Isner vs. Couacaud Odds
| Isner Odds | -490 |
| Couacaud Odds | +365 |
| Over/Under | 40.5 |
| Time | How to Watch | 8:15 am ET | ESPN/ESPN+ |
| Odds via FanDuel. For tips on watching tennis matches, click here. | |
The American giant John Isner takes on the French qualifier Enzo Couacaud in the first round at Wimbledon.
How will the former semifinalist handle his competitor in the first match he's played since the French Open?
Let's dive in.
Couacaud Hot In Qualifiers
Couacaud played the Nottingham challenger on grass but drew Daniel Evans in the opening round. Although he lost, it was an inspired performance with a 5-7 6-7 score line against a top tier grass court opponent.
He then made an interesting decision to return to clay court play before coming back to Wimbledon qualifiers.
This decision seemed to have no impact on his grass court game as he impressed in the qualifying draw.
Couacaud thrives behind his world-class backhand. He boasts a sublime game in almost all aspects, but his forehand often lets him down.
Although no serve can prepare you for John Isner's, Couacaud has found relative success against big servers in the past. He took a set off Maxime Cressy at Indian Wells last year, defeated Nicolas Jarry, and was a set up on Jiri Vesely before Vesely withdrew.
Isner Still Serving Through Matches
At 37-years old, Isner's serve is still as deadly as ever. Winning over 80% of his first serve points with a 25.1% ace rate, it is no surprise that Isner still has the highest serve rating according to ATP statistics.
Isner often proves to be too powerful for lower ranked opponents. Over the last year, he has gone 13-4 against players ranked outside of the top 100. On top of that, he has gone 25-4 in his career against such ranked players on grass.
Despite his cannon serve, Isner holds only a 16-12 record at Wimbledon. Although this is an excellent record, he has a higher win percentage at the French Open, contrary to what many may think.
Grass courts cause problems for some taller players. As the ball stays significantly lower in rallies, it can be difficult to shrink his massive frame down and consistently make clean contact on balls way outside of his strike zone.
Betting Value
Couacaud has a well-built game and if he can find a way into baseline rallies with Isner, I expect him to dominate them. His serve has enough power for him to showcase his talent and consistently hold his service games.
Even though Isner tends to dominate lower ranked opponents, I believe Couacaud has a game built to challenge him.
Expect Couacaud to hang around and even if he does not win the match, he should extend it and give Isner an early-round scare.
Pick: Couacaud +4.5 games (-115), Couacaud +1.5 sets (+175)
