Petra Kvitova in the first round of Wimbledon, 2019
Petra Kvitova in the first round of Wimbledon, 2019 | Jimmie48 Tennis Photography

Tennis | Wimbledon 2021 | Three to See on Day 1

  • Sloane Stephens v Petra Kvitova [10]
  • Stefanos Tsitsipas [3] v Frances Tiafoe
  • Garbiñe Muguruza [11] v Fiona Ferro
LONDON, UK – Two former champions and a Slam finalist make our pick-list for Day One as Wimbledon makes its welcome return.

 

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Sloane Stephens v Petra Kvitova [10] H2H & Match Fundamentals

Sloane Stephens v Petra Kvitova [10] H2H: Stephens leads 2-1 (excl. exhibitions)
Wimbledon London, UK
Grass (O) Prize Money: £48,000
Second on Centre Court. Not before 3:30pm BBC Sport

 

Much beloved of Wimbledon crowds, Petra Kvitova thankfully made a comeback after a freak accident at the beleaguered Roland Garros, where she turned her ankle after carrying out her media obligations. The two-time champion has suffered a few early exits since winning again in 2014, but reached the round of 16 the last time Wimbledon rolled around.

Stephens has put aside a terrible start to the year, where she won just one match in March, and caught light on the clay but has yet to feel the grass under her toes, while Kvitova reached the semi-finals of Bad Homburg as her preparation.

It has been good to see Stephens back to form, but grass and Kvitova go together like strawberries and cream.

Prediction: Kvitova in three sets.

 

Stefanos Tsitsipas [3] v Frances Tiafoe H2H & Match Fundamentals

Embed from Getty Images
Stefanos Tsitsipas [3] v Frances Tiafoe H2H: Tsitsipas leads 2-0 (excl. exhibitions)
Wimbledon London, UK
Grass (O) Prize Money: £48,000
Second on Court 1, not before 2:30pm BBC Sport

For years now we have been wondering which of the whatever generation we are at now, would make their mark, and it was almost Stefanos Tsitsipas who beat them at their chokehold of the majors game.

He was two sets up over an unsettled Novak Djokovic and puled the best out of the number one. He has been one of the most consistent players this season but with no grass court tennis in the lead up to Wimbledon, he could face a test.

The amenable Frances Tiafoe brings everyone along on his journey and was a deserved and popular winner of the Nottingham Challenger, backing that up with a run to the Queen’s quarter-final.

Tsitsipas had his best run (R16) the last time Wimbledon came around and Tiafoe has made it to the third round once. He has a little momentum so don’t be surprised if the American nabs a set.

Prediction: Tsitsipas in four sets

 

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Garbiñe Muguruza [11] v Fiona Ferro H2H & Match Fundamentals

Embed from Getty Images
Garbiñe Muguruza [11] v Fiona Ferro First Meeting
Wimbledon London, UK
Grass (O) Prize Money: £48,000
First on Court 2, at 11am BBC Sport

At the start of the year Garbiñe Muguruza looked like she was the one to beat, but struggling with injury on the clay meant that momentum has stalled somewhat. She has a game that works spectacularly on grass, having picked up a Wimbledon Slam along the way.

This is more an assessment pf where Muguruza’s form is.

France’s Fiona Ferro may not have had much of a winning run into Wimbledon, and has managed to battle her way through qualifying in the past and so can obviously negotiate some of the nuances of the green.

Prediction: Muguruza in straight sets.

 

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How to Watch/Follow Wimbledon 2021

TV Across BBC Channels & Red Button
Live Stream BBC Sport
Live Scores Live Scores from Wimbledon

 

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