It should be an entertaining third day at the Championships with the top half of the draw set to be in second round action at Wimbledon. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the slate, including Cameron Norrie vs Frances Tiafoe, Jiri Lehecka vs Mattia Bellucci, and Carlos Alcaraz vs Oliver Tarvet. But who will book their spot in the second round?
Wimbledon Day 3 Predictions
Taylor Fritz vs Gabriel Diallo
Jim: Taylor Fritz was pushed to the limit against Giovani Mpetshi Perricard, but this match will be more to his liking. Gabriel Diallo is in fine form and has a grass-court title to his name this season, but he won’t be able to make Fritz uncomfortable in the way that Mpetshi Perricard did. Barring any fitness issues, Fritz should have the edge here.
Prediction: Fritz in 4
Damian: Fritz barely survived Mpetshi Perricard despite not facing a break point across the whole five sets. The match wasn’t physical, but his draw just doesn’t ease up with Diallo who’s already picked up a grass-court title this season. Fritz will be under pressure in every round and at some point it might be too much. Maybe here already? The Canadian’s very dangerous.
Prediction: Diallo in 5
Ilemona: Fritz survived an early scare, battling back from two sets down, while Diallo announced himself with a commanding straight-sets debut. The American’s recent struggles to start matches could prove costly against the Canadian’s booming serve and fearless baseline game. Diallo’s nothing-to-lose attitude makes this trickier than the rankings suggest.
Prediction: Diallo in 5
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Botic van de Zandschulp vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Jim: It’s been a tough year for Botic van de Zandschulp, so his first-round win over Matteo Arnaldi will have been very welcome. But this will be a tougher test and one he probably isn’t playing well enough to pass. Stranger things have certainly happened on a tennis court, but it would be a real surprise were Davidovich Fokina to lose here.
Prediction: Davidovich Fokina in 3
Damian: Not dropping a set against Arnaldi is a very strong result for van de Zandschulp considering the trajectory of his season so far. But he’ll need to find his best level again here. Davidovich Fokina is one of the most consistent performers on tour this year with two finals and a nice grass-court run last week. Unless he has a stinker on Wednesday at Wimbledon, his run shouldn’t end here yet.
Prediction: Davidovich Fokina in 4
Ilemona: Both players looked sharp in straight-sets openers, setting up an intriguing clash of styles. Van de Zandschulp’s flat, penetrating strokes work well on grass, while Davidovich Fokina’s creative shotmaking can disrupt any rhythm. Their only previous meeting went three tight sets – expect similarly tense moments here.
Prediction: Davidovich Fokina in 4
Shintaro Mochizuki vs Karen Khachanov
Jim: It’s been a great few weeks for Shintaro Mochizuki, but he probably hasn’t played anyone of Karen Khachanov’s quality. The Russian hasn’t ever quite managed to add the x-factor to his game that would have taken him to the very top, but he has carved out a very good and (largely) very consistent career. He should have too much for the Japanese.
Prediction: Khachanov in 3
Damian: It’s been a great grass-court season for the 2019 Wimbledon junior champion and this win from 0-2 against Guilio Zeppieri is the cherry on top. But especially after such an intense experience in the opening round, it will be difficult for him to keep it up facing Khachanov. The Russian tends to be extremely solid and his strong, physical game should get him through here.
Prediction: Khachanov in 4
Ilemona: The Japanese qualifier continues his Cinderella run after a first-round upset, while Khachanov dominated his opener in straights. Mochizuki’s aggressive play makes him dangerous, but Khachanov’s Grand Slam experience and heavier groundstrokes should prove decisive in this generational clash.
Prediction: Khachanov in 3
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Cristian Garin vs Arthur Rinderknech
Jim: Arthur Rinderknech’s fitness will probably be the key here. If he’s fit and firing, he’s shown enough over the last few weeks to suggest that he can beat Cristian Garin. But the Chilean shouldn’t be underestimated and it is not clear how much Rinderknech will have in the tank after his marathon win over Zverev.
Prediction: Garin in 4
Damian: Garin got into the main draw as a lucky loser, but he’s got a good history at Wimbledon and losing in qualifying doesn’t mean he can’t do it again. While Rinderknech played well to produce that upset over Zverev, a two-day clash might have taken a lot from his physically and mentally. In a pretty even match that might as well be the deciding factor.
Prediction: Garin in 5
Ilemona: Garin cruised through his opener while Rinderknech pulled off the tournament’s biggest upset by stunning Zverev. The Chilean’s relentless returning will test the Frenchman’s confidence after his career-best win. This suddenly looks like one of the most intriguing matchups – can Rinderknech back up his shock victory?
Prediction: Rinderknech in 5
Main photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
