Wimbledon 2022: Carlos Alcaraz vs Jan-Lennard Struff preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick

Match details

Fixture: (5) Carlos Alcaraz vs Jan-Lennard Struff

Date: June 27, 2022

Tournament: The Championships, Wimbledon

Round: First Round

Venue: London, Great Britain

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Grass

Prize money: £40,350,000

Match Timing:

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - BBC & Radio | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP

Carlos Alcaraz vs Jan-Lennard Struff preview

Fifth seed Carlos Alcaraz will start his Wimbledon campaign against Jan-Lennard Struff in the first round.

Alcaraz has an astounding 86 percent success ratio in 2022, with title-winning campaigns at the Rio Open, Miami Masters, Barcelona Open and Madrid Masters.

In Madrid, the 19-year-old became the first player ever to beat both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in a clay tournament and the youngest player to beat a reigning World No. 1 in nearly two decades since an 18-year-old Richard Gasquet beat Roger Federer at the 2005 Monte-Carlo Masters.

Alcaraz will be entering Wimbledon on the back of a quarterfinal exit at the French Open. The Spaniard was one of the favourites heading into the tournament but couldn't get over the line against the persistent German Alexander Zverev.

The teenager got a feeler on the grass courts in London, playing an exhibition match against Francis Tiafoe at the Giorgio Armani Hurlingham Classic, but found it demanding to settle in quickly and lost in straight sets.

Jan Lennard-Struff has had a nightmare season, winning only two matches out of 11. Since his semifinal run at the 2021 St. Petersburg Open, the 32-year-old has not been able to move past the Round of 16 in any of his last nine tournaments.

The German performed well in Stuttgart, outfoxing Eastbourne International semifinalist Marcos Giron in the first round and pushing Lorenzo Sonego to the limit in the second. He was ill-fated to be on the losing end of two gruelling tie-breakers which ended his run at the Boss Open.

Struff will be eager to snap his three-match losing streak and has a chance to do so against an opponent who has spent less time on the grass courts than him this season.

Carlos Alcaraz vs Jan-Lennard Struff head-to-head

Struff leads the head-to-head 1-0 against Alcaraz. He defeated the Spaniard at the 2021 French Open 6-4, 7-6(2), 6-2.

Carlos Alcaraz vs Jan-Lennard Struff odds

Player Name	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games
Carlos Alcaraz	-550	-1.5(-250)	Under 36.5(-120)
Jan-Lennard Struff	+360	+1.5(+175)	Over 36.5(-115)

All odds are sourced by BetMGM.

Carlos Alcaraz vs Jan-Lennard Struff prediction

Carlos Alcaraz will be the favourite heading into this contest. He's been far more consistent than the German and their success ratio this year speaks for itself.

The Spaniard will take some time to settle on grass at the main stage but once he does, he can cause serious problems for any opponent. Alcaraz has a strong offensive game with all the shots in the book and is arguably the quickest player on tour. He has the ability to win points from impossible situations, making it very difficult for competitors to find a way past him.

Jan-Lennard Struff will need to find some inspiration to match the 19-year-old's pedigree. He has been quitely putting in the work but needs to implement it to the tee against a player like Alcaraz who's on top of his game at the moment. Struff is a powerful baseliner and possesses a strong serve. He might know a thing or two about the teenager too, having defeated him in Paris last year.

Alcaraz has the worst ratio on grass compared to other surfaces and will be up against a seasoned campaigner. It'll be a tricky test for the World No. 7 but he's hardly played badly this season. He's determined to take his game to the next level and challenge the very best in the sport. We can expect the Spaniard to put up a solid performance and secure his passage to the Round of 64.

Pick: Alcaraz to win in four sets.