Wimbledon second round: Mensik vs Dimitrov preview

Jakub Mensik and Grigor Dimitrov meet in the Wimbledon second round on Tuesday, with a best-of-five contest on grass on the cards. The 17th-ranked Mensik has won both previous meetings, but Dimitrov arrives with the stronger surface-specific numbers this season. The question is whether that grass form can overcome a clear head-to-head deficit.

Mensik's 2-0 grip on the rivalry

Mensik has won both career meetings against Dimitrov, including a three-set victory in Madrid on clay last year and a straight-sets win in Shanghai on hard courts. Their matches have been tight, with an average of 29 games per contest, though Mensik has won 33 games to Dimitrov's 25. Dimitrov took the only tiebreak they have played, but Mensik has won both deciding sets. Those previous meetings suggest the Czech player has a mental edge in key moments.

Mensik J.

Dimitrov G.

Wins

2 0

First Serve Points Won

73 %71 %

Second Serve Points Won

48 %52 %

Return Points Won

37 %37 %

Break Points Converted

32 %25 %

Break Points Saved

75 %68 %

Dimitrov's heavier grass mileage

On grass this season, Dimitrov holds a much stronger record at 5-2 compared to Mensik's 1-1. The Bulgarian has won 87% of his service games on the surface and converted 42.5% of break points. Mensik's numbers on grass are solid but in a smaller sample, with an 84% service hold rate. Dimitrov has also played more matches on the surface, which could help his feel for the court.

Recent form paints different pictures

Mensik has won seven of his last ten matches, including a five-set opening victory at Wimbledon, although that recent run includes a mixed bag of clay and grass results. Dimitrov has a 5-5 record in his last ten, with three of those wins coming on grass. However, Dimitrov was beaten in the Mallorca quarter-finals last week and has lost five of his last seven matches overall. That patchy form is a concern.

Market firmly behind the favourite

Bookmakers price Mensik at 1.57 to win the match, with Dimitrov the outsider at 2.38. The first-set odds are similarly one-sided, with Mensik at 1.67 and Dimitrov at 2.20. The market suggests a comfortable passage for the 17th-ranked player.

Mensik J.

Dimitrov G.

Our new tennis stats site is live!

Serving edge meets return pressure

Mensik's serve has been a weapon in their previous meetings, averaging 13 aces per match against Dimitrov. He also created more break-point opportunities, 11 per match compared to Dimitrov's six. Dimitrov will need to improve his return numbers to trouble the Mensik serve. But Dimitrov's superior grass-court serving and break-point conversion this season offer a plausible route if he can find his rhythm.

Prediction

Odds