For an all-unseeded matchup at Wimbledon, Matteo Berrettini vs. Grigor Dimitrov is about as big as it gets. They will face each other in the third round on Saturday, while Taylor Fritz and Lorenzo Sonego are also aiming for a place in the second week.
(WC) Grigor Dimitrov vs. Matteo Berrettini
Two injury-plagued veterans who are working to get back to the top of the game will collide in a must-see matchup at Wimbledon on Saturday. A place in the fourth round is at stake, and it would be an absolutely huge result for either man given the circumstances. Dimitrov appeared to be well on his way to at least a quarterfinal berth 12 months ago in London, but a pectoral injury knocked him out while leading eventual champion Jannik Sinner two sets to love. The 35-year-old Bulgarian really had not been able to come back to any extent since then…until now. He is back in the third round at the All-England Club following a straight-set victory over Dane Sweeny and a four-set upset of Jakub Mensik.
Berrettini’s performance is less of a surprise, although he was also a question mark going into this event due to a hip injury sustained in the Roland Garros quarterfinals. The 30-year-old Italian did not play any grass-court matchup tournaments, but rust has not been a factor at all. He scraped past three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka in four tiebreakers and then ousted No. 20 seed Arthur Fils 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3. Berrettini is now an unbelievable 47-13 lifetime on grass — a record that features a Wimbledon runner-up showing in 2021. Mainly because the world No. 51 is more reliable from a physical standpoint right now, he will likely have the edge in what should be a fantastic grass-court battle.
Pick: Berrettini in 5
(6) Taylor Fritz vs. Lorenzo Sonego
Sonego may be Italian, but make no mistake about it: grass is just what the doctor ordered for his aggressive game style. The 31-year-old is 32-27 all time on this surface and he has twice reached the Wimbledon fourth round — including last summer. He is one win away from advancing to the same stage following a four-set win over Tomas Martin Etcheverry and a five-set success against Gabriel Diallo.
Unfortunately for Sonego, that is pretty much where the good news ends. Fritz is rough matchup, as the seventh-ranked American leads their head-to-head series 7-2 (2-0 on grass) and is nothing short of awesome on this surface. He previously beat Sonego at Wimbledon 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in the 2018 first round. Fritz is 9-2 on grass this summer with runner-up efforts in Stuttgart and Halle to go along with straight-set romps over Dusan Lajovic and Patrick Kypson earlier this week. Given how well the sixth seed is playing, Sonego may be hard-pressed to take even a single set.
Pick: Fritz in 3
WWW?
Sonego vs Fritz isn’t a tough pick Fritz in 3 or 4 sets at the Most but I think both Italian’s will lose Dimitrov in 4
Dtrov seems to have a new lease on life….he can win..in 4; and Fritz in 3
Gregor in 5, Taylor in 3