Wimbledon 2022: Casper Ruud vs Ugo Humbert preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (3) Casper Ruud vs Ugo Humbert
Date: June 29, 2022
Tournament: Wimbledon 2022
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom.
Category: Grand Slam.
Surface: Grass.
Prize money: £40,350,000
Live telecast: USA - ESPN & Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | UK - BBC & Eurosport | India - Star Sports & Disney+ Hotstar app
Casper Ruud vs Ugo Humbert preview
Third seed Casper Ruud will take on Ugo Humbert in the second round of Wimbledon on Wednesday.
The Norwegian has had a pretty good season so far, winning a couple of titles. Ruud's first title came at the Argentina Open, where he beat Diego Schwartzman in the final.
He then reached his first Masters 1000 final in Miami before losing to Carlos Alcaraz.
During the European claycourt season, Ruud made it to the semifinals of the Italian Open and subsequently won the Geneva Open by beating Joao Sousa in the final.
The 23-year-old then reached his maiden Grand Slam final at the French Open, where he was beaten comprehensively by Rafael Nadal.
The start to the grasscourt season, however, didn't prove to be memorable for the Norwegian, who lost to Ryan Peniston in the first round of the Queen's Club Championships.
He then entered Wimbledon as the third seed and beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6(1), 7-6(9), 6-2 to book his place in the second round. This was Ruud's first main draw win at the grasscourt Major.
[3] @CasperRuud98 earns his 1st #Wimbledon main draw win (1-2) by defeating Ramos-Vinolas 7-6(1) 7-6(9) 6-2. #Ruud hit 14 aces (46 winners overall) and converted 4 of 15 break pts en route to his 3rd career grass court win (3-4).
Humbert, meanwhile, has had a pretty disappointing season so far, with only seven match wins heading into Wimbledon.
The Frenchman beat Daniil Medvedev in the ATP Cup at the start of the season. Since then, however, Humbert has suffered opening-round defeats in most of the tournaments he has taken part in.
During the grasscourt season, the 24-year-old lost to compatriot Arthur Rinderknech in the opening round in Stuttgart. He was unable to defend his title at the Halle Open, losing to eventual champion Hubert Hurkacz in the second round and his misery continued in Eastbourne too. As a result, Humbert has now dropped below the top 100 in the ATP rankings.
The Frenchman faced Argentina's Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the first round of Wimbledon, needing five sets to come through 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Before Ugo...
It's been a rough run for Ugo Humbert this year.
Currently down to #112 and set to fall even further after Wimbledon, last year's winner at Halle fights his way back from a 2 sets to 1 deficit to defeat Tomas Martin Etcheverry, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. https://t.co/CeJlhOZfCW
Casper Ruud vs Ugo Humbert head-to-head
The two players will lock horns for the fourth time, with Humbert leading their head-to-head 2-1. The first meeting between the two took place in Auckland in 2020, with the Frenchman winning 7-6(3). 2-6, 6-3. Ruud then beat him in the quarterfinals of the Hamburg Open later that year.
The third meeting between the two players came at the 2020 Paris Masters, where Humbert came back from a set down to win 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(1).
Casper Ruud vs Ugo Humbert odds
(All odds are sourced from Oddschecker)
Casper Ruud vs Ugo Humbert prediction
Given the massive gap in the rankings, Ruud will enter the match as the favorite to win. However, Humbert's record on grass is a lot better than that of the Norwegian's. The Frenchman, who reached the Wimbledon fourth round in 2019, has won 16 out of 25 matches on the surface so far, compared to Ruud's 3-4 record.
The Frenchman served 12 aces in his first round against Etcheverry on Monday and will look to have a lot more of those against Ruud. His strong return game and decent volleying skills will also come in handy against the third seed.
Ruud, on the other hand, is a good defensive player but has added a lot more aggression to his game over the past few months. The Norwegian is a pretty good server himself, having managed 14 aces in his first-round match against Albert Ramos-Vinolas. He will also look to attack with his solid forehand to put pressure on Humbert.
While Ruud may not have the best record on grass, his recent consistency and newfound confidence should help him get the better of Humbert on Wednesday in what could be a tight duel.
Pick: Ruud to win in four sets.