Each day of the tournament, we'll preview and predict three must-see matches at Wimbledon.
Novak Djokovic [2] vs. Ernests Gulbis
“I had nothing to lose in my last match, and I’m going to have even less to lose next match; maybe I’ll play even better,” Gulbis joked after beating Juan Martin del Potro on Thursday when he was asked about his chances against Djokovic. How long can the new, easygoing Ernie last? Can he continue to swing away even if he jumps out to a lead against Djokovic, and a victory starts to seem possible? That may be the most important question in this one. Against Delpo, Gulbis played, as he said, “really, really great tennis” to win in straights. Two years ago he played well enough to earn two match points against Djokovic in Montreal before losing. Djokovic has been vulnerable, and Gulbis has the weapons—power on the serve and forehand, variety on the backhand—to exploit that vulnerability. But after 13 months without a main-draw win, can we really pick him to beat Delpo and Djokovic at Wimbledon?
Winner: Djokovic