Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Novak Djokovic 1 July 2026 Prediction

The second round at Wimbledon brings a matchup with plenty of background. Stefanos Tsitsipas, who recently ended his coaching partnership with his father and started a new setup, faces seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic. The Serbian remains the favorite, but his first-round match was not straightforward. Can Tsitsipas make this competitive against one of the best players in tennis history?

Court speed: 8/10

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Tsitsipas enters this match after making a major change to his team. Before Wimbledon, the Greek confirmed the end of his coaching relationship with his father, Apostolos. He is now working with Thomas Perrin under Patrick Mouratoglou’s supervision. The change helped in the first round, as the former world No. 3 beat Gaston 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. Tsitsipas looked sharp against the Frenchman, did not allow a single break point, and kept his unforced errors low at 12. The new coaching setup could help him move back toward the top 50, and possibly higher.

Tsitsipas’ main weapons are his one-handed backhand, heavy forehand, and solid serve. On faster courts, his attacking game can be effective, but on grass he can sometimes struggle with movement and getting low enough for awkward bounces. His emotional state will matter, but the positive sign is that he looked freer with his new team.

Novak Djokovic

Djokovic is one of the greatest grass-court players in history. He has won Wimbledon seven times, with his most recent title coming in 2022, and has an outstanding career record on grass at 138-26. He is still chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title. The first round was not easy, as Wu tested the 39-year-old Djokovic and pushed him in a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 win for the Serbian. Wu had 11 break-point chances, which shows that Djokovic was not at his best on serve.

Still, when Djokovic is close to his best, he remains extremely difficult to beat on grass. His footwork, depth of shot, and composure in key moments are his main strengths. On this surface, his movement and flatter groundstrokes are especially effective. The main question is how fresh he will be after a difficult first round.

Head-to-Head

The head-to-head record strongly favors Djokovic. He leads 12-3, and all three of Tsitsipas’ wins came years ago, with the most recent in 2020. Djokovic has also beaten the Greek in Grand Slam finals at the Australian Open in 2023 and Roland Garros in 2021. Those losses are part of the difficult stretch Tsitsipas has had in recent seasons. The psychological edge is clearly with Djokovic.

Court and Expected Match Script

Freshness and confidence should be key. Djokovic is the better grass-court player, but with limited grass practice in 2026 and a demanding first round behind him, he may not immediately reach his best level. Tsitsipas looks lighter and more relaxed, and if the new setup gives him confidence, he can make at least a few sets competitive.

Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Novak Djokovic Prediction: Tsitsipas Handicap +6.5

The odds for Tsitsipas +6.5 games are 1.59. We estimate the true probability of this bet landing at 65%, which makes anything above 1.54 playable. Djokovic is the deserved favorite. He is a seven-time Wimbledon champion and dominates the head-to-head record at 12-3, so his chances of winning are high. But there are factors that make the handicap appealing: Djokovic had a tough first round, has limited recent grass-court match practice, and is no longer at his physical peak. Tsitsipas, meanwhile, looked fresh and freer after changing his team. The Greek can take a set or at least avoid a heavy defeat on the games line. The pick is Tsitsipas +6.5 games at 1.59.