Wimbledon Day 1 Women’s Predictions Including Naomi Osaka vs Talia Gibson

Day 1 of Wimbledon kicks off with a whopping 32 women’s matches–half of the first round. As always, our team here at LWOT will share their thoughts on every single match with you. We split the 32 matches between eight articles. In addition to this articles, the other feature Aryna Sabalenka vs Carson Branstine, Elina Svitolina vs Anna Bondar, Emma Raducanu vs Mingge Xu, Leylah Fernandez vs Hannah Klugman, Madison Keys vs Elena Gabriela Ruse, Amanda Anisimova vs Yulia Putintseva, and Jasmine Paolini vs Anastasija Sevastova. Predicting these matches are Jordan Reynolds, Tope Oke, and Yesh Ginsburg. Who do you think will win?

Wimbledon Day 1 Women’s Predictions

Peyton Stearns vs Laura Siegemund

Jordan:
This is not an easy opening round for Stearns. Siegemund possesses variety and craft that makes her more likely to beat Stearns on grass than on other surfaces. It is not quite enough for me to back the veteran German though.
Prediction: Stearns in 3

Tope:
Both players have won as much they have lost on grass this season. Stearns is yet to win a match at Wimbledon in two attempts and is looking for her first Grand Slam win of the season. Even though she starts as favourite, her veteran opponent seems to find a way to raise her level as she did in Melbourne earlier in her defeat of Qinwen Zheng. Don’t be surprised if it happens again.
Prediction: Siegemund in 3

Yesh:
I think Peyton Stearns has real potential to be a top player. And no, that’s not just because we’re both from Ohio. The American has a raw power that few can match, and when she learns to fully control it she’ll be hard to beat.
Prediction: Stearns in 2

Eva Lys vs Yue Yuan

Jordan:
Grass does not suit either woman’s game. I am backing Lys to prevail. The German has considerably improved this season, and I think she can adapt better to the conditions than Yuan, who usually struggles outside of hard courts.
Prediction: Lys in 2

Tope:
Both players are looking for their first career win at Wimbledon, and while Lys is the higher ranked player, her recent drab performance and her retirement at the Bad Homburg qualifying tilts the advantage in favor of Yue Yuan, who can scrape a gritty win.
Prediction: Yuan in 3

Yesh:
I like Lys in this one. Her game more naturally adapts to the grass, and while she doesn’t yet have the results to show for that potential, it’s definitely there.
Prediction: Lys in 2

Ons Jabeur vs Viktoriya Tomova

Jordan:
It is tough to know what to expect from two-time Wimbledon runner-up Jabeur. Her best tennis on grass is better than Tomova’s, but she has not found consistent form for almost two years. I will back her to win, but without certainty.
Prediction: Jabeur in 2

Tope:
Tomova has never been a great grass court player and she hasn’t won a first round match on the surface this season, so the signs do not look good against Ons Jabeur who has finished as runner-up in two of the last three editions
Prediction: Jabeur in 2

Yesh:
Jabeur has reached the final at SW19 twice. And while her form has really fallen tremendously in the past few years, there’s no good reason it can’t come back just as quickly. She just needs some rhythm and confidence. The latter only she can do, but Tomova is a good opponent to build the former against.
Prediction: Jabeur in 2

Naomi Osaka vs Talia Gibson

Jordan:
Gibson played well in qualifying to reach the main draw. Although there have been flashes of promise from Osaka on grass, it is her worst surface after clay and her favored hard courts. I think the Japanese star will have enough to get through the qualifier, but a deep run seems doubtful.
Prediction: Osaka in 3

Tope:
Throughout her career, even when she was at her best, grass courts were never a stronghold for four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who has yet to advance past the third round at Wimbledon.
Gibson recently managed to take a set off Xinyu Wang in Berlin, and if the unpredictable Osaka is not at her best, the Aussie can take advantage to win a set and maybe the match.
Prediction: Gibson in 3

Yesh:
Osaka has never played well on grass or at Wimbledon, shockingly enough. Given what Gibson did in qualifying to get here and Osaka’s recent form, I’m feeling like an upset is definitely possible.
Prediction: Gibson in 3