Wimbledon 2022: Emma Raducanu vs Alison Van Uytvanck preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (10) Emma Raducanu vs Alison Van Uytvanck.
Date: June 27, 2022.
Tournament: Wimbledon 2022.
Round: First round (Round of 128).
Venue: London, United Kingdom.
Category: Grand Slam.
Surface: Grass.
Prize money: £40,350,000.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | Canada - TSN | UK - BBC & Eurosport | India - Star Sports.
Emma Raducanu vs Alison Van Uytvanck preview
2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu will square off against World No. 46 Alison Van Uytvanck in the first round of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships on Monday.
Raducanu has endured a difficult year so far, mainly due to her season being frequently derailed by physical issues. At the Australian Open, she was unable to play her best during her second-round loss due to blisters on her hand. Following early exits from Indian Wells and Miami, the teenager turned her attention towards the clay season.
Raducanu reached her first quarterfinal on the red dirt at the Stuttgart Open. After a third-round exit from Madrid, she had to retire during her first-round contest in Rome. At the French Open, she lost to Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the second round.
Get closer to @EmmaRaducanu at The Championships this summer with @VodafoneUK, the Official Connectivity Partner of Wimbledon 🎾
#Wimbledon | #FeelTheConnection https://t.co/MUosH5eg66
Raducanu kicked off her grass season in Nottingham. Up against Viktorija Golubic in the first round, she retired midway through the opening set due to an injury. Last year, the Brit made it to the fourth round of Wimbledon, but retired during the second set due to breathing difficulties. She'll be aiming for a better result this year, provided her body holds up.
Alison Van Uytvanck's had a decent year so far, but has had more success outside of the WTA tour. She made it to the second round of the Australian Open and the French Open. The Belgian kicked off her grass season by winning the Surbiton Trophy, an ITF event.
Van Uytvanck then competed at the Libema Open, where she lost in the quarterfinals to top seed Aryna Sabalenka in three sets. She then competed in a WTA 125k tournament in Gaiba and won the title over Sara Errani. At the Bad Homburg Open, she lost to Amanda Anisimova in the first round.
Van Uytvanck's best result at Wimbledon so far has been a fourth-round showing in 2018.
Emma Raducanu vs Alison Van Uytvanck head-to-head
This will be their first meeting on the WTA tour, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Emma Raducanu vs Alison Van Uytvanck odds
All odds are sourced from BetMGM.
Emma Raducanu vs Alison Van Uytvanck prediction
More than her game, the focus has been on Raducanu's health. With frequent injuries and mid-match retirements, the teenager has been unable to gather any sort of momentum. Last year, she stunned the world with her US Open victory. But since then, her results haven't been up to the mark, even when fully fit.
Van Uytvanck's a tough first-round opponent. She stunned defending champion Garbine Muguruza in the second round here four years ago. She's got some wins on grass this year as well. However, both of her titles were at lower levels, and the Belgian struggled against top-ranked opposition on the WTA tour upon her return.
Raducanu's serve, along with her ability to do well during return games, led to her crowning moment in New York. She takes time away from her opponents by hitting the ball early. The teenager's backhand is her most potent weapon and will look to trouble the Belgian with it.
Van Uytvanck, on her part, will look to take the lead with her groundstrokes. She'll also aim to break the pace of the rallies with a timely drop shot and some sliced forehands. Ultimately, if Raducanu is fully healthy, she should be able to sneak past her opponent, otherwise she could be sent packing in the first round.
Prediction: Emma Raducanu to win in three sets.