Wimbledon’s daily Order of Play can seem more like chaos, with dozens of matches taking place around the grounds. Each day during The Championships, we’ll write about three must-see matchups.
Michael Llodra vs. Jesse Witten (Court 8, third match)
Slam breakthroughs are often harbingers of future success, but the future may have already passed 27-year-old Jesse Witten. At last year’s U.S. Open, the stout University of Kentucky alum made the third round, where he pushed Novak Djokovic to four sets in defeat. But he hasn’t won a match on the ATP tour since, instead toiling on the Challenger circuit without much success. Witten has done well in Grand Slam qualifiers, however, reaching the main draw at Roland Garros and now Wimbledon. If his ground strokes are on, they could do some damage on the lawns. He’ll face Michael Llodra, whose serve-and-volley game should be built for grass. I say "should" because Llodra has strangely never been past the second round of Wimbledon in singles, though he has a doubles title to his credit. Catch these two entertainers while you can—one will be gone Monday evening, and the other will almost certainly be dismissed by Andy Roddick in round two. The Pick: Llodra in five
Justine Henin [17] vs. Anastasija Sevastova (Court 12, fourth match)
Late-day matches at the majors tend to have dramatic flair. This one might fit the bill. You have to wonder how Henin will play after her run at s’Hertogenbosch. Yes, she dropped just one set on her way to the title, but she played five matches last week and still has a Monday start—on Court 12, no less, which isn't exactly a venue befitting a seven-time Slam champion. Her opponent, Sevastova, is far from a pushover. She’s risen from No. 84 in the world to No. 57 in the past few months, with solid results on both hard and clay courts. Sevastova’s inexperience at Wimbledon—not to mention Henin’s newfound confidence on turf—will probably do her in, but she should make the Belgian work in their first-rounder. The Pick: Henin in three
Shahar Peer [13] vs. Ana Ivanovic (To be arranged, not before 5 P.M. local time)
Let’s be clear: Ivanovic has looked positively dreadful at times this year. But she’s had some occasional surges, too, and you can never fully write off a former world No. 1. If she could find a way to get past Peer, you'd have to like her chances to reach the third, or possibly fourth, round, where Venus Williams would likely wait. But that won’t be easy. Peer, ranked a career-high No. 14, has reached five semifinals in 2010 and seems to be hitting her stride. We know Ivanovic’s serve will be shaky, so the key to her success will be whether she can take control of rallies. The Serb is a feel player—if she can hit one stinging forehand for a winner, more should come. But you get the sense that any pressure Peer applies will elicit more errors than winners from the mentally frail Ivanovic. The Pick: Peer in two
Ed McGrogan is an assistant editor for TENNIS.com. Follow him on *Twitter*.