Having both successfully made it through their opening two matches, Andy Murray and Fabio Fognini will meet on Centre Court on Friday, with the home favourite looking to make it through to the second week of Wimbledon once more. The world number one overcame lucky loser Alexander Bublik in the opening round, before making light work of German Dustin Brown.
However, given the injury concerns still surrounding him, Murray will certainly need to up his game against the Italian, despite Fognini having never made it past the third round at SW19. A whole host of bookmakers are offering odds on the encounter, so let’s take an in-depth look at the matchup, along with our tip for those looking to place a bet.
Andy Murray
Having entered the competition at the All England Club in disarray, uncharacteristically falling at the first hurdle at Queens, before struggling with injury, Murray is looking to build some momentum is he looks to win the Wimbledon title for a third time. The defending champion will, as always, have the backing of the home crowd, however he will have to be at his best to overcome the Fognini, who is known for this shot making ability from all parts of the court. Having faced the serve-volley tactic of Brown last time around, it is likely to be much more of a base-line battle against Fognini.
Fabio Fognini
Fognini is currently level in his head-to-head record with Murray, with three wins each, with the Italian having beaten the world number one at the Rome Masters earlier this year. However, with Fognini most effective on clay, it will be interesting to see how he fares during their first meeting on grass. However, having seen off Jiri Veseley in straight sets in round two, it is clear that Fognini is in the mood to achieve his best ever performance at Wimbledon this year.
Top Betting Tips
Having seemingly overcome his injury concerns, showing great athleticism during his encounter with Brown on Wednesday, Murray is the overwhelming favourite to overcome Fognini on Friday. However, with the Italian having caused him any number of problems in the past, the Brit may not have things all his own way. As a result, we are backing Murray to win by three sets to one, with best odds of 29/10 at William Hill.