Tennis

Tennis fans are excited to see Tennis Wimbledon Carlos Alcaraz the defending champion to open the 2024 Wimbledon Championship, where he'll play Yannick Hanfmann in the first round (in Centre Court) . The Spaniard is not the heavy favorite, though. Alexander Zverex, the 2024 French Open runner-up, believes that this year's 2024 Wimbledon Championship is wide open. Never has this been more true.

"I don't think it has been like that for maybe 20 years since before Roger (Federer) started playing, right? After Roger came Rafa (Nada), Novak (Djokovic), Andy (Murray). I really feel it's different this year," Zverev said.

Zverev, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist, considers himself as one of the favorites to lift the silver gilt cup on July 14. But a look at the draw would reveal that he has a bumpy road ahead. (We'll get to that part later.) The German #1 is on the bottom half of the draw, which some fans, and bettors, have noticed that it's not stacked with lots of players to watch out for. Novak Djoiovic, the seven-time champion, is at the bottom of the draw. It should make his path relatively easy. Right? He had knee surgery a few weeks ago. He declared himself pain free. However, most wouldn't bet on the Serb. (Djokovic is a shadow of his former self during the Olympic year. Or it might be coincidental.) A win would make Djokovic tie Federer for the most Wimbledon titles (in the Gentlemen's Singles), but he might've to wait until next season.

On the other hand, Iga Swiatek didn't participate in any of the warm-up (grass) tournaments. She watched Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, which she posed in her Instagram stories. (It's a well-deserved reward after that grueling clay-court swing in Europe.) It's hard to dismiss Swiatek's chances, as she's a strong favorite in the other (playing) surfaces. It's only a matter of when, and it can happen this year. Furthermore, she could benefit from the plight of some big names in WTA \Tour. (Some are injured, or exhausted, while a couple of top-ranked female players are on maternity leave.)

There are plenty of matches to watch out for in the first week. Players, and bettors, would have a hard time guessing. Here are the matches to watch out for:

MEN'S SINGLES:

Tomas Machac vs. Andy Murray (R1)

Tomas Machac won a hard-fought (third-round) match against Andy Murray in the 2024 Miami Masters. The Czech went on to the quarterfinals, falling to (eventual winner) Jannik Sinner. It was his first appearance in the last eight of a Masters 1000 tournament. Murray, the two-time Wimbledon champion, is a shadow of his old self. Machac can score another upset, but this is a Grand Slam tournament. Five sets. Murray will play in front of the home crowd. We're betting on Machac (for another big win).

Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis (R1)

The first-round encounter between Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime and Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis could be the most-anticipated match on Day 2 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Auger-Aliassime is still trying to recapture the form that made him the six-ranked player (two years ago) while Kokkinakis is still searching for his first breakthrough. The Australian stunned Federer in the second round of the 2018 Miami Masters. This match would end in five sets. We'll put our money on Kokkinakis.

Jannik Sinner vs. Matteo Berrettini (R2)

Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini are projected to meet in the second round (if they win their respective first-round matches). Berrettini might be challenged by Marton Fucsovics (of Hungary), but the 2021 Wimbledon runner-up is expected to make it through (in four sets). This is the match that is supposed to happen in the second week, but Berrettini is still on the comeback trail. On the other hand, Sinner is the top-ranked player in the ATP Tour. His game suits the grass courts. (He won the ATP 500 event in Halle two weeks ago. The Halle Open is one of the notable grass court tournaments after Wimbledon.) This match might end in four sets, or three (close) sets. A stern test for Sinner, but he would pass.

Jack Draper vs. Cameron Norrie (R2)

Home fans would groan at the fact that the second-round clash between Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie should have happened in the later rounds. Draper, the winner of the ATP 250 event in Stuttgart, is the slight favorite over Norrie, the 2021 BNP Paribas Open winner, but Norrie's experience can turn the momentum in his favor. (Norrie reached the semifinals of Wimbledon 2022.) Enough said.

WOMEN'S SINGLES:

Jelena Ostapenko vs. Ajla Tomljanovic (R1)

Jelena Ostapenko and Ajla Tomljanovic played on grass before. Twice. (Tomljanovic defeated Ostapenko in the third round of 2021 Wimbledon. Ostapenko prevailed over Tomljanovic in Eastbourne a year later.) Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, leads Tomljanovic in their head-to-head matches, but Tomljanovic brings her A+ game in the major tournaments. (The Australian defeated Serena Williams in the 2022 US Open.) We're betting on Tomljanovic.

Paula Badosa vs. Karolina Muchova (R1)

Karoliina Muchova and Paula Badosa played against each other in the fourth round of 2021 Wimbledon. Muchova won that match (in two close sets). The Czech would have a banner year two years later. (Muchova reached the finals of the 2023 French Open. She was a semifinalist at the 2023 US Open.) Badosa, on the other hand, struggled (due to her back injury). The Spaniard is still a long way from recapturing her winning form, but she could give Muchova a fight. We predict Badosa winning this first-round match in three sets.

Angelique Kerber vs. Katerina Siniakova (R2)

2018 Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber won six of her seven matches against Katerina Siniakova including their only encounter in grass (in Bad Homburg). But these matches took place before Kerber’s pregnancy. Siniakova had climbed up the WTA ranking. Slowly. She has a respectable (singles) career. And the Czech can challenge, or upset, the German. Siniakova is one of the best doubles players of her generation. Most doubles specialists have outstanding singles careers (e.g. Pam Shriver). We’ll put our money on Siniakova.

Emma Raducanu vs. Arantxa Rus (R3)

Emma Raducanu and Arantxa Rus will meet for the first time (if they win their respective opening round and second-round matches respectively). Raducanu, the 2021 US Open, can count on the support of the local fans. Veteran Rus, on the other hand, has a respectable record in Grand Slam tournaments. The Brit is a favorite on paper, but we feel that the Dutch will triumph (in their first encounter). Let’s just say that Raducanu is still finding that form that brought her first, and only, major.

Let's go back to Zverev: He might play Draper, or Norrie, in the third round. Expect a full crowd on Center Court. And it's possible that this match could end on a fifth-set tie breaker. We could see the German eat his words, but we're more excited about a (possible) quarterfinal match between Carlos Alcaraz, the winner at Queens last year, and Tommy Paul, who won at Queens two weeks ago. The duo played four times. On hard courts. The American has the game that would give the Spaniard lots of trouble. All of their four matches were close. We're sensing Paul, winner of the boy's singles title at the 2015 French Open, scoring an upset. But we're getting ahead.

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