Wimbledon 2013: Round of 16 preview

This year’s competition has seen some big names exit early. Will the others follow suit? Will there be a new champion or will it be either of the top two seeds?

Here’s a preview of the round of 16 matches due to played on Monday.

1)Novak Djokovic vs Tommy Haas

Head to Head: 5-3 in favor of Djokovic

This is the most intriguing of all the round of 16 clashes. The pair have played twice this season with a win apiece. Haas has hit a purple patch this year and is ready to give it his all in the final few years of his career. His good form was exhibited when he sent Feliciano Lopez packing home in four sets in the preceding round. The Serb had also been ruthless in dispatching his opponents so far. In the absence of Federer and Nadal, his closest rival to lift the trophy will be Andy Murray.

Prediction: Djokovic in five sets

2)Bernard Tomic vs Tomas Berdych

Head to Head: First meeting

Both are wonderful players on grass and both have achieved their career best results at this holy shrine of tennis. Tomic, in the nascent stages of his career, shocked the world by making it to the quarter-final of Wimbledon in 2011 but has been inconsistent since then. His performances have not been worth mentioning.

Berdych reached the first Grand Slam final of his career at Wimbledon in 2010, and has played well in the past at SW19.

Prediction: Berdych to win in four sets

3)David Ferrer vs Ivan Dodig

Head to Head: 1-0 for Ferrer

Ferrer has himself stated that he is not at his best on grass. Yet, this could be his opportunity to reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon for the first time in his career. To do that, he has to win two more matches and the first would be against Croat Ivan Dodig.

Dodig has had a lucky run with two of his opponents retiring and the third being a qualifier. Ferrer has had tough encounters on his way and the toughest of them coming against Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov. This man’s fighting spirit will not let him down and surely, he will not go down to Dodig.

Prediction: Ferrer in four sets

4)Andreas Seppi vs Juan Martin del Potro

Head to Head: 3-0 in favour of del Potro

The man completing the quarter final lineup in the upper half will be the victor between these two. Having won all their three previous encounters and their only on grass, del Potro is definitely the favorite to win this match. He has not lost a set en route to this round. Seppi has played tough five setters, two to be precise and showed the door to talented Japanese Kei Nishikori in the previous round. He is no stranger on grass and won his first title on grass. The winner will be a first time quarter finalist at Wimbledon.

Prediction: del Potro in five sets.

5)Lukasz Kubot vs Adrian Mannarino

Head to Head: First meeting

The Pole is in a familiar situation, having reached the fourth round at slams earlier. This could well be his breakthrough moment. He has rolled through his matches with two straight set wins and a walkover. His French opponent, Adrian Mannarino, has progressed beyond the second round at a slam for the first time. His earlier matches have been similar to that of his opponent. Given the stage and the pressure, the inexperienced Mannarino could falter.

Prediction: Kubot in straight sets

6)Jerzy Janowicz vs Julian Melzer

Head to Head: First meeting

Here is another young talent vying for a quarter final spot. Hindering his progress is an experienced veteran- Jurgen Melzer. The former no.8 scored a good win over Fabio Fognini and exhibited his form and class further in the dismissal of Federer’s conqueror- Sergiy Stakhovsky

His opponent, the second pole in the fourth round, defeated former top ten player Nicolas Almagro in convincing fashion. His opponent on Monday would surely pose a stiffer challenge.

Prediction: Melzer in five sets

7)Fernando Verdasco vs Kenny de Schepper

Head to Head: First meeting

Spaniard Verdasco has shown good form so far with wins over Xavier Malisse, Julien Benneteau and Ernest Gulbis. He was very good in his match against the Latvian in the previous round, winning it in straight sets. The Frenchman has also had a good run, but against less worthy opponents.

Monday’s encounter between the two will prove to be a chance for the Spaniard to regain his lost glory

Prediction: Verdasco in straight sets

8)Mikhail Youzhny vs Andy Murray

Head to Head: 2-0 in favour of Murray

Will we see the Russian saluting the crowd his usual way after Monday’s clash against the world no. 2? Perhaps not. The Russian ,a quarter finalist from last year, has had good wins so far. Murray has been ruthless with his opponents, packing them off in straight sets.

This will be the duo’s first meeting on grass and the defending finalist is all ready to blitz past his opponent.

Prediction: Murray in straight sets