Kyle Edmund is progressing well but Djokovic looks set to call the tune

Day six
BBC, from 11.30am Saturday

British number one Kyle Edmund takes centre stage on the final day of week one at Wimble­don with a clash against Novak Djokovic, the player who took tennis to a new level in his pomp.

Djokovic is slowly but surely returning to a standard at which he can again be competitive, but a couple of weeks ago in his loss to Marin Cilic in the Queen's Club final it was clear there was still plenty to be done.

Edmund is going the right way and the Yorkshireman is learning well as he matures. Slight preference is for Djokovic to prove too strong for the Durban-born 21st seed, but the rough-and-ready Beverley ace still has enough ability to give a decent account of himself in his bid for a last-16 berth.

That match is likely to be in the spotlight of Centre Court, but there are probably better value bets to be in some of the day's other clashes.

Vesely v Fognini
Jiri Vesely is once again showing what he is capable of at Wimble­don, dropping just one set in the course of posting solid wins over Florian Mayer and Diego Schwartzman.

But while Vesely has plenty of potential for the grass-court Grand Slam, little tends to change in the world of the laid-back Czech who hails from the sleepy city of Pribram and Fabio Fognini will probably repeat his victory at the All England Club last year over his physically stronger opponent.

Fognini defeated Vesely 7-6 6-4 6-2 in south-west London 12 months ago. That could take some overturning and a price of 8-13 about the Italian is difficult to quibble with.

Recommendation
F Fognini
1pt 8-13 general

Ostapenko v Diatchenko
Jelena Ostapenko played a blinder at Wimbledon last year when reaching the quarter-finals in London not long after joining the ranks of Grand Slam singles champions in the French Open.

The Latvian came up well short in her Roland Garros title defence in May when she was sent packing in the first round on the Paris clay, but Ostapenko may hang around considerably longer in the third Slam of the season.

The 12th seed's reward for a 6-1 6-3 pasting of Kirsten Flipkens, who is no mug on grass, is a date with Russian qualifier Vitalia Diatchenko.

The 27-year-old's career has been severely blighted by injuries, but she has done well to dismiss 2004 champion Maria Sharapova and promising American teenager Sofia Kenin.

But the fact that Diatchenko was busy last week winning three matches in Roehamp­ton is unlikely to help her cause as the main event draws on and Ostapenko has a good chance to post another solid victory on grass.

Their only previous meeting saw Diatchenko retire on a Yorkshire grass court three years ago after Ostapenko had won the first five games, so it could be worth supporting the powerful favourite to triumph in straight sets.

Recommendation
J Ostapenko to win 2-0
1pt 8-11 Coral

Other matches
Juan Martin del Potro, who hammered grass-court ace Feliciano Lopez in round two, will probably have too much for Benoit Paire, but the Frenchman won their only previous meeting and did well to eliminate Denis Shapovalov in the last 64.

Nick Kyrgios ought to post a first victory over Kei Nishikori, but the Japanese leads 3-0 in their personal series and the Australian endured a lengthy Wimble­don opener against Denis Istomin.

Gilles Simon could show his class against Matt Ebden, but the Aussie leads their series 2-0.

Karen Khachanov has been well touted for Wimbledon for some months now, but the Russian may need to produce something special to deny Delray Beach champion Frances Tiafoe, who is enjoying an excellent campaign.

Punters face some tough picks in the other women's clashes.

Ashleigh Barty could have to dig deep in her first career meeting with Daria Kasatkina, while Dominika Cibulkova may do well to continue in winning vein against Elise Mertens.

Daria Gavrilova looks to be performing better in London this year than last and could pose problems for Petra Kvitova's conqueror Aliaksandra Sasnovich, while Indian Wells champ Naomi Osaka may need to find more to deny Angelique Kerber on grass.

Belinda Bencic has a chance to oust Carla Suarez Navarro but Alison van Uyt­vanck, a 5-7 6-2 6-1 victor over 2017 grass queen in round two, may find Anett Kontaveit tougher to stop.

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