Wimbledon, 2nd Round, Thursday, 06.07.2023
Who is actually playing today, can we trust the schedule at least halfway? Admittedly, Wimbledon 2023, although not yet old, is fully under the influence of the typical English weather!
All the rain is causing a lot of chaos at the moment. On Wednesday evening, a Russian duel is actually scheduled in Round 2, in which there is also a clear favourite at Bwin.
But will it actually be played and why am I going for more than 3.5 sets? That’s what I’m highlighting now in my Rublev Karatsev tip!
For several years now, Andrey Rublev has been one of the world’s top tennis players, but as soon as he reaches a Grand Slam, his nerves regularly fail him. Even at Wimbledon, he has not yet achieved the desired results.
In 2021, he was eliminated in the round of 16, but this round was also his best result. Since he was not allowed to participate last year, the motivation for the coming days could be particularly high.
After having to leave Paris after only three matches, he played a preparation tournament on grass in Halle. Not a bad one by any means, seeded third, he reached the final, which he then lost to Alexander Bublik.
Arriving at Wimbledon, he got off to the start he had hoped for. He won 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 against Max Purcell and did not have to work too hard.
He won all five break chances and showed strong nerves. The upcoming opponent is already in a somewhat different area, Aslan Karatsev can annoy most rivals on good days.
Two years ago in Dubai, the first direct duel between the two compatriots was played, Karatsev won here 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. But now both meet on grass, this happens for the first time.
For our betting providers, the role of the favourite is relatively clearly defined, with Rublev leading on average at odds of 1.20 to 4.50. It was four years ago that Rublev last failed in a 2nd round match at Wimbledon.
Does Aslan Karatsev really have what it takes to inflict another very early defeat on him now? The world number 50 knows that his victory two years ago is not the sole indicator of advancement.
The 29-year-old still had to go through qualifying at the French Open, a journey he can now save himself. His preparation for Wimbledon was relatively mixed, not everything worked out.
In Stuttgart, he lost to Taylor Fritz in the round of 16, with three tiebreaks in both matches. A little later in Halle, Karatsev survived the qualifying round, but then lost in three sets to Lorenzo Sonego.
The right-hander is well known for close results, but too often misses the deserved reward. It was only two years ago that Karatsev made his debut in the main draw at Wimbledon, so in that respect he has already achieved his best result here in London.
My Rublev Karatsev Tip
Last year Russian players were banned from competing at Wimbledon, now they are attacking again. Andrey Rublev hopes the tournament in London will finally allow him to prove his world class from top to bottom.
He does that far too seldom in consistency, and now Aslan Karatsev wants to get in between. For me, Rublev is the stronger professional, but he rarely wins outright. For this reason, I also have confidence in his opponent and send the following tip into the race:
We see more than 3,5 sets!
