Wimbledon
Day 1 at Wimbledon 2026 had its share of drama. Top seed Jannik Sinner needed five sets to see off Miomir Kecmanovic, eventually winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(8), 6-2, 6-3 — a reminder that his grass game still has edges to sharpen. Women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka had no such trouble, dispatching Teodora Kostovic 6-2, 6-3. The biggest stories came from the exits: men’s seeds Casper Ruud (11), Andrey Rublev (12), Luciano Darderi (14) and Cameron Norrie (26) all fell in round one, blowing the draw wide open in a tournament already missing Carlos Alcaraz. Check the full Wimbledon 2026 draw to see how the bracket is shaping up.
Day 2 serves up a stacked afternoon, and the most emotionally charged first-round match in recent Wimbledon history. Looking for a multi-bet slip? See our Wimbledon Day 2 acca tips.
Day 2 Order of Play — Tuesday 30 June
Centre Court — Not before 1:30 PM BST
- [3] Iga Świątek vs. Taylor Townsend
- [2] Alexander Zverev vs. Alexander Blockx
- Serena Williams vs. Maya Joint
No. 1 Court — Not before 1:00 PM BST
- [6] Taylor Fritz vs. Dusan Lajovic
- [2] Elena Rybakina vs. Lois Boisson
- Matteo Berrettini vs. Stan Wawrinka
For live scheduling updates across all courts, see the official Wimbledon schedule.
Serena Williams Returns: The Story of the Week
Let’s deal with the obvious one first, because nothing else on the order of play comes close in terms of what it means.
Serena Williams is 44 years old. Her last competitive singles match was the 2022 US Open — a third-round defeat to Ajla Tomljanovic after which she announced she was “evolving away from tennis.” Nobody seriously expected her back on a Grand Slam singles court. And then Wimbledon offered her the eighth and final wildcard, and everything changed.
“I had never thought I’d come back,” Williams admitted in the build-up. But she took it. Not to chase a 24th Grand Slam title, not to prove a point to the tour, but because her daughters Olympia (8) and Adira (2) have never seen their mother compete. That’s the real reason she’s walking onto Centre Court this afternoon.
Her opponent is Australia’s Maya Joint, a young, hungry player who will be desperate to make her name on the biggest stage in tennis. Joint has everything to gain and, in the cold light of form, the statistical edge. Williams has not played a singles match at this level in nearly four years. The body — even at its most decorated — changes in that time. Serve is the great constant: if Serena’s still hitting 120mph down the T, she can win points for free. But a full match at Grand Slam pace is a different question entirely.
What is beyond doubt is that Centre Court will be electric from the moment she walks out. Wimbledon is where Williams has won seven of her 23 Grand Slams. The crowd knows it, Joint knows it, and Serena knows it.
Best bet: Serena Williams to win — Bet365. Keep stakes small and enjoy one of sport’s great comeback stories. If she gets through today, the story only gets bigger.
Day 2 Predictions & Best Bets
[3] Iga Świątek vs. Taylor Townsend — Centre Court, 1:30 PM BST
Świątek enters as defending champion after winning her first Wimbledon title in 2025 — a result that ended her long wait for a grass major and proved she can perform on the surface when it counts. Taylor Townsend is an aggressive all-court player who can disrupt rhythm, but Świątek’s movement and baseline depth should prove too much once she settles in.
Best bet: Świątek to win in straight sets — Paddy Power.
[2] Alexander Zverev vs. Alexander Blockx — Centre Court
Zverev is the second seed and, with Alcaraz absent, arguably the biggest obstacle to Sinner in the upper half of the draw. Blockx, ranked outside the top 150, is no grass specialist. This has comfortable opener written all over it. The real tests come later.
Best bet: Zverev to win 3-0 — Sky Bet. Combine with Świątek straight sets for a double.
[6] Taylor Fritz vs. Dusan Lajovic — No. 1 Court, 1:00 PM BST
Fritz is one of the most improved grass court players on tour and arrives at Wimbledon in solid form. Lajovic is a capable clay court professional but has limited grass pedigree at this level. Fritz should advance cleanly.
Best bet: Fritz to win in straight sets — Bet365.
[2] Elena Rybakina vs. Lois Boisson — No. 1 Court, 1:00 PM BST
Rybakina is the 2023 Wimbledon champion and one of the most dangerous players on grass in the draw. Boisson, a French qualifier, is a significant underdog here. Rybakina’s flat, heavy ball should make short work of this one.
Best bet: Rybakina to win in straight sets — Paddy Power.
Predict the Wimbledon 2026 Draw
Who goes all the way in the men’s and women’s draws? Build your own bracket and simulate the full tournament on our Wimbledon 2026 Bracket Predictor — pick winners from round one all the way to the final, lock in your favourites and see how the draw plays out. You can also explore all upcoming Grand Slams on the LiveTennis Slam Predictor hub.
How to Watch Wimbledon Day 2
Full TV channels, streaming options and start times are in our Wimbledon 2026 live stream guide. UK coverage starts at 11:00 AM BST across BBC One, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
Wimbledon Betting Offers
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More Wimbledon 2026 Coverage
All of our Wimbledon 2026 coverage in one place — daily previews, accas and the essentials:
- Wimbledon 2026 hub
- How to watch Wimbledon 2026
- Wimbledon 2026 draw
- Wimbledon 2026 outright betting tips
- Wimbledon’s slower grass: who benefits?
Daily predictions & order of play: Day 2 · Day 3 · Day 4 · Day 5 · Day 6 · Day 7 · Day 8 · Day 9
Daily acca tips: Day 2 · Day 3 · Day 4 · Day 5 · Day 6 · Day 7 · Day 8 · Day 9
Wimbledon 2026 champions: Jannik Sinner defends the men’s title · Linda Nosková wins the women’s title.
18+ | New customers only | Please Gamble Responsibly | Full T&Cs apply | BeGambleAware.org. Odds are approximate at the time of writing and subject to change.