Bianca Andreescu begins her run at Wimbledon in a match against Jaqueline Cristian.
The pregame narrative: Andreescu's return from injury has largely been successful this year. She's performing well ahead of this tournament and I'm picking her to win this match in straight sets.
Check out our Andreescu vs. Cristian odds and best bet for their Wimbledon match on July 1.
Andreescu vs. Cristian Wimbledon odds
Best bet: Andreescu -1.5 sets (-124)
Andreescu has looked strong in limited action since returning from a back injury earlier this year.
The Canadian star has only competed in nine matches in 2024 but boasts a respectable 6-3 record.
Six of those nine matches took place on grass, where she's gone 4-2 and finished runner-up at the Libéma Open.
The most notable win from her run in Hertogenbosch, Netherlands was a three-set victory over Naomi Osaka.
Andreescu's upcoming opponent, Cristian, has never been much of a threat on grass. She's an underwhelming 2-8 lifetime on the surface and is 2-4 since the start of 2023.
Cristian hasn't been able to follow up an encouraging 2023 with a strong 2024, either. She's 18-18 overall with 11 of those victories coming on clay, which is the surface she has excelled on the most in her career.
The Romanian's serve is the focal point of her game but it's very inconsistent. She ranks 51st in aces (51) but is 53rd (65) in double faults among all WTA players, according to WTAtennis.com.
Her unreliable serve and poor track record on the surface make her a quality fade candidate.
Key stat: Andreescu advanced to the third round at last year's Wimbledon.
