The Wimbledon tennis championships proceed into the second half of the second round, in the top half of the women’s draw. Matchups which might seem pedestrian on the surface could turn out to be a lot more intriguing than many think. Which matches are teases, and which ones could genuinely be close and gripping?
Karolina Pliskova vs. Magdalena Rybarikova
With Petra Kvitova losing on Wednesday, Pliskova is now even more of a favorite to win Wimbledon. Yet, no player can win the tournament in the first week. Merely surviving for the second week and the bigger matches is the task at hand for Pliskova. She faces what could be an intriguing test in Rybarikova, if only because Rybarikova is 14-1 in grass-court matches this season. It is true that some of those matches were in ITF events and not the WTA Tour, but it remains that Rybarikova has done a lot of winning. She is a confident and in-form player. She has raised her ranking from 453 in February to 87 right now, a huge jump. Pliskova seems to understand that she cannot take this match lightly, and there exists a possibility that it will be an extended battle.
However, Pliskova’s growth as a player has been stratospheric. She struggled for a long time but has given all indications that she now understands what it takes to be consistently successful. She works harder, doesn’t give up on herself, pushes opponents to come up with more and bigger shots to beat her, and generally fights a lot better. She still has the huge serve and forehand to win on grass. She looked great in her first-round win. It’s true that Rybarikova is 28 and a savvy veteran, but this match is on Pliskova’s racquet. Pliskova should win in straights if she plays well.
Pick: Pliskova in straight sets
Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Christina McHale
This is a matchup of a fading veteran who once took Serena Williams into the third set of a Wimbledon final, and a journeywoman player who took Serena into the third set at last year’s Wimbledon. Radwanska is the fading champion. She is almost out of the top 10 and has simply lacked answers on court for the better part of a year. She doesn’t have the power or the serve to complement her clever game, which is based on taking the ball early and redirecting it to take time away from her opponents. She lacks weapons. McHale actually hits the ball harder, but her mental game has consistently gotten in the way of her ability to win more big-stage matches. This feels like a toss-up, but McHale will find easier ways to win quick points late in the match.
We’re taking a bit of a flier here but we feel that the betting prices are off here. Radwanska is a -330 favorite in this spot but she’s got a legitimate chance to lose outright. Consider taking McHale at +4.5 games on the match but also sprinkle on her at +230 to win this match outright. As mentioned, it is a bit of a toss-up but the price does not reflect that. That’s why there’s betting value with McHale.
Pick: McHale in three sets
Yanina Wickmayer vs. Garbine Muguruza
This is a match which matches a former major finalist (Wickmayer) against a French Open champion from 2016 (Muguruza). Wickmayer has never really been the same player who reached a U.S. Open semifinal several years ago. She has battled herself and her confidence, unable to find a harmonious place where she can hit freely. And grass isn’t exactly her surface of choice. While she is 2-1 on grass this year, she was just 2-4 on the surface last year. In 2015, she was just 2-2. That goes to show just how unreliable she has been from a betting perspective.
Muguruza has not exactly done well of late, but this is a case in which her struggles pale in comparison to what her opponent has been going through. Muguruza should win this match comfortably. She is 4-2 on grass so far this season. While she was just 1-2 on the surface last year, she was 7-3 in 2015.
Pick: Muguruza in straight sets
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