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New stars Sebastian Korda (UTR Rating 15.48*) and Liudmila Samsonova (UTR Rating 12.33) continued to enjoy unforgettable Wimbledon debuts as they booked places in the fourth round on Friday.
Korda eased past Daniel Evans (UTR Rating 15.29) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to make good on the Universal Tennis INSIGHTS prediction. Going into the third round, the 20-year-old American had been given a 56% probability of upsetting the No. 22 seed. Now INSIGHTS gives Korda a 62% chance of going even further and beating No. 25 seed Karen Khachanov (UTR Rating 15.22).
Heading into Wimbledon, Korda was 3-3 at the Grand Slam level with a fourth-round run at Roland Garros in 2020.
“It’s a big achievement,” Korda told press. “A year ago, I was No. 220 in the world and now here I’m in the fourth round at Wimbledon.”
Samsanova, a 22-year-old from Russia has picked up impressive wins over Kaia Kanepi, Jessica Pegula, and on Friday, Sloane Stephens. New to the top echelon of the game, Samsanova made her first big splash by winning the WTA 500 in Berlin last month as a qualifier.
Before her Wimbledon debut this week, Samsanova had won just one match in five Grand Slam appearances. INSIGHTS is giving the wild card entry a 29% chance of upsetting No. 8 seed Karolina Pliskova (UTR Rating 12.75) for a place in the quarterfinals.
“I feel a lot of emotions,” Samsanova told Wimbledon Channel. “It’s everything new for me. I’m just happy for what I’m doing here, of course, and I love this place, I love everything here and I hope to continue like this… It’s my favorite tournament for sure. It’s so beautiful.”
Another youngster making big moves in her debut is 18-year-old British wild card Emma Raducanu (UTR Rating 11.78). On Thursday, she stunned 2019 Roland Garros finalist Marketa Vondrousova to set up a third-round battle with Sorana Cirstea (UTR Rating 12.63). INSIGHTS gives 31-year-old Cirstea the edge with 89%.
Saturday's Featured Matches to Watch
Ajla Tomljanovic (UTR Rating 12.37) vs. Jelena Ostapenko (UTR Rating 12.79)
Tomljanovic has emerged from No. 5 seed Bianca Andreescu’s portion of the draw for her best Wimbledon run ever. Ostapenko, the 2017 Roland Garros champion, has the INSIGHTS edge at 72% with a higher Trending UTR Rating, better record versus common opponents, and a recent win over Tomljanovic in Rome.
Taylor Fritz (UTR Rating 15.15) vs. Alexander Zverev (UTR Rating 15.72)
Like Tomljanovic, Fritz is enjoying his best Wimbledon run yet, having been in the third round of every other major. Zverev, the No. 4 seed, holds a 2-1 career head-to-head edge, including a five-set win over the American at Wimbledon in 2018. Per INSIGHTS, Zverev has a 79% chance of reaching the second week for the first time since 2017.
Honorable Mention
Nick Kyrgios (UTR Rating 15.24) has entertained fans in his first appearance since the Australian Open. The 26-year-old Australian has scored solid wins over Ugo Humbert and Gianluca Mager to set up a showdown with No. 16 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime (UTR Rating 15.40). The Canadian has the INSIGHTS edge at 61% with Kyrgios playing just eight matches in 2021.
To the delight of everyone but their opponents, Kyrgios and Venus Williams won their mixed doubles opener in three sets over Austin Krajicek and Sabrina Santamaria on Friday.
How did the Williams and Kyrgios partnership come about?
“There was an interview that Venus took, and she got asked, ‘Who would your dream doubles partner be?’" Kyrgios told press. “She said, ‘Nick Kyrgios’.”
Stay tuned for more from INSIGHTS, and to learn more about Universal Tennis, click here.
•UTR Ratings and INSIGHTS probabilities as of 4 p.m. EST, July 2, 2021.