The Baseline Top 10: Snakes in the grass at Wimbledon

For the Grand Slam contenders, the first couple of rounds are an opportunity to get their feet wet as they get ready to charge into the second week.

Of course, one must be cautious, as there are more than a few unseeded players that can make their life difficult—particularly on such a specialized surface as grass. These “snakes” lurking in the lawns at Wimbledon have the bona fides to pull off an early upset.

Here are 10 of the unseeded, yet dangerous, floaters that have the potential to take a bite out of the tournament.

1

Ivo Karlovic

Ever since he announced himself on the world stage with a first-round upset of defending champion Lleyton Hewitt in 2003, Karlovic has been a threat, where his devastating serve is at its most dangerous. He has a solid chance to face Roger Federer in the third round.

2

Dominika Cibulkova

Not everyone was overjoyed that Serena Williams was seeded this year at Wimbledon. Cibulkova, who lost her spot, faces fellow veteran Alize Cornet in the first round. Should she get past that, the two-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist would likely face No. 22 seed Johanna Konta in the second. Going out there with a chip on her shoulder could work to Cibulkova’s benefit.

3

Gilles Muller

Last year, Luxembourg’s standout veteran had a career-best season, which included a quarterfinal run at Wimbledon. In the fourth round, he knocked out two-time champ Rafael Nadal in a five-set classic. It’s been a tough follow-up campaign for Muller, but he’s in a good place in the draw with Kevin Anderson as a potential third-round opponent.

4

Denis Kudla

The grass courts always seem to bring out the best in the young American with the bulk of his main-draw wins coming on the surface. Having recently posted a semifinal finish in Halle, Wimbledon wild-card recipient Kudla faces No. 17 seed Lucas Pouille in his opening match.

5

Alison Riske

Another American at her best on grass, Riske has had an excellent run this season with a triumph in Surbiton, followed by back-to-back quarterfinal appearances in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and Mallorca. She could potentially face Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia, the No. 6 seed, in the second round.

6

Feliciano Lopez

With three of his six career singles titles coming on grass, Lopez is always a threat. The three-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist—who is setting a Grand Slam record with his 66th consecutive major played—could potentially face fifth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro in the second round and give the Argentinian all he could handle.

7

Jeremy Chardy

The Frenchman, who’s been on fire this grass-court season, has reached the second week of Wimbledon in the past. Right off the bat, he faces young Canadian Denis Shapovalov, who is seeded for the first time at Wimbledon (No. 26), in a matchup between former boys’ champions.

8

Eugenie Bouchard

The 2014 Wimbledon finalist has had a rough go of it the past few years. However, her recent run through the qualifying rounds this year indicates she’s ready to make a decent go at the tournament. Kicking off play against young Brit Gabriella Taylor, Bouchard could face No. 17 seed Ashleigh Barty in the second round and Daria Kasatkina, No. 14 seed, in the third round. If she’s finally recaptured her old form, both of those matches are winnable for the Canadian.

9

Lucie Safarova

The Czech veteran, who has been working on getting her legs back under her after missing a portion of the season with a virus, is in an intriguing section of the draw. She could face the No. 32 seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the second round, and possibly Caroline Wozniacki, the No. 2 seed, in the third. Wozniacki has never made it past the fourth round, a feat that former semifinalist Safarova has pulled off.

10

Carina Witthoeft

Even though she’ll be coming into the Championships with a 1-2 mark on grass in 2018, the German should be considered a solid favorite in her opening match against Carla Suarez Navarro, No. 27 seed. Witthoeft has posted consecutive third-round finishes at Wimbledon the past two years, and in 2016 pushed her countrywoman Angelique Kerber to three sets before losing.

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