2024 Wimbledon Day 7: Alcaraz, Sinner Big Favorites, Gauff v Navarro

Week 2 at Wimbledon kicks off with a bunch of former Grand Slam winners led by defending champion Carlos Alcaraz who opens play on Centre Court.

Alcaraz takes on one of three Frenchmen remaining Ugo Humbert. Humbert, who’s back in the Wimbledon fourth round, has never made a Grand Slam quarterfinal and never faced Alcaraz. Alcaraz has won 16 of his last 17 grass matches and in 10 straight at Wimbledon and 10 straight in Slams.

Jannik Sinner will look to get back to a third straight Wimbledon quarterfinal against the brash American Ben Shelton. Shelton has won three straight five set matches and has played some doubles. Will he have anything in the tank and defeat the Sinner again?

“I’m really excited,” Shelton said of facing Sinner. “We have played three times. He’s got me two of them. I think that it’s always good to have played somebody before, beaten them, lost against them. You know kind of what it feels like going into the match.

“He’s one of the guys who has had the most success on tour so far this year as the World No. 1. I think it’s a great opportunity for me, a great challenge and test. The biggest challenge in tennis playing the top-ranked player in the world.

“But, you know, I’m never somebody to be scared going into a match or feel unprepared. I’m always confident in my abilities no matter who is on the other side of the net.

I’m going to go out there and, like I said, try to problem-solve, figure things out as it goes and, yeah, just compete as hard as I can.”

Daniil Medveved will meet Grigor Dimitrov for an 11th time with the Russian well ahead 7-3. Dimitrov made the Wimbledon semifinals in 2024 while Medvedev made it last year. They first met on the grass in Queen’s in 2017 won by Dimitrov.

“It was our first match and I feel like we played a lot,” Medvedev said. “I don’t remember how many times. But I would say something like nine, eight. So we do know each other very well. Some tough matches, like some tough battles.

I”nteresting matches with a lot of good points I feel like. Going to be interesting to play against him on grass again. Yeah, I will have to show my best tennis, serve well, hit the shots well because he can play very good tennis. Not much more to add.”

And Roberto Bautista Agut, a former semifinalist himself, will face American Tommy Paul who has won his last eight matches.

In the women’s draw, Coco Gauff and Emma Navarro collide in an all-American showdown. Gauff hammered Navarro in Auckland this year, but Navarro comes in as a different play

“She’s a really great player, obviously,” Navarros said. “I think she’s super athletic. Probably the most athletic player on tour in my opinion. And she does it all really well. She’ll obviously pose a huge challenge.

“I think when I played her at the beginning of the year, I wasn’t necessarily ready for that challenge. We practiced a couple of times this year. They’ve gone differently than the match went at the beginning of the year.

“I know I have the level inside of me that can beat a player like her. It’s maybe just a matter of doing it on a bigger stage.
er.”

Emma Raducanu will have qualifier Lulu Sun, French Open runner-up Jasmine Paolini plays Madison Keys and Paula Badosa takes on Donna Vekic.

SUNDAY WIMBLEDON SCHEDULE
CENTRE COURT – 1:30PM
Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) [3] v Ugo Humbert (FRA) [16]
Lulu Sun (NZL) v Emma Raducanu (GBR)
Emma Navarro (USA) [19] v Coco Gauff (USA) [2]

NO.1 COURT – 1:00PM
Jasmine Paolini (ITA) [7] v Madison Keys (USA) [12]
Jannik Sinner (ITA) [1] v Ben Shelton (USA) [14]
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) [10] v Daniil Medvedev [5]

NO.2 COURT – 11:00AM
Paula Badosa (ESP) v Donna Vekic (CRO)
Tommy Paul (USA) [12] v Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)