As we discuss this thrilling Wimbledon round of 32 face-off, we have Coco Gauff, the world's darling seeded at number 2, facing the gritty and underdog Sonay Kartal, who doesn't know the meaning of a seed. The odds and seedings would have you believe this is Gauff's match to lose, but don't let that fool you - every player at Wimbledon has a racquet and they all know how to use it.
Our dear Gauff, she's been serving up love faster than you can blink, sweeping her opponents aside with the ruthless efficiency of a homicidal chef. Made short work of Todoni and Dolehide didn't she? A little hiccup against Pegula, but that’s ancient history - it's all been sunshine, lollipops and successful second serves since then.
On the other side of the court, kartal. With no 'seed' next to her name, Kartal might disagree that underdogs are just dogs that haven't had their day yet. She's been scrapping her way through the tournament like a cat in a dog pound, pulling out some electrifying wins. Burel, Cirtea and Wei, all went down, albeit in less flashy style.
However, let's not forget Gauff is seeded number 2 for a reason, and there's more to tennis than just heart - there's a little thing called 'skill' as well. She can summon power, precision, tenacity, and has, shall we say, a rather fervent desire to avoid the taste of defeat. And let's face it, the payout data is crying out it louder than a drunk karaoke night - Gauff is the favorite by a mile!
Kartal, brace yourself darling.
Albert’s Prediction: Gauff in straight sets