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via Imago

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When Christopher Eubanks bowed out of Wimbledon last year, he became a household name for American tennis fans. He took everyone by storm and climbed to the top 30 of the ATP rankings during his three-week purple patch across Mallorca and SW19. However, the short grass swing did not allow him to stay on top for long.

Halys, on the other hand, made it as far as round 3 of Wimbledon last year. He managed to take a set off Jannik Sinner before facing defeat. He has never registered a big result on grass courts, but his performances in the last couple of years have certainly improved.

Christopher Eubanks vs Quentin Halys: Wimbledon Round 1 Preview

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Eubanks unsurprisingly opted to play leadups in all three weeks prior to Wimbledon. However, winning only two of the five matches clearly indicates that his level is nowhere close to the last year. His win over Alexander Bublik may have given him some confidence, but he failed to latch onto the momentum. An early exit here could see him move out of the top 100 ATP Rankings.

Halys, meanwhile, did not step a foot on grass after Roland Garros. He arrived directly at Wimbledon and played qualifiers. His three qualifying victories provide him enough momentum to take on last year’s quarter-finalist. In those three matches, Halys dropped only one out of the eight sets he played.

Christopher Eubanks vs Quentin Halys: Head-to-Head

Eubanks and Halys have never locked horns in the past. The Wimbledon round 1 will be the first encounter between the two.

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Prediction:

Eubanks and Halys are quite identical players. They are heavily reliant on their serve and they win over 30% of their points via unreturned serves. The average rally in the matchup is not expected to go over 4 shots. Eubanks’ net play and Halys’ movement are other important metrics that could determine the match. However, the better server will most likely come out on top.

Going by their serving numbers, Eubanks has recorded 60 aces in the five matches he has featured in this grass swing, thereby averaging close to five aces per set. His first serve is heavily reliable as it averages over 70% accuracy in the last five matches. Halys, meanwhile, recorded whooping 52 aces in his three qualifying matches at Wimbledon, averaging 6.5 aces per set.

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The serving numbers and recent form are suggesting that Halys could seal the deal. However, Eubanks’ Halle performances were convincing enough to trust his chances at Wimbledon.

Final Verdict: Eubanks to win in 4 sets. The match will comprise more than two tiebreaks and go in favor of the American who will fall short in ace count.