Straight away here I think that the Russian can make this a battle for Serena. They’ve never played against each other on grass, but on the face of it this is a game that looks as though it can go a fair distance. Kuznetsova was extremely good against Sloan Stevens in her previous match. Despite being down 2:5 she fought back and was able to take the third set.
Such wins take off the pressure, and it’s good for Kuznetsova because now she’s facing the WTA’s rank #1 player. Serena Williams is the favourite against any opponent, there’s nothing new there, but Svetlana knows how to play against the American. It was Kuznetsova who beat Serena in Miami, albeit on a different service, but it’s not a secret that Williams doesn’t particularly like to play against Kuznetsova. Maybe this fact will instill further motivation into the American superstar. But ultimately if Svetlana can use her first serve, she will fight till the end and is likely to take this one past 20 games.
See other Wimbledon tips from Anna here.