A few third round picks from Wimbledon today, and there's a really interesting mix here. Tiafoe against Bublik is the headline act, but the other two matches could go either way, so let's get into it.
Wimbledon Predictions
Frances Tiafoe vs Alexander Bublik
Head-to-head: First meeting
This is a first meeting between the two, but Tiafoe on grass is a different animal to Tiafoe on any other surface. He moves well on it, he's aggressive off the return and the pace of the conditions lets him take the ball early in a way that genuinely troubles bigger servers. Bublik is obviously dangerous with that serve and the trick shots, but his grass results have been inconsistent and Tiafoe's energy and athleticism make him a nightmare matchup for players who rely on free points.
Tiafoe wins this one pretty comfortably, I think.
Prediction: Tiafoe in 3
Karen Khachanov vs Flavio Cobolli
Head-to-head: Khachanov 1-0 Cobolli
Khachanov took the only meeting between them and he's the far more experienced player on this surface, but Cobolli has been playing some of the best tennis of his career and his ranking reflects a real improvement in his game, not just a good run. That said, grass tends to reward Khachanov's flat, direct hitting and his serve, which has looked particularly sharp in the early rounds, is a genuine weapon on these courts in a way it isn't on slower surfaces.
It'll be close, but Khachanov's grass pedigree should be the difference over five sets.
Prediction: Khachanov in 3
Jiri Lehecka vs Jaume Antoni Munar Clar
Head-to-head: Lehecka 2-1 Munar Clar
Lehecka leads the head-to-head and is the higher ranked player, but Munar Clar has been quietly solid this season and isn't going to make this easy. The problem for him is that Lehecka's game, built around a big serve and clean groundstrokes, translates very well to grass and Munar Clar's strengths are more clay-oriented. Hard to see this being competitive at all, given Lehecka's had good results at Wimbledon before and will feel at home here.
Lehecka gets through, though I feel like it'll go the distance before he does.
Prediction: Lehecka in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Marcin Cholewinski/ZUMA Press Wire