Tsitsipas vs. Thiem Among Five Matches To Watch In Wimbledon First Round | ATP Tour | Tennis

Whereas a number of the most intriguing Wimbledon storylines will play out over the course of the upcoming fortnight, there’s certain to be loads of intrigue proper from the beginning of the grass-court Grand Slam.

Of the 64 first-round males’s singles matches on faucet for Monday and Tuesday in London, ATPTour.com highlights 5 must-see matchups.

[5] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. Dominic Thiem (AUT)

The 9 earlier Lexus ATP Head2Head matchups between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dominic Thiem have come on a number of the greatest phases in tennis. Along with their two Nitto ATP Finals matchups — together with the 2019 title match, gained by Tsitsipas — they’ve additionally performed at three ATP Masters 1000s and at Roland Garros.

Thiem leads the collection 5-4 however misplaced an exciting three-setter of their most up-to-date assembly on the Mutua Madrid Open this April. After Tsitsipas escaped with a 3-6, 6-1 7-6(5) win of their first matchup since 2020, the Greek confirmed his respect for his opponent with some encouraging phrases on the internet.

“Your finest [match] but. You continue to have it,” Tsitsipas stated to the Austrian, who has struggled to maintain high kind since getting back from a wrist damage final season. “Maintain going. You have obtained this,” Tsitsipas added.

The Greek enters Wimbledon with a 1-3 grass-court document this season, whereas Thiem was crushed by Alexander Zverev in his lone grass occasion of 2023 in Halle. As each males seek for the type of tennis that has seen them make common journeys deep into majors, their opening-round matchup feels very a lot up for grabs regardless of the hole of 85 locations of their Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

[30] Nick Kyrgios (AUS) vs. [WC] David Goffin (BEL)

Nick Kyrgios was unseeded final yr at Wimbledon when he superior to his first Grand Slam last. Seeded thirtieth in his return to the All England Garden Tennis Membership, the Aussie was nonetheless handed a significant opening take a look at towards wild card David Goffin.

Regardless of his present standing exterior the Prime 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Goffin has reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in every of his previous two appearances (2019, 2022). He was one set away from the semis final yr, however couldn’t convert on a two-sets-to-one lead towards residence favorite Cameron Norrie within the quarters. The previous World No. 7 is looking for his first Grand Slam match win of the season after pulling out of the Australian Open with sickness and dropping to Hubert Hurkacz in 5 first-round units at Roland Garros.

Kyrgios has performed only one ATP Tour occasion this season after struggling ankle and knee accidents early within the yr. He was crushed by Wu Yibing in Stuttgart in his solely look, after which he requested followers for endurance in his comeback.

Can recollections of his magical 2022 run spark a return to kind on the London lawns?

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. [WC] Ryan Peniston (GBR)

Andy Murray made a red-hot begin to the grass season by profitable two straight ATP Challenger Tour titles behind 10 consecutive match wins in Surbiton and Nottingham. Although he misplaced to Alex de Minaur at The Queen’s Membership instantly following that two-week stretch, he’ll enter Wimbledon after two full weeks of relaxation from aggressive motion.

The previous World No. 1 and two-time Wimbledon champion should face a fellow Briton within the opening spherical. Ryan Peniston loved a breakout grass-court marketing campaign final yr, when he reached consecutive ATP Tour quarter-finals at The Queen’s Membership and Eastbourne earlier than advancing to the Wimbledon second spherical.

This June, the 27-year-old performed the identical grass-court schedule as Murray, competing solely in Nice Britain throughout Surbiton, Nottingham and The Queen’s Membership. Now the 2 British gamers can have the total consideration of their nation after they meet for the primary time at their residence main.

[10] Frances Tiafoe (USA) vs. Wu Yibing (CHN)

Frances Tiafoe broke into the Prime 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the primary time behind his first grass-court title in Stuttgart earlier in June. The American has maintained that place to earn a Prime 10 seed at Wimbledonthe place he’ll bid to enhance upon his career-best fourth-round run final season. With two titles already claimed this yr, Tiafoe enters filled with confidence.

Wu Yibing gained his first ATP Tour title this February in Dallas and later reached the quarter-finals in Geneva. His grass season has seen him face the likes of Kyrgios and World No. 7 Andrey Rublevwith the Chinese language star beating Kyrgios in Stuttgart and dropping a three-setter to Rublev in Halle. In his Wimbledon debut towards Tiafoe, he’ll play a Prime 10 opponent for the second consecutive match.

[9] Taylor Fritz vs. Yannick Hanfmann (GER)

Taylor Fritz drew one of many hardest opening-round matchups potential for a seeded participant each by Pepperstone ATP Rating and by kind.

Yannick Hanfmann moved as much as No. 44 within the Pepperstone ATP Reside Rankings this week behind his semi-final run in Eastbourne, the place the German beat World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas. The three wins Hanfmann earned in Eastbourne trump the 2 victories Fritz has picked up in three grass occasions this season.

However the American reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final final yr at Wimbledonsolely bowing out after a five-set epic towards Rafael Nadal. Whereas he entered final yr’s match on the heels of profitable the Eastbourne title, he should construct his momentum from the bottom up this yr in London.