Centre Court
Novak Djokovic (2) vs Jacob Fearnley
Novak Djokovic opens up Centre Court action against British wildcard, Jacob Fearnley. Just a month ago, Fearnley was ranked 522 in the world. The 22-year-old then won two matches to qualify for the main draw at the Nottingham Challenger event. He didn’t stop there. Fearnley went on to lift the title, defeating fellow Brit, Charles Broom in the final. Not only did this win skyrocket Fearnley up the rankings, it secured his wildcard into the main draw of this year’s Wimbledon.
The Brit’s debut at this year’s Wimbledon couldn’t have gone any better. Playing in only his second tour-level match, Fearnley defeated Spain’s Alejandro Moro Canas in straight sets to earn him a second-round encounter on centre court with Novak Djokovic. If you’d told Fearnley a few months ago that he’d be playing on centre court against Djokovic, I think he would have laughed.
Fearnley will go into this match with nothing to lose. The home crowd will be behind him during every point but I just can’t see him winning against the 7-time Wimbledon champion.
Prediction – Djokovic to win in 3 sets
Iga Swiatek (1) vs Petra Martic
Fresh off the back of winning her fifth major title at last month’s French Open, the world number 1 looked comfortable during her first-round match-win against the dangerous
Sofia Kenin. There has been a lot of talk surrounding Swiatek’s ability to perform well on grass-courts. Only once has the Pole reached the quarter-final of SW19 in four appearances. A pretty average record for a player of her calibre. Her Wimbledon record is even more surprising given that her sole junior major singles title came at the All England Club in 2018.
Could this be Swiatek’s year to replicate her junior success at the tournament in the women’s competition? Swiatek takes on veteran Petra Martic in a rematch of last year’s third-round. On that day, Swiatek won 6-2 , 7-5. Martic possesses the variety to interrupt Swiatek’s play but I expect the world number 1 will come through once again in two tight sets.
Prediction – Swiatek to win in 2 sets
Andy/Jamie Murray vs Rinky Hijikata and John Peers
After 20 years on tour, the Murray brothers will take to centre court for the first time at Wimbledon together. In what is likely one of if not the last match of Andy Murray’s career, can the Brit’s give the home crowd one last memory to cherish? The pair take on Rinky Hijikata and Jamie Murray’s former doubles partner, John Peers.
Prediction – Andy and Jamie Murray to win in 3 sets
Court 1
Katie Boulter (32) vs Harriet Dart
The battle of the Brits sees Katie Boulter take on Harriet Dart. Boulter, seeded at a major for only the second time, has been playing some of the best tennis of her career this season. She picked up her first WTA 500 title in March and before going on to reach the fourth-round of the Miami Masters. Then last month, the number 1 Brit defended her title at the grass-court event in Nottingham, picking up impressive wins against Emma Raducanau and Karolina Pilskova along the way.
One player she also beat on the way to the title was Harriet Dart. Boutler narrowly came through that match, winning 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-5. Can Boulter repeat this feat again? I expect another tough encounter between the two. World number 100 Dart is also an impressive grass court player and has picked up some impressive wins this season too. The match will be nip and tuck but I think Boulter will just edge it.
Prediction – Boulter to win in 3 sets
Jack Draper (28) vs Cameron Norrie
The second match on court 1 sees another all British battle between Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie. Draper was challenged all the way during his first-round match. The 22-year-old had to battle past in-form Elias Ymer in five sets. Norrie, on the other hand, had a much more straightforward first-round match, defeating Argentine, Facundo Diaz Acosta in 3 sets. This is an extremely hard match to predict. Norrie is a former
Wimbledon semi-finalist and has the match experience to push Draper. If Draper plays his best tennis, I think he has the game to take the racquet out of Norrie’s hand. If he’s slightly off however, Norrie’s consistency and ability to play one more ball could be the difference in this match. I’m going to do for a five set win for Draper.
Prediction – Draper to win in 5 sets
Alexander Zverev (4) vs Marcus Giron
Wimbledon is the only major tournament in which Zverev has not made the semi-finals. On paper, the big serving German has the game to do damage on the grass courts of SW19 but has often failed to deliver. This year has been slightly different. At the beginning of 2024, Zverev reached the semi-final of the Australian Open. He then went on to make the final of last month’s French Open, narrowly losing out to Alcaraz.
If Zverev’s straight sets win in a first-round match is anything to go by, then we could be looking at another deep run for the German at a major. His second round opponent Marcus Giron has picked up impressive wins against Matteo Berrettini and Andrey Rublev this grass-court season so will definitely pose a threat.
Prediction – Zverev to win in 4 sets
Matches to watch
Leylah Fernandez (30) vs Caroline Wozniacki
Former US Open finalist, Leylah Fernandez has been in fine form in the lead up to this year’s Wimbledon. The Canadian reached the final of Eastbourne, losing out to Daria Kasatkina. Now she meets former world number 1 and major champion Caroline Wozniacki for the first time. Wozniacki had to retire during her Wimbledon warm-up tournament last week due to a knee injury. This was a cause for concern leading up to this year’s Championships, however she has since bounced back.
The Dane comfortably won her first-round match against Alycia Parks and this should boost her confidence heading into her match with Fernandez. I give Fernandez the slight edge based on her current form but I wouldn’t be surprised if Wozniacki is able to battle her way past the 30th seed.
Prediction – Fernandez to win in 3 sets
Elina Svitolina (21) vs Jule Niemeier
It was a year ago where Elina Svitolina made her dream run to the Wimbledon semi-finals, after she made her return to the tour. The 29-year-old has always been in the conversation to win a major title but has never managed to achieve that feat. The tournament is very wide open and this could be an opportunity for Svitolina to have a deep run. First, she will have to overcome the big serving German, Jule Niemeier. Two years ago, Niemeier reached the quarter-finals of SW19 so has good grass-court pedigree. She has since struggled for consistency but with her powerful game, will always be a treat.
Prediction – Svitolina to win in 3 sets
