Wimbledon Betting Preview: Emma Raducanu vs. Aryna Sabalenka

When we first got a glimpse at the Wimbledon draw, it looked like Aryna Sabalenka was going to be in some trouble early. Many thought the Belarusian was heading towards a third-round meeting with Marketa Vondrousova, who beat her in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, in the semifinals in Berlin a few weeks ago. Considering Vondrousova’s grass-court prowess, that could have been a tough matchup for the world No. 1.

But you know what? Playing an in-form Emma Raducanu, with the crowd in her corner, might not be much easier. That’s why I’m backing the Brit to win a set, but I’m also going to sprinkle the moneyline.

These two met for the first time in last year’s BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, where Sabalenka earned a 6-3, 7-5 win in a hard-fought match. However, Raducanu is peaking coming into this one; she has won 15 of her last 22 matches. The Brit also happens to be playing on her favorite surface, and she should have sky-high confidence after having earned a 6-3, 6-3 win over Vondrousova last round. That was arguably the best match Raducanu has played since winning the US Open.

When Raducanu is hitting the ball cleanly, she can make anybody uncomfortable. Sabalenka isn’t an exception. Sure, the Belarusian can put a little more on her groundstrokes, but Raducanu has plenty of punch herself. She’s also a little better at defending the court. Against Vondrousova, her ability to steal points was out of this world.

I also have some serious concerns over how Sabalenka is going to manage a pro-Raducanu crowd. I do think it’s hard for British players to play well at Wimbledon (just ask Jack Draper), but with nobody expecting a Raducanu win, she should be able to go out there and play freely. And in this specific situation, the crowd should give her a lift. That said, if Raducanu doesn’t fall apart as a server, or spray unforced errors, I think she’ll be in this match.

Pick: Raducanu +1.5 Sets (+106)