Tennis is back at the All-England Club on Monday with the start of the 2025 edition of Wimbledon. Opening day features grass-court giant Taylor Fritz battling Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Alexander Zverev facing Arthur Rinderknech.
(5) Taylor Fritz vs. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Top American Taylor Fritz goes into Wimbledon with the best grass-court results of any ATP player in 2025. The world No. 5 won two titles in the brief Wimbledon run-up–in Stuttgart and again on Saturday in Eastbourne. Fritz was sent packing in a first-round heartbreaker at the French Open, but he has clearly rebounded nicely with the move to grass.
On paper, a first-round match against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard is a tough start to the tournament for the fifth seed. He is ranked 36th in the world–not seeded…but awfully close to it. That ranking is slightly deceptive, though. Mpetshi Perricard had a miserable spring and his early summer hasn’t been any better. His big-serving game seems like it would translate well to lawn tennis, but it hasn’t worked out that way in 2025. The Frenchman played two warmup events and managed to win just one match. Look for Fritz to get through this one in routine fashion.
Cheryl pick: Fritz in 3
Ricky pick: Fritz in 3
(3) Alexander Zverev vs. Arthur Rinderknech
Alexander Zverev has enjoyed plenty of success at majors. He has been to the final of all three other Grand Slams but has never managed to make it past the fourth round at the All-England Club. And while that doesn’t necessarily mean an early-round upset, it does suggest more vulnerability for the German than his ranking would suggest. Last year Zverev was dispatched in the round of 16 by Fritz.
Arthur Rinderknech had his best tournament of the year earlier this month at Queen’s Club. The world No. 70 made his way to the quarterfinals, where he lost to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz. While there is nothing to suggest that Rinderknech is going to knock Zverev out this early, it is quite possible that the Frenchman will make this match competitive.
Cheryl pick: Zverev in 5
Ricky pick: Zverev in 4
Fritz barely goes through.