Marin Cilic is backed to win the first set against Daniil Medvedev at Wimbledon on June 29, 2026, with Andy Schooler advising 1pt at 13/8. The pick leans on Cilic’s grass-court pedigree and Medvedev’s habit of starting slowly.
Schooler said he was keen on getting with Cilic in some way in the contest. That is the angle for day one at the All England Club: not a match winner call, but an early-set play built around how the pair have been starting on grass.
Cilic’s Wimbledon record
Cilic was a Wimbledon finalist nine years ago, and he also made the last 16 after beating Jack Draper 12 months ago. Those two results frame why he is being backed to begin well, even though his best days are behind him.
He pushed Medvedev to five sets at Wimbledon in 2021 after leading by two sets to love. A few weeks before Wimbledon 2026, he lost to Medvedev in Den Bosch in a match that went to a decider, so the recent head-to-head does not remove the case for an early Cilic strike.
Medvedev on grass
Medvedev has never been truly at home on grass, and earlier this season he lost to Daniel Altmaier and Kamil Majchrzak on the surface. Four of his last five Grand Slams ended with a round-one exit.
The first-set numbers are the sharper warning sign. Medvedev has lost the opening set in 11 of his last 18 matches, and eight of his last nine matches at the majors saw him fall a set down early on.
Schooler’s Wimbledon call
That pattern leaves Cilic as the more appealing first-set angle at 13/8, especially with the quoted preference for getting behind him in some form. The market is asking whether the veteran can use his experience to take the first step before Medvedev settles.
For readers following the Wimbledon day-one card, the practical read is simple: the bet is on Cilic to land the first set, not necessarily the match. If Medvedev repeats his recent slow starts, the price on Cilic has a live path; if he sharpens early, the pick fades fast.
