Rafael Nadal will continue his Wimbledon campaign with fellow lefty Donald Young on the other side of the net on Wednesday. Lucas Pouille and Jerzy Janowicz are also in second-round action.
(4) Rafael Nadal vs. Donald Young
Nadal and Young will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers when they clash in the Wimbledon second round on Wednesday. Both of their previous encounters have gone Nadal’s way; 6-1, 6-3 nine years ago in Indian Wells and 6-4, 6-2 at the same tournament in 2015. With the second-ranked Spaniard in scintillating form this season, it is hard to see Young being able to do anything that would drastically turn the tide. Nadal captured four clay-court titles–including a 10th French Open–and extended his current winning streak to eight matches by hammering John Millman 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 on Monday.
Young advanced to the last 64 when he got a fourth-set retirement from Denis Istomin while leading by two sets to one and 4-2 in the fourth. The 43rd-ranked American is in the midst of a fine season, with an 18-12 record, back-to-back fourth-round finishes in Indian Wells and Miami, semifinal performances in Memphis and Delray Beach, and a pair of grass-court quarterfinal showings at Queen’s Club and in Eastbourne. This will be a tougher test than what Millman offered, but Nadal may not be seriously troubled this fortnight until he faces a big server with more offensive firepower than Young.
Pick: Nadal in 3
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Jerzy Janowicz vs. (14) Lucas Pouille
Janowicz likely has a long way to go before he can think about someday making a return trip to the Wimbledon semifinals (previously accomplished in 2013), but he is at least starting to resurface to tennis relevancy. After reaching a career-high ranking of No. 14 four years ago, the 6’8” Pole fell off the map due to both physical problems and some mental struggles. Janowicz, who currently registers at No. 141 in the world, reached the Stuttgart quarterfinals last month and beat Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(2) on Monday.
Up next for Janowicz on Wednesday is a second career contest against Pouille. Their only previous meeting came two years ago on the indoor hard courts of St. Petersburg, where Pouille prevailed in a pair of tiebreakers. The 16th-ranked Frenchman has quarterfinal points to defend at the All-England Club, where his run last year featured victories over Young, Juan Martin Del Potro, and Bernard Tomic. Pouille battled through his Monday opener after fighting off two set points in the fourth and withstanding Malek Jaziri 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(2). This is a considerable step up in competition for Janowicz, who must serve better than 60 percent and win more than 46 percent of his second-serve points (his numbers vs. Shapovalov) if he wants to pull off an upset.
Pick: Pouille in 4
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