well-suited to Wimbledon and she's looked sharp enough so far. Wang is a tough opponent who can hurt you from the baseline, but this is her first Wimbledon second round and Bencic has been here many times before. The experience gap on this surface feels real.
Prediction: Bencic in 3
Aryna Sabalenka vs Mccartney Kessler
Head-to-head: Sabalenka 1-0 Kessler
Sabalenka is the world number one and has looked dangerous on the grass this fortnight. Kessler is a solid player but there's no realistic path to an upset here. Sabalenka's serve and flat groundstrokes, which feel almost purpose-built for this surface, are perfectly suited to Wimbledon and Kessler has never been past the second round at a Slam. To make things worse, Sabalenka wins this comfortably.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Rob Prange/AFP7 via ZUMA Press Wire