Wimbledon 2024 Day 2: Women's singles predictions ft. Angelique Kerber vs Yulia Putintseva
The 2024 Wimbledon has been hit by a spate of last-minute withdrawals on the women's side. Aryna Sabalenka, Victoria Azarenka, and Ekaterina Alexandrova all pulled out on the first day one after the other.
While both the Belarusians are dealing with a shoulder injury, the Russian is currently feeling under the weather. Eighth seed Zheng Qinwen was eliminated in the first round by Lulu Sun, while former Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Pliskova was sent packing by Diana Shnaider.
It wasn't all doom and gloom on the first day as Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys, and Emma Raducanu were some of the big names to make it through. The first round isn't done just yet, so here's a look at the predictions for a few matches set for Day 2 of Wimbledon:
#1 - Angelique Kerber vs Yulia Putintseva
Putintseva won the Rothesay Classic in Birmingham to kick off her grass season on a winning note. It marked her first title on the surface, and her first in nearly three years.
Kerber won Wimbledon back in 2018 and was a finalist in 2016 as well. She returns to the venue for the first time since 2022. She has a much better record at the All England Club compared to Putintseva, who has won only five matches here.
However, Kerber hasn't won a match on grass this year, losing to young upstarts Linda Noskova and Diana Shnaider in Berlin and Bad Homburg respectively. Putintseva, on the other hand, arrives here on the heels of a title. As such, the Kazakh will be favored to advance further, though one cannot completely rule out the former champion.
Predicted winner: Yulia Putintseva
#2 - Marketa Vondrousova vs Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
Vondrousova won her maiden Major title at Wimbledon last year. However, her time on grass didn't begin on a positive note this time. The Czech injured herself during her quarterfinal match against Anna Kalinskaya in Berlin after a nasty fall.
Bouzas Maneiro's best results have primarily come on clay. She hasn't made that much of an impact on the WTA Tour yet, though she did reach a career-high ranking of No. 83 last month. This will be the Spaniard's third main draw appearance at a Major, and she's on the hunt for her first win.
Unless Vondrousova is still feeling the effects of her injury, she shouldn't have any problem in dealing with Bouzas Maneiro. The latter is a massive underdog based on her results and achievements compared to the Czech. The defending champion should be able to make a winning start to her campaign.
Predicted winner: Marketa Vondrousova
#3 - Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Magdalena Frech
With a couple of titles on grass and a fourth-round showing at last year's Wimbledon, Haddad Maia is certainly capable of playing on the surface. However, she hasn't been able to play her best tennis in recent weeks.
The Brazilian didn't perform too well in the warm-up events before Wimbledon and won only one match across her two tournaments. Frech started the grass season on a strong note, with quarterfinal appearances in singles and doubles in Nottingham.
However, she fell to Lucia Bronzetti in the first round in Birmingham and failed to make it through the qualifying rounds in Eastbourne. Frech made the third round on her Wimbledon debut in 2022, though she bowed out in the first round last year.
With neither player in great form at the moment, this match is a toss-up. Haddad Maia's previous results on grass tilt the proceedings in her favor, though given her current form, she's equally likely to throw a stinker and crash out.
Predicted winner: Beatriz Haddad Maia
#4 - Ons Jabeur vs Moyuka Uchijima
Jabeur suffered heartbreaking losses in the finals of Wimbledon the last couple of years. She will be keen to reverse her fortunes this time by hoisting the winner's trophy at last.
The Tunisian made the quarterfinals in Nottingham and Berlin in the lead-up to the grass court Major. Uchijima secured her maiden Grand Slam victory at the French Open last month. While she was ousted by Aryna Sabalenka in the second round, it was still a successful tournament for her.
Uchijima made it through the qualifying rounds in Birmingham, though she fell to Harrier Dart in the first round. However, she couldn't make it through the qualifiers in Eastbourne. Her losing streak is likely to continue as Jabeur is one of the finest grasscourt players around. Anything other than a routine win for the Tunisian would be quite a surprise.
Predicted winner: Ons Jabeur