The Pick Wimby R1 Collins Bouzkova

In the opening round at Wimbledon, world No. 8 Danielle Collins gets a tough draw in world No. 65 Marie Bouzkova. Collins, who is one of the most competitive players this sport has to offer, hasn’t played a singles match since her straight-set loss to Shelby Rogers at Roland Garros on May 26. This won't be a straightforward match for the American, who would likely win this one under normal circumstances.

Having to go from clay to grass—at the most prestigious tennis tournament of all—is going to be a tough transition for Collins, who is just 3-3 since losing to Naomi Osaka in the Miami Open final on March 29. Considering all six of those matches came on the dirt, where Collins is 26-16 in her career, it’s not hard to see that the American isn’t exactly playing her best tennis. And the 28-year-old is only 5-7 in 12 career tour-level grass-court matches, which doesn’t suggest a whole lot of comfort in what is a very different type of tennis.

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Bouzkova hasn’t had much success on the grass in her career, but she is a rock-solid player and should feel a bit better about her game than her opponent right now. She played Eastbourne and lost a hard-fought battle against Shelby Rogers in three sets. The Czech player also happens to have played doubles in that tournament, as her and Sara Sorribes Tormo nearly pulled off an upset over Serena Williams and Ons Jabeur. She’ll be used to the conditions, and while the American could eventually find her footing at the All England Club, it might be a little too late if Bouzkova is able to make her presence felt right from first ball.

The 23-year-old also happens to be a great on-court mover, with the ability to effectively counterpunch, so she could ultimately end up frustrating Collins in this one. The American runs a little hot, so that could be a factor in this match. All in all, there’s just a lot of uncertainty surrounding Collins at the moment, and that makes Bouzkova a pretty good value as a plus-money play. She’s worth taking a shot on, even if it’s for a little less than you usually bet on a match.

The Pick: Bouzkova To Win (+120)