The All England Club moves into its second week as Day 7 at Wimbledon provides us with four women looking to punch their spot in the quarterfinals. A loaded slate is on deck, paced by No. 2 seed Novak Djokovic squaring off against No. 15 seed Holger Rune. As always, we at LWOT have roundtable predictions for all Grand Slam action. Jordan Reynolds, Damian Kust, Andreas Pelekis, and Liam McBride offer their insights.
Wimbledon Day 8 Men’s Predictions
Alexander Zverev vs Taylor Fritz
Jordan
The margins in each set will likely be tight between two great servers. But I am backing Zverev, who has been very impressive so far. His previous struggles on grass seem to be behind him, and at his best, his game is more complete than Fritz’s.
Prediction: Zverev in 4
Damian
Zverev leads the head-to-head 5-3, and interestingly, he managed to defeat Fritz twice at Wimbledon (2018, 2021). It feels like after all these years, it’s the American who’s the bigger grass threat, though, with more potential to go very deep in the event. Zverev has been clinical so far and deserves to be in the conversation, but this is also the first elite grass player he’s facing.
Prediction: Fritz in 5
Andreas
This should be a battle of big servers and a renewal of an underrated rivalry on tour. Fritz will like his odds after Zverev dealt with a slight knee issue after a slip in his third-round match. Two of Fritz’s wins against the German came on faster courts, similar to Wimbledon, at the 2023 United Cup and 2019 Basel Open, though Zverev is 2-0 against Fritz in Wimbledon matches. Fritz was far less inexperienced in those two matches, and the American may be able to get revenge this time around, especially with lingering injury concerns. The German may have the edge if this match goes deep into a fifth set, but Fritz may have the firepower to take charge of this match early on.
Prediction: Fritz in 4
Liam
The German has looked extremely comfortable and has yet to drop a set. It’s always been somewhat of a confusion why he has lacked success on the grass due to his big-hitting game and rapid serve. Perhaps it comes down to his tendency to return to type and grind things from the baseline when he’s under pressure rather than playing to his strengths. Either way, Taylor Fritz was a quarter-finalist at Wimbledon before and is coming off a title at Eastbourne, so he will need to bring his a-game. Both men’s main weapons are their backhand, so expect to see many cross-court rallies on that side. Zverev will edge in an evenly fought contest.
Prediction: Zverev in 4
Alex de Minaur vs Arthur Fils
Jordan
De Minaur has had the easiest route to the fourth round. He did not drop a set in the opening two rounds before receiving a walkover in the third round. The Australian is likely to grind down Fils, who played a tough five-setter in the last round. Any loss in energy will be pounced upon by the rock-solid de Minaur.
Prediction: de Minaur in 3
Damian
It’s fantastic for French tennis that both Fils and Mpetshi Perricard are in a Slam second week for the first time in the same event. The 20-year-old has been treated as a massive prospect for a while and this season so far had been a bit disappointing from him. It’s good to see he’s back and he already defeated de Minaur on clay. On this surface, it’s much tougher and would require perfect application of his game (which he often doesn’t find).
Prediction: de Minaur in 4
Andreas
De Minaur will have the advantage of playing far less tennis compared to Fils, as Fils was able to wrap up a five-set win against Roman Saffulin in a rain-interrupted encounter. The Australian, who benefited from a walkover in the third round, will be able to use his fast speed and movement to force errors from Fils. The Frenchman will likely be more aggressive on the court, but De Minaur has done well to increase his serve speed as of late and control enough of the rallies. Look for the Australian to win this one.
Prediction: de Minaur in 4
Liam
Perhaps not one for the casual fans, but it is a fascinating spectacle nonetheless. De Minaur has arguably improved more than any other player this season so far and has turned what was once a tough slam for him into one where he hasn’t lost a set so far. He will face the charismatic big-hitting young Frenchman Arthur Fils, who will prove his toughest opponent yet. However, this is where the Aussie has developed. These are the type of matches that he now wins without much fuss, and before you know it he’s in a quarter-final. The added power to his serve and groundstrokes have worked wonders. He will set up a tie with Holger Rune without much fuss.
Prediction: de Minaur in 4
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Lorenzo Musetti vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Jordan
There was a sense that Mpetshi Perricard could have a good run in the main draw when he got in as a lucky loser. But his huge serving has been even better than I expected. I do not see his run ending here, either. Musetti’s backhand return is the weakest part of his game, and I am not confident he will be able to make chances against the Frenchman’s serve.
Prediction: Mpetshi Perricard in 3
Damian
They recently played in Stuttgart, with Musetti winning through a couple of 11-9 tie-breaks. The Italian couldn’t convert any of his 8 break points in that match, not facing any himself. But that was on the old-school German and the conditions are a bit slower here. Ironically that might actually be better for Mpetshi Perricard, who’ll still be tough to break but should make some impact on return this time around.
Prediction: Mpetshi Perricard in 5
Andreas
This is a great opportunity for either player to reach the quarterfinals. Mpetshi Perricard will have to continue serving big as he’s done all tournament, and try to fire serves to Musetti’s more erratic forehand. The Italian will have to capitalize well on break points, but he’s struggled with it as of late at the Championships; he was 3 for 16 on break points in his third-round match. Look for Mpetshi Perricard to continue his dream run.
Prediction: Mpetshi Perricard in 5
Liam
Such a clash in styles. Musetti, with his clean groundstrokes, elegantly moves around the court, looking to pick apart his opponent’s weakness. In contrast, Mpetshi Perricard is much more direct and holds one of the top serves on the tour. These two actually met in Stuggart, and only two closely battled tiebreaks could split them. It may be a similar story again, but the Italian will build on a strong season to this date.
Prediction: Musetti in 5
Novak Djokovic vs Holger Rune
Jordan
This has been a tricky matchup in the past for Djokovic. Rune does not have any major weakness to target and is solid all-round, which may be why the 24-time Grand Slam champion has found it tough. However, grass is where I think Rune is least likely to topple Djokovic, even though he has not been at his best so far.
Prediction: Djokovic in 4
Damian
Rune always plays Djokovic close, even if he’s trailing 2-3 in the head-to-head. The Dane showed his best-of-five fitness might be getting close to where it needs to be when he beat Quentin Halys from two sets to love down on Saturday. His versatile playstyle is usually a threat in this matchup, and he’ll make Djokovic work for it. This is the round where we’ll learn a lot about the Serbian, and I also think it might be the round where he exits the event.
Prediction: Rune in 5
Andreas
Could this be one of the matches of the tournament? Rune has had a difficult 2024 season, but the Dane almost always brings his best tennis against the 24-time Grand Slam champion. Rune tends to play his best tennis when the rallies get longer, something Djokovic usually thrives with. Rune’s all-court game may also surprise the Serb on the grass courts, but the 21-year-old may feel nervous in big moments. While it’s probably more likely that Djokovic will be able to mentally rise to the occasion, I wouldn’t rule out an upset.
Prediction: Djokovic in 5
Liam
It’s pretty ridiculous that Novak Djokovic has made it past three rounds of Wimbledon just a matter of weeks after knee surgery. He hasn’t looked his usual self, though. Since the opening match, he has been pushed to four sets by both Jacob Fearnley and Alexei Popyrin. The seven-time champion’s movement has looked more limited due to a lack of confidence to really push off his right knee. Holger Rune stands in his way; the Dane knows how to make life difficult for Djokovic. Despite a slow start against Quentin Halys, he was able to recover and play some marvelous tennis. This one will go the distance, and youth will beat experience.
Prediction: Rune in 5
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane – USA TODAY Sports