LONDON—Doesn’t Wimbledon aim for moderation and understatement in all things? It does, except, it seems, when it comes to its second Monday. Then the tournament suddenly snaps, throws all of that pent-up caution and discretion to the wind, and schedules everyone all at once all over the grounds. That’s where we are, the Monday scramble, and there are worse places for a tennis fan to be. Let’s take a thumbnail look at what we’ll see, from start to finish, as we make our slightly crazed way across the All England Club on Monday.
Centre Court
Andy Murray vs. Richard Gasquet (tied 2-2)
This could be the big one of the afternoon. They played a toothy, muscular five-setter here a few years ago, which Gasquet blew. He has a good chance tomorrow in this battle of thwarted talent, and he might even be the favorite, if it wasn’t for the crowd. But he’s not the favorite.
Venus Williams vs. Tsvetana Pironkova (Pironkova leads 2-1)
Pironkova does two things well: Play at Wimbledon, where she made the semis last year, and play against Venus Williams, whom she's upset twice. But Venus has already passed one serious test, against Date-Krumm.
Rafael Nadal vs. Juan Martin del Potro (Nadal leads 5-3)
This could be something like last year’s Nadal-Soderling fourth-rounder. The most dangerous player has his moments, but Rafa raises his game to match him and wins going away in four.
Court I
Marion Bartoli vs. Serena Williams (Williams leads 2-0)
Bartoli has played a lot, and expended a lot of emotional and physical energy in the last two rounds. Serena has won without her best and now is getting close to becoming the “favorite.”
Michael Llodra vs. Novak Djokovic (Djokovic leads 2-1)
Llodra likes grass, and his lefty serve and volley will give Djokovic a different look from the norm. But Djokovic has the best return in the game right now. Only trouble: He says that he hasn’t been moving that well at Wimbledon so far.
Mikhail Youzhny vs. Roger Federer (Federer leads 10-0)
Federer is cruising, and this fellow 29-year-old has been one of his old colleagues/whipping boys since the juniors. Check the head-to-head record above: That’s not a recipe for an upset.
Court 2
Shuai Peng vs. Maria Sharapova (Sharapova leads 2-1)
Peng has had a good year, and she’ll shovel a lot of balls flat and down the middle and make Sharapova come up with winners. Maria hasn’t been quite as sharp as her French Open form might have predicted, but she should find a way here.
Caroline Wozniacki vs. Dominika Cibulkova (Wozniacki leads 6-2)
Top-seeded Wozniacki is back on Court 2 and, as they say, under the radar, which must be a relief. Grass helps give her a little more pace to work with, but Cibulkova can run.
Mardy Fish vs. Tomas Berdych (never played)
Has Fish hit his ceiling again (has he surfaced, in other words)? This one is up to Berdych. He’s more explosive, and more inconsistent.
Court 3
Nadia Petrova vs. Victoria Azarenka (tied 2-2)
Here we go with the Azarenka watch. Again she’s looked good, again she has a shot at the semis, and again, as she did with Li Na at the French, she plays a veteran who on paper she should beat. She lost that time, though, and Petrova is even with her in their head to head.
Lukasz Kubot vs. Feliciano Lopez (Kubot leads 2-1)
Lopez has surged in 2011 and recorded his best Slam win, over Andy Roddick, in the last round. Will beating Roddick for the first time give him a lasting boost? Lopez’s serve could take him far. Or will he be Feli being nervous Feli one more time?
David Ferrer vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (Ferrer leads 1-0)
I’m thinking this could go something like Ferrer’s loss to Gael Monfils in Paris. Ups and downs from one set to the next, depending on Tsonga’s form, concentration, and nerves. It’s on the Frenchman’s racquet.
Court 12
Sabine Lisicki vs. Petra Cetkovska (never played)
Lisicki hits all-out virtually all the time, and she’s feeling comfortable right now. Cetkovska, ranked 81st, has made a run against an ill Radwanska and a bad Ivanovic. But she’s probably not quick enough to hang with the belting Bollettieri-ite.
Petra Kvitova vs. Yanina Wickmayer (tied 2-2)
Kvitova has shown a tendency to go away when she’s challenged at majors this year. She’s the bigger hitter and better player this time; the question is whether Wickmayer, a stronger opponent than what Kvitova has faced so far, can hang with her long enough to force the Czech to try something different.
Tamira Paszek vs. Ksenia Pervak (never played)
If Murray-Gasquet and Nadal-del Potro are the day’s high-profile matches, this battle of 20-year-olds is at the other end of the marquee (the part with the lights missing). Pervak beat Petkovic and Peer, and Paszek was supposed to be good at one point (though she’s still only 20). Beyond that, maybe you can tell me what you know.
Court 18
Bernard Tomic vs. Xavier Malisse (Malisse leads 1-0)
A battle of superb ball-strikers from different eras out on the back court. Prediction? Rallies. Long rallies. Good rallies.
See you from the grounds on Monday.