Wimbledon Day 4 Preview and Picks
By RICKY DIMON
FABIO FOGNINI (-138) VS. MICHAEL RUSSELL (EVEN)
At 23 years old, Fognini is starting to emerge as a legitimate Grand Slam performer. He outlasted Gael Monfils in a French Open second-round marathon and on Tuesday he upset Fernando Verdasco.
“I think this is one of the most beautiful wins of my career,” Fognini said afterward. “This game is worth much more to me than the match against Monfils in Paris as I now have continuity. I knew that I could beat him.”
The Italian also knows he can beat Russell, who is at his best on clay and took advantage of fellow clay-courter Pere Riba-Madrid in the first round. The American dealt with ankle and wrist injuries over the past few months and while those appear to be things of the past, his confidence cannot be at the level of Fognini.
Pick: Fognini in 4 sets.
(25) THOMAZ BELLUCCI (-150) VS. (Q) MARTIN FISCHER (+110)
Fischer had not just been winless at the Grand Slam level heading into Wimbledon; he had been winless in his entire career on the ATP Tour. The 164th-ranked Austrian qualified for the main draw and earned his first main-draw victory by defeating Go Soeda.
To say this is a dream week for Fischer would be an understatement, but this is where the run is going to end. Although Bellucci is at his best on clay courts, his all-court game is underrated. The Brazilian owns a big serve and punishing groundstrokes and he looked good on grass in an easy first-round win.
Pick: Bellucci in 3 sets.
LUKAS LACKO (-138) VS. JEREMY CHARDY (EVEN)
Lacko is already 2-0 against Chardy this season and there is no reason to think anything different will happen this time.
Chardy lost only seven games in his first-round match, but opponent Daniel Gimeno-Traver almost never plays tennis on anything other than clay courts. Lacko upset Marcos Baghdatis, a former Wimbledon semifinalist.
Furthermore, Lacko’s game is better suited for grass, as he is a flat hitter while Chardy hits with heavy topspin. The Slovakian just won their most recent encounter earlier this month on the grass courts of Halle, so get all over Lacko with confidence.
Pick: Lacko in 4 sets.
(29) ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA (-150) VS. ROBERTA VINCI (+110)
Vinci beat Pavlyuchenkova in the Wimbledon second round last year, but there is reason to think revenge is in the cards. Pavlyuchenkova was just 17 during the 2009 event; now she is 18, a much different player, and up to No. 32 in the world.
Pavlyuchenkova also won their most recent encounter earlier this season on the hard courts of Brisbane. Vinci is a solid player who wins matches she is supposed to win but rarely pulls off a surprise, and she won’t be able to contend - on grass - with the power of a new and improved opponent.
Pick: Pavlyuchenkova in 3 sets.