Wimbledon, it’s not just the blue derby: defending champion Alcaraz is also on the court, engaged with Australian Vukic.
The courts at the All England Club on Day 3 are ready to turn blue. The highlight match of the third day is the Italian derby between Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini, who will take the court in the evening on the Central (rain permitting): here our prediction on the challenge. However, there is no shortage of interesting matches on the day when the second round of the 2024 edition of the London Slam begins.
Between the protagonists the reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, who in the opener despite getting away in three sets against Estonian Lajal had to struggle a lot, conceding as many as 13 games to the qualifier. But the Spaniard, especially in Slams, carbonizes more slowly, and against Australian Vukic – in 2020 he defeated a still 17-year-old Alcaraz from the Roland Garros qualifiers – a sharper success should come. Vukic, moreover, is coming off a grueling marathon match with Austrian Ofner, in which he came out on top in the fifth set. Also coming from a less-than-short match is U.S. Frances Tiafoe, who in the first round rematched Italy’s Arnaldi after finishing two sets down. A victory that may have restored confidence to the American, who has been a bit under the weather in the last period. Croatian Coric, at the moment, is not an insurmountable obstacle: Tiafoe beat him in four sets at the last Australian Open.
Sonego vs. the experienced Bautista Agut
Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic appeared very solid against Indian Nagal, folded 3-1. But his London adventure will most likely end in the second round.
The Dutchman Griekspoor, one of this edition’s potential outsiders – later he may meet Sinner – has belligerent intentions and proved it in his debut by overwhelming Colombia’s Galan in three sets. Nor was the Italian Lorenzo Sonego in any danger, on velvet or almost on the velvet against the Argentine Navone, a decidedly unheralded tennis player. The Piedmontese will now face a specialist, the experienced Bautista Agut, and does not start favored: we imagine, in any case, a very long match. The challenges between Nakashima and Thompson and between Zhang and Struff, which promise to be quite balanced, could also exceed 40 games in total. One possible surprise? Harris’ victory over American Shelton, who took a big risk in the first round against Italian Bellucci, edging him out only in the fifth set. The South African tennis player’s greater experience on the surface will likely make the difference.
Wimbledon: possible winners
Tiafoe to Coric-Tiafoe.
Griekspoor in Kecmanovic-Griekspoor
Monfils in Wawrinka-Monfils
Harris in Harris-Shelton
Wimbledon, predictions on the games
Nakashima-Thompson (over 41.5)
Zhang-Struff (over 40.5)
Sonego-Bautista Agut (over 40.5)
Alcaraz-Vukic (under 31.5)
Share comparison
Harris winning over Shelton is listed at 2.18 on Goldbet and Lottomatica and 2.15 on Snai. Sonego-Bautista Agut over 40.5 is quoted instead at 1.78 on Goldbet and Lottomatica and 1.75 on Snai.