There really is nothing like Wimbledon. The birthplace of grand slam tennis, with 133 years of tradition behind it, it is nothing short of the crown jewel of the tennis calendar. Suffice to say, it doesn’t need any extra intrigue to draw the world’s attention, but in 2019, it’s managed to get it anyway.
Between a resurgent big three on the men’s side, and a women’s field with enough contenders and possible permutations to give Doctor Strange a headache, the next fortnight is guaranteed to provide plenty of action, whichever way you want it. Really, the only thing you’re not gonna get is Nick Kyrgios to stop complaining.
So if you haven’t already, figure out your eat-sleep-watch schedule for the next two weeks, and check back here daily for a look at three matches that will be well worth your time. So, without further ado, here’s your three to see for day 1 of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships.
Kevin Anderson (RSA) [4] v Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) – First on No. 3 Court
If you’re wondering why this seems like the first time in a long time you’ve seen Kevin Anderson’s name anywhere, you’re not alone – and with good reason. Sidelined with an elbow injury since Miami, the big South African only made his return to the tour last week in Queens, winning one match before falling to Gilles Simon in three sets. Against Herbert he gets a tricky opponent with three-straight weeks of grass court tennis under his belt, and some decent form that has him currently at 38 in the rankings. If the 2018 finalist wants to make a repeat appearance this year, he’s going to have to find his footing fast, otherwise he could easily be the tournament’s first big upset.
Venus Williams (USA) v Cori Gauff (USA) – Third on No. 1 Court
A Wimbledon main draw match featuring two players a scant 24 years apart in age, I can’t decide if that makes 39-year-old Venus Williams a cyborg, 15-year-old Cori “CoCo” Gauff a child prodigy, or both. Either way, it’s a remarkable occurrence, and while the age difference is the thing everyone is focusing on, it’s also an intriguing matchup as both a gauge of Venus’ form (in a quarter where she is primed to play spoiler) and Gauff’s readiness for high-profile, tour-level tennis. Realistically, Venus should have the firepower to eventually overwhelm her young compatriot, but don’t be surprised if the strong-serving and steadfast-hitting of Gauff still manages to turn a few heads along the way.
Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) [28] v Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) – Fourth on Court 18 (Not before 6:00pm)
Two players with markedly different approaches to hitting a tennis ball, Jelena Ostapenko versus Su-Wei Hsieh might be the most fun you have watching a Wimbledon match all week. Where Ostapenko’s sole mission in life is to bludgeon balls out of existence, Hsieh looks to frustrate her opponents with an assortment of funky slices, drop shots and other off-pace nonsense, and that should provide an interesting challenge for the particularly temperamental Latvian. Truly any result is on the table here, whether it’s Ostapenko obliterating everything Hsieh throws at her, or Hsieh using the Latvian as the centrepiece of her own personal puppet show – it could be three alternating bagels, three tiebreaks, or anything in between, in any case, it’s a match you won’t want to miss.
