Wimbledon 2021: Novak Djokovic vs Cristian Garin preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: (1) Novak Djokovic vs (17) Cristian Garin

Date: 5 July 2021

Tournament: The Championships, Wimbledon

Round: Fourth round (Round of 16)

Venue: London, Great Britain

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Grass

Prize money: £17,066,000

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - BBC TV & Radio | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP

Novak Djokovic vs Cristian Garin preview

Novak Djokovic will continue his Wimbledon title defense with a fourth-round clash against Cristian Garin on Monday.

The World No. 1 is vying for his sixth Wimbledon title and 20th Grand Slam in total, which would take him level with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's all-time Major record.

The two-time defending Wimbledon champion came into the tournament after winning both Majors this year. He began his campaign with a hard-fought four-set win over wildcard and local favorite Jack Draper. Since then, Djokovic has stepped up his game, dispatching Kevin Anderson and Denis Kudla in straight sets.

Cristian Garin

His next opponent, Garin, has raised plenty of eyebrows with his run to the second week at the Championships this year. The World No. 20 is widely considered a claycourt specialist, but has successfully navigated his way through a tricky draw at SW19.

The Chilean outlasted Bernabe Zapata Miralles in five sets in the first round. He then defeated Marc Polmans and Pedro Martinez to set up the meeting with Djokovic.

Novak Djokovic vs Cristian Garin head-to-head

The fourth-round encounter at Wimbledon will be the second match between the two players, with Novak Djokovic leading the head-to-head over Cristian Garin 1-0. The Serb got the better of Garin in straight sets in the round robin stage of the 2020 ATP Cup.

Novak Djokovic vs Cristian Garin prediction

Given his form, physical conditioning and pedigree on grass, Novak Djokovic is the the overwhelming favorite in this match. The Serb is yet to be truly tested at the tournament. He has had a few nervy moments but has been bailed out by his strong serve. His movement and defense, meanwhile, have been as solid as ever.

The World No. 1 has also been extremely smart in his shot selection, with his backhand slice proving particularly effective in the early rounds.

Novak Djokovic

Considering the fact that Garin had never won a main draw match at Wimbledon prior to this week, his run at the Championships has been remarkable. The Chilean has dealt with the low-bouncing balls very well, and his serve has stood up to the task.

However, the World No. 20's biggest limitation is a lack of firepower from the back of the court and that could be highlighted against the best player in the world.

This match will rest on Djokovic's racket. As long as the Serb keeps his focus and does not spray too many errors, he should come away with an easy victory.

Prediction: Novak Djokovic to win in straight sets.