While some of the most intriguing Wimbledon storylines will play out over the course of the upcoming fortnight, there is sure to be plenty of intrigue right from the start of the grass-court Grand Slam.
Of the 64 first-round men’s singles matches on tap for Monday and Tuesday in London, ATPTour.com highlights five must-see matchups.
[5] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. Dominic Thiem (AUT)
The nine previous Lexus ATP Head2Head matchups between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dominic Thiem have come on some of the biggest stages in tennis. In addition to their two Nitto ATP Finals matchups — including the 2019 title match, won by Tsitsipas — they have also played at three ATP Masters 1000s and at Roland Garros.
Thiem leads the series 5-4 but lost a thrilling three-setter in their most recent meeting at the Mutua Madrid Open this April. After Tsitsipas escaped with a 3-6, 6-1 7-6(5) win in their first matchup since 2020, the Greek showed his respect for his opponent with some encouraging words at the net.
“Your best [match] yet. You still have it,” Tsitsipas said to the Austrian, who has struggled to sustain top form since coming back from a wrist injury last season. “Keep going. You’ve got this,” Tsitsipas added.
The Greek enters Wimbledon with a 1-3 grass-court record this season, while Thiem was beaten by Alexander Zverev in his lone grass event of 2023 in Halle. As both men search for the sort of tennis that has seen them make regular trips deep into majors, their opening-round matchup feels very much up for grabs despite the gap of 85 places in their Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
[30] Nick Kyrgios (AUS) vs. [WC] David Goffin (BEL)
Nick Kyrgios was unseeded last year at Wimbledon when he advanced to his first Grand Slam final. Seeded 30th in his return to the All England Lawn Tennis Club, the Aussie was nonetheless handed a major opening test against wild card David Goffin.
Despite his current standing outside the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Goffin has reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in each of his past two appearances (2019, 2022). He was one set away from the semis last year, but could not convert on a two-sets-to-one lead against home favourite Cameron Norrie in the quarters. The former World No. 7 is seeking his first Grand Slam match win of the season after pulling out of the Australian Open with illness and losing to Hubert Hurkacz in five first-round sets at Roland Garros.
Kyrgios has played just one ATP Tour event this season after suffering ankle and knee injuries early in the year. He was beaten by Wu Yibing in Stuttgart in his only appearance, after which he asked fans for patience in his comeback.
Can memories of his magical 2022 run spark a return to form on the London lawns?
Andy Murray (GBR) vs. [WC] Ryan Peniston (GBR)
Andy Murray made a red-hot start to the grass season by winning two straight ATP Challenger Tour titles behind 10 consecutive match wins in Surbiton and Nottingham. Though he lost to Alex de Minaur at The Queen’s Club immediately following that two-week stretch, he will enter Wimbledon after two full weeks of rest from competitive action.
The former World No. 1 and two-time Wimbledon champion must face a fellow Briton in the opening round. Ryan Peniston enjoyed a breakout grass-court campaign last year, when he reached consecutive ATP Tour quarter-finals at The Queen’s Club and Eastbourne before advancing to the Wimbledon second round.
This June, the 27-year-old played the same grass-court schedule as Murray, competing exclusively in Great Britain across Surbiton, Nottingham and The Queen’s Club. Now the two British players will have the full attention of their nation when they meet for the first time at their home major.
[10] Frances Tiafoe (USA) vs. Wu Yibing (CHN)
Frances Tiafoe broke into the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time behind his first grass-court title in Stuttgart earlier in June. The American has maintained that position to earn a Top 10 seed at Wimbledon, where he will bid to improve upon his career-best fourth-round run last season. With two titles already claimed this year, Tiafoe enters full of confidence.
Wu Yibing won his first ATP Tour title this February in Dallas and later reached the quarter-finals in Geneva. His grass season has seen him face the likes of Kyrgios and World No. 7 Andrey Rublev, with the Chinese star beating Kyrgios in Stuttgart and losing a three-setter to Rublev in Halle. In his Wimbledon debut against Tiafoe, he will play a Top 10 opponent for the second consecutive match.
[9] Taylor Fritz vs. Yannick Hanfmann (GER)
Taylor Fritz drew one of the toughest opening-round matchups possible for a seeded player both by Pepperstone ATP Ranking and by form.
Yannick Hanfmann moved up to No. 44 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings this week behind his semi-final run in Eastbourne, where the German beat World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas. The three wins Hanfmann earned in Eastbourne trump the two victories Fritz has picked up in three grass events this season.
But the American reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final last year at Wimbledon, only bowing out after a five-set epic against Rafael Nadal. While he entered last year’s tournament on the heels of winning the Eastbourne title, he will have to build his momentum from the ground up this year in London.
Source Tennis – ATP World Tour
