Wimbledon predictions & tennis betting tips: Big-serving Isner to silence Sinner

Free tennis tips, best bets and analysis for day five at the All England Club, Wimbledon on Friday.

Where to watch

BBC One, BBC Two & BBC iPlayer, 11am Friday

Best bets

John Isner to beat Jannik Sinner
2pts 6-4 general

Alexander Bublik to beat Frances Tiafoe
1pt 10-11 general

Marie Bouzkova to beat Alison Riske-Amritraj
1pt 5-4 Betfred

Day five preview

After Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu's exits on Wednesday, Cameron Norrie will be expected to carry the British baton and the ninth seed is a warm order at 2-7 to make the fourth round at Steve Johnson’s expense.

With third seed Casper Ruud and last year’s semi-finalist Hubert Hurkacz having already been sent packing from the All England Club, the draw has opened up nicely for Norrie, who is 9-4 to win the second quarter.

A potential semi-final showdown with Novak Djokovic is on the cards and the Serb will be much happier about his title chances after an authoritative straight-set second-round win over Thanasi Kokkinakis.

Djokovic should overcome compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic in round three and the top seed is 1-2 to record a seventh Wimbledon crown.

Ons Jabeur, Jelena Ostapenko and Maria Sakkari are the stars on show in the women’s event and all three seeds should successfully seal their spot in the last 16.

Jannik Sinner v John Isner

John Isner played the role of pantomime villain superbly as he overpowered Murray in the second round and the big-serving American can blast his way past Italian tenth seed Jannik Sinner too.

Isner, who was a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2018, may not be the force of old at 37 but he is still capable of delivering world-class performances.

The serve of the giant from North Carolina remains a huge asset and his ability to keep points short and sweet means Sinner’s obvious fitness edge may not be that much of a factor.

Murray was unable to break Isner, who fired in 36 aces and won 84 per cent of points on his first serve, and Sinner could struggle to nullify that weapon on what would be his most vulnerable surface.

The 20-year-old had won only one of last his eight competitive grass-court matches before this year’s Wimbledon, where he has needed four sets to see off injury-ravaged veteran Stan Wawrinka and Mikael Ymer.

Sinner is an up-and-coming star and looks sure to contest for Grand Slam silverware in the near future. But Isner is suited to these conditions and, at 6-4, he is the value call.

Frances Tiafoe v Alexander Bublik

Bookmakers are struggling to separate Frances Tiafoe and Alexander Bublik for their Wimbledon third-round encounter, but the showman from Kazakhstan should be backed to come out on top.

Bublik is one of the ATP Tour’s great entertainers, capable of causing problems for any player on his day, and recent performances suggest he is in the mood to deliver.

The 25-year-old got the better of Tiafoe in Eastbourne ten days ago, winning 5-7 7-6 6-0, and he has barely broken sweat in recording straight-set wins over Marton Fucsovics and Dusan Lajovic.

The American has also recorded two 3-0 victories, although his opponents Andrea Vavassori and Maximilian Marterer - both ranked outside the world’s top 170 - carried much less of a threat.

Marie Bouzkova v Alison Riske-Amritraj

Marie Bouzkova has already taken care of two American players at Wimbledon this year and the talented Czech performer could claim a third USA scalp in Alison Riske-Amritraj.

Bouzkova came from a set down to defeat seventh seed Danielle Collins in her opener before recording a 6-0 6-3 success over Ann Li.

A third-round clash against Riske-Amritraj, who was a Wimbledon quarter-finalist in 2019, requires more but it is a test she looks up to.

The American finished runner-up to Beatriz Haddad Maia in Nottingham in the middle of June but first-round exits at Birmingham and Eastbourne followed.

The 31-year-old then made seriously hard work of overcoming inexperienced Pole Maja Chwalinska in the second round, having lost the opening set 6-3, which suggested she was operating well below her best.

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