Ricky’s Picks & Preview For The Wimbledon Second Round • Tsitsipas vs. Donaldson & Roger Federer Plays

By Ricky Dimon
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Updated: July 4, 2018

Roger Federer of Switzerland returns to Dusan Lajovic of Serbia in their first round match during the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 02 July 2018 EPA-EFE/NIC BOTHMA

By Ricky Dimon

Seeded players took a tumble left and right in both the men’s and women’s Wimbledon draws on Monday and Tuesday. But plenty of intrigue remains for what should be an entertaining second round on Wednesday and Thursday.

Ricky takes a look at some of the more intriguing second-round matchups.

(31) Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Jared Donaldson

For diehard fans of the sport who are intrigued even by players outside the top 30, this is a good as it gets. Both Tsitsipas and Donaldson look like locks to be future stars on the tour, and the present isn’t too bad either. Donaldson has already been around and successful for a while, while Tsitsipas’ rise has been rapid. The American has more experience on grass, but the Greek plays on it as if he has been doing it his whole life. It’s a tough one to call. Donaldson in 5.

(25) Philipp Kohlschreiber vs. Gilles Muller

On this surface and at this event, peak Muller is the winner of this matchup. Peak Muller, however, has not been on display this season and wasn’t in a five-set first-round win over Michael Mmoh. But that doesn’t mean Muller will fail to bring his best to the table in round two and beyond. The lefty is no stranger to early five-set scares at Wimbledon, having defeated Santiago Giraldo 15-13 in the 2016 first round before surviving Lukas Rosol 9-7 in the second round last summer and eventually reaching the quarters. Muller in 5.

(1) Roger Federer vs. Lukas Lacko

Both of their previous meetings have gone Federer’s way in convincing fashion; 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 at the 2011 Australian Open and 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 three years later at Roland Garros. More of the may be in store at the All-England Club, because the 20-time major champion has won this event eight times–including last summer–and sports a 93-11 lifetime record. A recent winner in Stuttgart and runner-up in Halle, Federer improved to 26-3 this season by disposing of Dusan Lajovic 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 on Monday. Lacko is more than capable on grass, himself, but he will lack the belief to serious challenge Fed. Federer in 3.

Benoit Paire vs. (26) Denis Shapovalov

There won’t be a R2 match with more flair than this one. Shapovalov is a box-office attraction and Paire is must-see television for anyone likes having no clue what they will see on any given day. Paire, who reached the fourth round last year and has been to the third round on three other occasions, went up against Jason Jung instead of Andy Murray on Tuesday and won in straights. Shapovalov scored a very impressive grass-court victory over an in-form Jeremy Chardy. The Canadian should win because he will quite simply have fewer mental hiccups than Paire. Shapovalov in 4.