Wimbledon begins right this moment, with Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek the bookies’ favourites to win the boys’s and ladies’s singles.
Carlos Alcaraz and Elena Rybakina are seen as their nearest challengers, however may a shock be in retailer at SW19 this 12 months?
Wimbledon has change into more and more elusive for these chasing a first-ever Grand Slam, notably with Djokovic’s presence looming massive within the males’s draw.
The Serbian, who’s going for a record-extending twenty fourth Grand Slam title, has received the previous 4 Wimbledons, whereas no participant past Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal has lifted the trophy since Lleyton Hewitt in 2002.
That is the duty that awaits Alcaraz and others, whereas within the girls’s singles the draw stays as open because it has finished since Serena Williams received her final of seven Wimbledon titles in 2016.
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Since then, there have been 5 completely different winners, with Rybakina the reigning champion and Swiatek to this point unable to translate her dominance elsewhere on to the grass.
Nevertheless, Swiatek continues to be being backed to come back good on the floor, however names all through the draw threaten to problem the world primary and guarantee her wait at Wimbledon goes on.
Sky Sports has picked out six gamers to look out for at Wimbledon, from the surface contenders to the rising stars, and a few 30-plus hopefuls too.
Outside contenders
Taylor Fritz
First spherical v Yannick Hanfmann | Possible fourth-round assembly v Jannik Sinner
Arguably one of the best identified among the many males’s names listed right here, Taylor Fritz dared to shush the gang on the French Open and can hope to silence just a few favourites when he will get to Wimbledon too.
The American has the sport to go far on grass, and got here painfully near reaching his first-ever Grand Slam semi-final at Wimbledon final 12 months, denied in 5 units by an embattled Rafael Nadal who would go on to withdraw earlier than a last-four showdown with Nick Kyrgios.
This time, Fritz goals to go no less than one higher, however with a doable Djokovic semi-final assembly, the prospect of the 25-year-old reaching the ultimate are slim.
Beatriz Haddad Maia
First spherical vs Yulia Putintseva | Possible fourth-round assembly vs Elena Rybakina
Form can change with the wind presently of 12 months, as Beatriz Haddad Maia proved just lately having misplaced within the opening spherical of the Nottingham Open simply days after reaching the French Open semi-finals.
Nevertheless, as soon as the 27-year-old finds her toes on grass she is able to difficult the easiest, with titles in Nottingham and Birmingham to show it from final 12 months.
The Brazilian was unable to maintain that kind come Wimbledon, however the participant – who broke into the highest 10 for the primary time in June – is greater than able to reaching the second week of a slam for the second time in a row.
Young hopefuls
Sebastian Korda
First spherical v Jiri Vesely | Possible third-round assembly v Cameron Norrie
Another American harbouring hopes of a deep Wimbledon run is Sebastian Korda, the quantity 22 seed who reached the fourth spherical in 2021 earlier than a foot drawback dominated him out of final 12 months’s version.
At 22, Korda is battling to face out amongst a formidable younger crop of gamers, and at 6ft 5in tall, he has the serve-and-volley sport that usually bears fruit at Wimbledon.
This was additionally evident on the exhausting courts when beating Daniil Medvedev on the Australian Open earlier this 12 months, and following a clay-court season to neglect, Korda showcased his potential when reaching the Queen’s semi-final, the place he misplaced to eventual winner Alcaraz.
Marta Kostyuk
First spherical v Maria Sakkari | Possible third-round assembly v Madison Keys
Only three feminine gamers since 2010 have gone on to style Grand Slam glory after successful a serious as a junior: Ash Barty, Jelena Ostapenko and Swiatek.
Others have come shut, together with Coco Gauff and Leylah Fernandez, however success is much from assured, with making the leap from the ‘subsequent huge factor’ to Grand Slam champion evidently no straightforward feat.
So step ahead Marta Kostyuk, who was 15 when successful the Australian Open women’ title in 2017 and now at 20 is seeking to progress past the second spherical of Wimbledon for the primary time.
Having reached a career-high rating of 35 in June, she is on the up, and the Ukrainian might be hoping that trajectory continues in London.
She might be examined instantly, nevertheless, in opposition to the quantity eight seed Maria Sakkari, though there may be the possibility of an upset given the Greek has by no means progressed past the third spherical at Wimbledon.
The 30-plus membership
Roberto Bautista Agut
First spherical v Roman Safiullin | Possible fourth-round assembly v Casper Ruud
Instead of telling you all a couple of sure Sir Andrew Barron Murray, with the 36-year-old Brit hopeful of creating the second week this 12 months, a nod additionally to 35-year-old Roberto Bautista Agut, the tenacious Spaniard who boasts a greater win share on grass than the opposite surfaces.
His first ATP title got here on grass in 2014, and he went on to succeed in the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2019, dropping to eventual winner Djokovic – a destiny that has befallen many.
A run so far as the semi-finals this time round could also be past Bautista Agut, however with eyes elsewhere within the males’s draw, there may be all the time an out of doors probability he may trigger just a few upsets – particularly as he just lately reached the Halle semi-finals.
Petra Kvitova
First spherical v Jasmine Paolini | Possible fourth-round assembly v Ons Jabeur
Experiences goes a good distance at Wimbledon, and two-time winner Petra Kvitova will hope her 2011 and 2014 triumphs can stand her in good stead when chasing a hat-trick this 12 months.
As the oldest participant within the high 16, the 33-year-old Czech stays a pressure to be reckoned with having received the Miami Open in March, whereas victory at Eastbourne in 2022 proves she will be able to nonetheless lower it on grass.
A beneficial draw would make quantity 9 seed Kvitova one to regulate, particularly in a event the place the seeds can tumble left, proper and centre. A doable fourth-round assembly in opposition to final 12 months’s finalist Ons Jabeur is one to be careful for.
Source: information.sky.com”