Wimbledon 2022: Novak Djokovic vs Soonwoo Kwon preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick

Match details

Fixture: (1) Novak Djokovic vs Soonwoo Kwon

Date: June 27, 2022

Tournament: The Championships, Wimbledon

Round: First Round

Venue: London, Great Britain

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Grass

Prize money: £40,350,000

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

Novak Djokovic vs Soonwoo Kwon preview

Defending champion Novak Djokovic will square off against Soonwoo Kwon in the first round of Wimbledon.

Djokovic missed most of the hard court season after choosing not to get vaccinated and adhere to the rules of various countries.

The World No. 1 returned to action at the Dubai Tennis Championships and has picked up 17 wins out of 23 since. Finishing as the runner-up at the Serbia Open and triumphing at the Italian Open are his stand-out performances of the year so far.

The 20-time Major winner will be entering Wimbledon on the back of a disappointing quarterfinal exit at the French Open, where he lost in four sets to eventual winner Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic did participate in an exhibition match last week against Felix Auger-Aliassime. The Serb dropped just three games, dominating the Canadian 6-2, 6-1 at the Giorgio Armani Hurlingham Classic.

South Korean qualifier Soonwoo Kwon has not had the best of seasons in 2022. Besides helping his country win both group stage matches against Austria in the Davis Cup, the 24-year-old hasn't been able to move past the Round of 16 in his last 15 tournaments.

He took a set off World No. 8 Andrey Rublev in his first-round match at the French Open, but couldn't get over the line against the Russian. He's won four ATP Challenger Series trophies in 2021 and is poised to establish himself this year in the main draw events.

Novak Djokovic vs Soonwoo Kwon head-to-head

Djokovic leads the head-to-head 1-0 against Kwon. He defeated the Korean at the 2021 Serbia Open 6-1, 6-3.

Novak Djokovic vs Soonwoo Kwon odds

Player Name	Moneyline	Handicap bets	Total Games
Novak Djokovic	-10000	-1.5(-2500)	Over 28.5(-110)
Soon Woo Kwon	+1800	+1.5(+750)	Under 28.5(-125)

All odds are sourced by BetMGM.

Novak Djokovic vs Soonwoo Kwon prediction

Day Thirteen: The Championships - Wimbledon 2021

The six-time Wimbledon Champion will be the overwhelming favourite heading into this contest. A warm-up match at the exhibition might have helped him build some momentum and settle in swiftly on one of his favourite surfaces.

The 35-year-old lacked the right mindset and body language in his Roland Garros quarterfinal clash against his arch-rival Nadal. He fought back well to level the match at one set apiece, but couldn't get into any kind of rhythm like he usually does.

Djokovic is one of the most dangerous players on grass. His court coverage skills and ability to time the ball exceptionally well on both wings are second to none.

Soonwoo Kwon has also played just one match on grass this season. He participated in the Rosmalen Grass Court Championship where he lost to Hugo Gaston in the first round. The Korean did save seven break points, which is the only positive he can take from that match. He likes to play an aggressive brand of tennis and can generate a decent amount of power in his groundstrokes.

After an underwhelming start to the season, Djokovic will be eager to make a deep run at this Grand Slam. He should be able to brush off the Korean without any trouble and kickstart his Wimbledon campaign with a commanding win.

Pick: Djokovic to win in straight sets.