A few second round picks from Wimbledon today, and we've got a couple of genuinely interesting ones in the mix. Who do you think comes through?
Wimbledon Predictions
Alex De Minaur vs Adrian Mannarino
Head-to-head: De Minaur leads 5-1
Mannarino is one of the more creative grass-court players on tour, and his slice-heavy, low-bouncing game can cause real problems on this surface. That said, De Minaur owns this matchup, and the one loss in that head-to-head was a long time ago now. On a fast grass court, De Minaur's speed and ability to redirect pace makes him incredibly hard to break down and Mannarino simply hasn't shown he can consistently create enough to trouble him.
The five-set prediction feels slightly generous to Mannarino, but De Minaur gets through.
Prediction: Minaur in 3
Matteo Berrettini vs Arthur Fils
Head-to-head: Fils leads 1-0
This is the match of the day. Fils took their only meeting, but that was on a hard court and grass is a completely different conversation when Berrettini is involved. The big Italian serve, the heavy forehand, the ability to finish points quickly before rallies extend, all of it comes alive on this surface and he's a genuine Wimbledon contender when healthy. That said, Fils is an electric player and has been in good form, but he's going to face a different kind of pressure here than anything he faced in that previous win.
Berrettini on grass at Wimbledon is always dangerous and I think he finds a way to get through this in five, all things considered.
Prediction: Berrettini in 3
Valentin Royer vs Alexander Zverev
Head-to-head: Zverev leads 1-0
Royer is ranked 75th and has never made serious noise at a Grand Slam. Zverev, for all the questions about his grass-court ceiling, is the world number three and coming off a Roland Garros final. The big serve on grass gives him an extra dimension he doesn't always have on clay, and Royer isn't the kind of player to rattle someone at this level. Hard to see this being competitive at all.
Prediction: Zverev in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Alexander Bogatyrev/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire