Thursday’s Wimbledon tips: Nadal and Djokovic go in second round
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Several home hopes in action too
After the flying ants invaded on Wednesday, Wimbledon will be hoping for a smoother time of things today.
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are the headline names in action. The duo will be hoping to join Roger Federer in round three.
There’ll be plenty of focus on British entrants too, with Johanna Konta, Kyle Edmund and Katie Boulter set to play. Here are today’s tips from the Coral News crew…
Rafael Nadal -7.5 games handicap v Mikhail Kukushkin @ 5/6
World number one Rafael Nadal cruised through his first round match with Dudi Sela, triumphing 6-3, 6-3, 6-2.
The Spaniard should have little to worry about this afternoon against Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin.
Nadal has won all three previous meetings, dropping just one set in the process and he should be on course to win again with room to spare.
Kyle Edmund to beat Bradley Klahn 3-0 @ 10/11
With Andy Murray injured, Kyle Edmund picks up the baton as home hero in the men’s event.
The 23-year-old beat Alex Bolt in straight sets in his first round clash, and now faces American Bradley Klahn.
Edmund wasn’t at his best against Bolt, so he’ll be out to finesse his game today. Klahn is 163rd in the rankings and this is the first time he’s gone this far in a Slam since 2013.
Johanna Konta v Dominika Cibulkova – Over 2.5 sets @ 11/8
Johanna Konta faces a fiendish second round clash against former world number four and Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova.
This would ordinarily be a third or fourth round match, but Serena Williams’ return ensured Cibulkova was unseeded, and thus an earlier meeting beckoned.
Both players have struggled in 2018, and Konta was far from impressive in a scrappy first-round win over Natalia Vikhlyantseva. This should be one of the matches of the day, and may well go all the way.
Juan Martin del Potro to beat Feliciano Lopez 3-1 @ 5/2
We’re sticking our necks out a bit here in the second round match-up between Juan Martin del Potro and Feliciano Lopez.
Del Potro has enjoyed a solid 2018 as he continues to find his way back from wrist injuries. He reached the French Open semi-finals and won at Indian Wells and Acapulco, beating Federer in the former.
He should have more than enough in hand to defeat seasoned pro Lopez. But the 36-year-old Spaniard’s experience should see him grab a set.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
