Andrey Rublev vs Aslan Karatsev Prediction: The upcoming game won't be easy for Rublev

The second round of the Wimbledon tournament will be a match between two Russians, world number 7 Andrey Rublev will face ATP number 50 Aslan Karatsev. The pair, of course, know each other well from playing for the same team, but have only met on tour once, in Dubai in 2021, before Aslan won in three sets and is regarded as the clear underdog in the pair.

After the final in Hull, which he lost to Bublik in three games, Rublev played two matches in Great Britain, beating Auger-Aliassime and Musetti. At Wimbledon, Rublev played one match against Purcell, and as we had expected, Andrey got the better of the Australian in three sets. Andrei was 6:3, 7:5, and 6:4, served six aces and one double fault, winning 77% of first-serve points and 48% of second-serve points. Receiving stats: 29%/54%, winners/unforced errors 27/26.

Karatsev played two tournaments on grass, two in Stuttgart and three in Hull before Wimbledon. In Saxony, Aslan beat Marterer, lost both to Safiullin and in three sets to Sonja. In London, Karatsev had a four-set win over the Frenchman Van Assche. What is important to note is that Karatsev lost the first game on a tie-break but won the remaining three games. Aslan served 11 times on the court with eight double faults, winning 74% of his points on the first serve and 56% on the second. Receiving stats: 41%/42%, winners/unforced errors 57/60.

The bookmakers see Rublev as the big favorite in the pair, but after all, Karatsev has experience beating Andrei, and Aslan played his first match at Wimbledon on a good level. Rublev is a strong candidate for the title; Andrei played a good tournament in Hull, and after Germany, Rublev has not looked bad after winning three tournaments, including Wimbledon. However, we doubt the upcoming match will be easy for Rublev. Karatsev is an experienced tennis player, adapting to his opponent's play, and Aslan is also very familiar with Rublev's style of play.