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.
Nicolas Mahut vs. John Isner [23] (Court 18, third match, tied 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7), 6-7 (3), 59-59)
Two days ago, I declared this a must-see match. Now it’s a must-see marathon, but that doesn’t even begin do this war justice. Mahut-Isner is the most extraordinary thing I’ve witnessed in tennis, blowing by the Lleyton Hewitt-Marcos Baghdatis all-nighter at the 2008 Australian Open (it did so at around 25-25, and eventually more than doubled in size). The records that have been set are astonishing, as are the number of routine holds throughout the fifth set. Deuces have been rare, but so has a 30-30 score. At 10 hours, the match is approaching the length of a cricket test—how fitting that it’s taking place in Britain. I ask once again: Who will blink first? The pick: Isner wins 66-64
Serena Williams [1] vs. Anna Chakvetadze (Court 2, third match)
I wish the U.S. Open, my hometown Slam, would throw the big names on medium-sized courts like they do here. Fans will get an up-close look at one of the sport’s all-time greats, who should waltz by Chakvetadze if she’s not rattled by the odd court placement (but let’s face it, Williams isn’t rattled by much). The world No. 1’s game is augmented on grass, and the mental mismatch is vast. The only chance the Russian has is to throw caution to the wind and go for everything. Chakvetadze worked her way into the Top 10 not long ago with a compact but commanding forehand, which can win her some points. She’ll need that shot, and all her others, to be on target—and it also wouldn’t hurt if Serena turns out to be wildly off the mark. The pick: Serena in two
Jarkko Nieminen vs. Andy Murray [4] (Centre Court, first match)
Murray’s quarter of the draw is unimposing—Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Sam Querrey and Julien Benneteau are the only other seeds remaining—but his recent lapses merit a one-match-at-a-time approach when it comes to handicapping his chances. Nieminen isn’t the easiest second-rounder out there and is capable of pulling off an upset. The Scot must be sharp from the start. Another straight-sets win would do wonders for his confidence, something he’s lacked since the Australian Open. The pick: Murray in three
Ed McGrogan is an assistant editor for TENNIS.com. Follow him on Twitter.