Three (You Can't) See, Day 3: Bublik vs. Wolf; Muchova vs. Niemeier; Rublev vs. Karatsev

Alexander Bublik vs. J.J. Wolf

This should be a competitive and entertaining meeting between two guys who have been on a run of good form on grass. Two weeks ago Bublik won his second career title in Halle, beating Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev in the semis and final. Wolf doesn’t have a result quite like that, but he won two matches each in Queen’s and Eastbourne.

Bublik is a mercurial shot-maker in the Nick Kyrgios mold; he’ll throw in an underhand serve or three, and he doesn’t seem to like hitting the same shot the same way more than a couple of times in a row. Wolf, by contrast, is a focused competitor who plays a muscular, meat-and-potatoes, heavy ground stroke game. So far that style has worked well against Bublik. While the Russian is ranked 22 spots ahead of the American (26 to 48), the American is 2-0 in their head-to-head. Wolf has beaten Bublik on clay and hard courts. Can he do it on grass, too?

You never know what Bublik will give you from one day to the next, but I’ll say that his confidence from Halle will carry over here. Winner: Bublik

Karolina Muchova vs. Jule Niemeier

Muchova didn’t win Roland Garros, but her game and personality were the revelation of the fortnight in Paris. Since reaching the final there, she hasn’t played at all; let’s hope this talented but injury-plagued 26-year-old Czech isn’t ailing yet again.

Because if anything, Muchova’s explosive mix of feel and power is even better-suited for grass than it is clay. She’s twice been a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon, and could be on course to face the woman she beat in the semifinals at Roland Garros, Aryna Sabalenka, in the fourth round here.

Niemeier probably isn’t the woman she would have chosen to face I the first round. Muchova has never played the hard-hitting, 23-year-old German, and in most places, during most weeks, she would be a solid favorite to beat her. Niemeier is just 7-18 this year, and her ranking has slipped to 103rd from a high of 61. But Wimbledon is different for her, or at least it was last year, when she made the quarterfinals. Right on cue, Niemeier appears to be rounding into form for her return to the All England Clab. After losing four straight first-run matches this spring, she qualified for Berlin and beat Ons Jabeur in the first round.

Niemeier has the shots to put Muchova on the defensive. Muchova has the versatility to adjust and win anyway. Winner: Muchova

Andrey Rublev vs. Aslan Karatsev

After his first-round win, Rublev says he’s happy to be back at Wimbledon after being banned last year. We can only assume that his fellow-Russian Karatsev feels the same way.

Both guys should be happy with their recent form as well. Karatsev came out of qualifying to reach the semifinals in Madrid in May, and has played with more confidence since then, on both clay and grass. Rublev, meanwhile, made the final in Halle, and says he’s feeling even more comfortable on the slower version of the surface at Wimbledon.

Rublev is the much more accomplished player; he’s ranked seventh, and Karatsev is 50th. But Karatsev won their only previous meeting, on hard courts in 2021. I’m guessing Rublev will turn that around on Wednesday. Winner: Rublev