Pavel Kotov - Jordan Thompson predictions and free betting tips [01/07/2024]

Russian tennis player Pavel Kotov and Australian Jordan Thompson will face off in the first round of Wimbledon on Monday, 1 July. The match is scheduled to start at 10:00.

Pavel Kotov

The 25-year-old Russian occupies the 50th spot in the ATP rankings, marking the highest point in his career. Currently, Kotov is in excellent form, showcasing impressive tennis. Pavel performed splendidly on clay; at the recent Roland Garros, he reached the third round before falling to Jannik Sinner in three sets, 4-6, 4-6, 4-6.  Earlier this season, Kotov advanced to the quarterfinals of the Lyon tournament, where he lost to Alexander Bublik despite leading after the first set, 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (4-7), 3-6. Kotov also had a successful run at the Grand Prix Hassan II, reaching the semifinals before being ousted by Roberto Baena, 4-6, 2-6.

On hard courts, he reached the quarterfinals of the Hong Kong Open, only to be defeated by Emil Ruusuvuori, 3-6, 6-7 (4-7). Regarding grass courts, Pavel Kotov has played only 7 matches in his professional career. This season, he has yet to play on grass, and since the major in Paris, he hasn't competed at all. This lack of practice might adversely affect his performance. This season, Kotov has defeated strong players, including Stanislas Wawrinka and Cameron Norrie. Statistically, Pavel played 26 matches this year, winning 14 of them. In his last 10 matches, he secured 6 victories, which demonstrates his good form.

Jordan Thompson

The 30-year-old Australian is currently ranked 39th in the world, with his career-best being the 32nd spot, achieved earlier this year. Thompson's season started strongly; in January, he reached the semifinals at the Brisbane tournament, losing to Grigor Dimitrov, 3-6, 5-7. In February, he made it to the quarterfinals in Dallas but was defeated by Ben Shelton, 6-7 (2-7), 4-6, 4-6. He also exited at the quarterfinal stage of the Delray Beach Open, losing to Tommy Paul, 4-6, 3-6.  Thompson then claimed the ATP 250 title in Los Cabos. In Mexico, he impressively defeated top players like Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud. Following this, there was a slight dip in form, but he quickly regained his stride, reaching the quarterfinals in Houston and the semifinals at the Queen's Club Championships. At the London grass-court tournament, Thompson triumphed over Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune. This season, the Australian has played 34 matches, winning 19 of them. In his last 10 matches, Jordan emerged victorious in 4 encounters.

Head-to-Head

In their head-to-head history, the rivals have met once. This season, in the second round of the Madrid clay tournament, the Russian won in three sets, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5.

Match Prediction: Kotov vs Thompson

Jordan Thompson has had a better season overall, consistently advancing through the draws and excelling on grass. Pavel Kotov is making his debut on grass this year, which makes it difficult to predict his performance. Moreover, Kotov has played very few matches on such surfaces—only 7 in his career, which is telling. Thompson's game is more stable, and he has frequently defeated top players on the tour. However, Kotov has already defeated Thompson this year, albeit on clay, so he knows what to expect from the Australian. Despite the ranking positions, Thompson has better chances of winning. He is currently in peak form.