With cloudy skies and a lack of football, British summer time is here which means just one thing for tennis fans: Wimbledon. It’s just a few weeks until the world’s best ball-hitters descend on SW19 but who will triumph on Centre Court? For the men, Andy Murray is the big favourite. The Scot is looking to win his third Wimbledon title but the world number one will face tough competition from, as always, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and the French Open champion, Rafael Nadal. The women’s category is far more open following the news that defending champion Serena Williams is expecting her first child and will miss the championship. Karolina Pliskova is the favourite in a very open field which also includes as many as ten potential winners. Following Williams’ withdrawal, it promises to be one of the most open contests in some time in the women’s category.
The men’s category is a little more closed. Andy Murray is world number one and the slight favourite to triumph at the All England Club. You’ll get odds as short as 11/4 for Murray to triumph in what would be perhaps the best twelve months of the Scot’s career. Success at Wimbledon last year was followed up by a gold medal at Rio 2016 and his first ATP World Tour title in London. A semi-final appearance at the French Open will give Murray hope but he’ll face a tough test from Roger Federer.
The seven-time Wimbledon champion has taken an extended break in recent weeks but was in excellent form before that. The Swiss has missed three of the last six Grand Slam tournaments but reached the semis in the others. Federer would love to win just one more title at the All England club to overtake Pete Sampras and make him the most successful player in the men’s singles category.
The pair is way ahead of the chasing pack. Novak Djokovic has so often been the thorn in both Murray’s and Federer’s sides but is currently in his longest run without a Grand Slam title since 2010. Djokovic is looking like a player lacking enthusiasm which is hardly ideal with Wimbledon just around the corner. Rival Federer said in a recent interview that the Serbian is too good to remain in this rut forever but perhaps it’s too big of an ask for that comeback to arrive at SW19.
After Rafael Nadal’s success in France, people are asking if the big three can become the big four again. The Spaniard has won the French-Wimbledon double twice in his career but his performance at the All England club has been pretty woeful in recent years. Nadal has got past the fourth round just once since 2011 and it would be a big ask for the Spaniard to achieve any success this year.
“Since I have had problems with my knee, since 2012, playing on grass has been very complicated for me,” the Spaniard said in a recent interview. “If I have pain in the knees then I know from experience that it’s almost impossible. If I am healthy and I am able to have the right preparation I’ll have my chances.”
It remains to be seen whether Nadal can get through two arduous weeks in good shape. Outside of the top three and a half, Stan Wawrinka and Milos Raonic will test any opponent unfortunate enough to be drawn against them. We can only guess how the likes of Nick Kyrgios and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will perform.
The women’s category is even more open. The tournament’s coverage will perhaps be defined by its absences. Maria Sharapova will not make her Wimbledon return this year and her supposed rival, Serena Williams will also miss out. The woman who has won seven singles titles at the All England Club will miss the rest of the season following her pregnancy. Her sister, Venus will be flying the Williams flag but she is far from the favourite.
Karolina Pliskova gets the backing of most of the bookies but in what other tennis Grand Slam has the favourite been as high as the 6/1 odds with Betway as of 14th June? However, this would not be a good punt. The world number three has never got past the second round at SW19 and it seems that her game isn’t suited to grass.
The chasing pack includes Victoria Azarenka, Madison Keys and Garbine Muguruza but one woman who could well triumph is Simona Halep. She may have lost the French Open final but the 25-year-old is on excellent form, triumphing at the Madrid Open and reaching the final in Italy as well. Halep must be considered one of the favourites in a hugely competitive field which also features 20-year-old Jelena Ostapenko. The Latvian hasn’t got past the second round at Wimbledon before but after her incredible victory at the French Open, she will have tremendous confidence.
It promises to be a hugely exciting championship at Wimbledon this year. The women’s field is as open as it has been in recent years while the men’s is more of a two-horse race. The home crowd will be hoping for a Murray/Federer title clash on the final Sunday with both players on the cusp of something special. Andy Murray should prove to be too much for his Swiss rival thanks in part to the home crowd but the women’s singles title is anyone’s guess. Simona Halep and Madison Keys would be good bets but wouldn’t it be the nice if 20-year-old Jelena Ostapenko followed up her French Open title with success at SW19?
