Each day through the first four rounds, Richard Pagliaro will preview three must-see matches—and give his predictions.
(7) Caroline Wozniacki vs. Tamira Paszek
—Head to Head: Wozniacki leads 1-0
Paszek scored successive Top 10 wins over former Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli and Angelique Kerber to win Eastbourne on Saturday, and the 2011 Wimbledon quarterfinalist has a real shot to knock off the former No. 1 on Tuesday. Paszek hits the ball harder than her 5'5" frame suggests, sharing some similarities with another vertically-challenged flat hitter, Dominika Cibulkova, who upset Wozniacki in the fourth round last year. The 37th-ranked Paszek has fond memories of SW19: She was the girls’ runner-up in 2005.
If Wozniacki gets down early and starts feeling the pressure, she will be in big trouble. Wozniacki has lost her opening match in two of her last three tournaments, including a three-set loss to Christina McHale in Eastbourne last week. It’s tempting to pick Paszek, who thrives on grass. But Wozniacki is better athletically, knows the Austrian is dangerous, and should be eager after her third-round loss at Roland Garros.
The Pick: Wozniacki in three sets
(24) Francesca Schiavone vs. Laura Robson
—Head to Head: Schiavone leads 2-0
This first meeting between the pair is an opportunity match for Robson, who reached the round of 16 in Eastbourne last week. Schiavone has failed to survive the second round in six of her last eight Wimbledon appearances, as her heavy topspin that works so well on Roland Garros’ red clay is not as insidious on grass.
Robson, a former Wimbledon girls' champion, beat Kerber in the first round last year and will have the crowd behind her in bidding for her second main-draw win at her hometown tournament. The left-hander must land a high percentage of first serves and play first-strike tennis, as she’s not nearly as quick around the court as the 2010 French Open champ. Though Schiavone has struggled at SW19, she did reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals three years ago and her slice backhand remains a weapon on turf. An all-courter, the Italian can close effectively at net.
The Pick: Schiavone in three sets
(32) Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Yanina Wickmayer
—Head to Head: Kuznetsova leads 2-1
A rematch of last year's third-rounder, which Wickmayer won in three sets, this could be one of the most competitive women’s matches of Day 2. All three of their prior matches have gone the distance, and both should carry some confidence from recent results: Kuznetsova beat world No. 3 Agnieszka Radwanska to reach the fourth round of Roland Garros; Wickmayer was runner-up on clay at Bad Gastein.
This us a tricky match because both women can dictate play offensively, but both are prone to mental and emotional ebbs and flows where they fight themselves as well as the opponent. Since her run to the 2009 U.S. Open semifinals, Wickmayer has been disappointing in majors, falling in the first round at the Australian Open and Roland Garros this year. A fast start and high first-serve percentage could be critical here, and though Wickmayer is 1-5 against opponents in the Top 35 in 2012, we’ll ride with her.
The Pick: Wickmayer in three sets