The opening rounds of majors are not exactly known for producing the most exciting levels of tennis, but Day 2 at Wimbledon offers more than a few intriguing first-round matches.  Among them is the one that features Nick Kyrgios against Radek Stepanek.  The lawns of the All England Club have been kind to the young Australian over the last couple of years, but he knows the Czech will force him to be on his toes straight out of the gates if he is to enjoy similar success in 2016.

The 15th seed is a popular dark horse pick to go deep in the tournament, and his past success here is only part of the reason why.  Kyrgios has skyrocketed up the rankings to establish himself as one of the most promising stars of the next generation, and although he is not the most consistent of performers, he is starting to regularly make the latter rounds of many events.  Furthermore, he captured his maiden singles title earlier this season in Marseille, and considering the number of impressive victories he has already accumulated, it is no wonder so many are predicting bright things in his future.

Stepanek is on the opposite end of the spectrum.  At age 37, he is definitely in the twilight of his career, and he has seen his ranking fall to outside the top 100.  That said, this is a man who has been ranked as high as No. 8 and has secured five singles titles, and he has found even greater success in the doubles arena, where has been ranked as high as No. 4 and won 18 titles, including multiple majors and Masters events.  His best days may be behind him, but this is a veteran who has the experience to make life tricky for his higher-ranked opposition.

One of the factors that accounts for Stepanek being such a difficult opponent for many is his unorthodox style of play.  He throws a lot of different looks and off-speed stuff at his opponents, frequently looking to take the ball early and charge the net.  He is also not afraid to get under an opponent's skin, which makes him the perfect player to compete against Kyrgios, a man who also has a reputation for resorting to tactics that can annoy a competitor.  The problem for the Czech is that Kyrgios is in many ways just as good at improvising when he needs to be.  He can produce scintillating, high-risk tennis, is the better mover, and unquestionably possesses greater firepower from the ground and on serve.  If he plays his best, the match is in his hands.

But playing one's best often requires being in the right frame of mind.  To that extent, it is fair to assume that Stepanek has to be feeling better about his game now than he has in a long while, particularly since he is on the grass, which suits his style of play.  He nearly upended Andy Murray in the opening round of Roland Garros and followed that up with a quarterfinal appearance in Stuttgart. Kyrgios by contrast lost his opening match in Queen's, and although he has improved, he is still a guy prone to going on walkabouts when the wheels start to come off.  The good news for him is that he is friends with Stepanek and knows what to expect, which brings a level of comfort.  He has also won his only meeting against the Czech, which came in three tiebreak sets three years ago at Roland Garros.  He will come into this match very certain of what he needs to do to seal victory.

All told, the nod for a win clearly has to go to Kyrgios.  Stepanek has the tools and mindset to garner the upset, and at the very least, should make this an entertaining affair.  But Kyrgios owns the overall better game, and this is a venue where he has enjoyed plenty of success in the past.  If he plays anywhere near his best, he gets through to the second round.

In recent months, Caroline Wozniacki has unfortunately had to sit on the sidelines helplessly while her ranking tumbled to outside the top 30.  As a result, she comes into this Wimbledon as a dangerous floater.  As unhappy as she is about the situation, however, it is likely that her opponent Svetlana Kuznetsova is just as dismayed by the circumstances.  But their misfortune is the fans' gain, since it has resulted in one of the more interesting opening-round encounters.

A leg injury has wreaked havoc on Wozniacki's 2016 campaign, but the Dane is optimistic that she can right the ship in a hurry, starting with a deep run at the All England Club.  Although her results have been spotty throughout this season, it is important to remember that she is a former world No. 1.  She has also been to the final of the US Open on a couple of occasions and has 23 singles titles to her name.  She acquired a reputation for being one of the most consistent competitors on tour, and she would love to tap into that famed consistency to begin rebuilding her ranking.

Whereas Wozniacki became a pillar of consistency, Kuznetsova has often been just the opposite.  The Russian veteran has always been known as a streaky player, capable of playing breathtaking tennis one minute and struggling to find the court the next.  But when her game is firing on all cylinders, she is able to do anything.  Kuznetsova is a two-time major singles champion, has 16 titles to her name, and has been ranked as high as No. 2 in singles and No. 3 in doubles.  She is presently ranked just outside the top 10, and after winning this year's edition of Sydney and reaching the final of Miami, she could be poised to do something special at Wimbledon.

Given that she has ample reason to feel good about her odds for success on these hallowed lawns, there is no doubt that Kuznetsova rued the fact that fate dealt her Wozniacki as a first-round opponent.  The Russian may boast superior firepower off the ground and quicker hands around the net, but she is facing someone in Wozniacki who can match her in the movement department.  In addition to that, while her own level may not be quite up to par, the Dane's consistency could prove to be the undoing of the 13th seed, especially if Tuesday turns out to be one of her more erratic days on court.  Assuming Wozniacki avoids the danger of falling too far behind the baseline, she assuredly has the ability, even now as she is still looking to find her form, to cause the upset.

The head-to-head between these two also suggests that an upset could be on the table.  They have met 11 times, and it is Wozniacki who holds the edge 6-5.  Additionally, the Dane has won their only two meetings on grass, including last year at Eastbourne.  And while neither woman has looked particularly confident on the turf, it is Wozniacki who has more grass matches under her belt heading into this contest.  Of course, Kuznetsova will take solace from the fact that she has more matches period under her belt, and she has enjoyed greater success this season as well.  Furthermore, the majority of her matches against the former No. 1 have gone the distance, so she will know that their rivalry could easily be in her favor.  She will also be keenly aware that she could easily even up their rivalry with a win on Tuesday.

Whether or not the Russian does even things up against Wozniacki is anyone's guess.  She should enjoy more confidence and feel better about her game than the Dane, who returned to competition a few weeks ago after nearly a three-month layoff.  But Kuznetsova has always been an enigma, and thus a player like Wozniacki can present a big problem.  It has a 50-50 feel to it, and given the trend on the women's side at recent majors, it is arguably Wozniacki who deserves the vote to cause the upset and advance to the second round.