Wimbledon Men’s Championship preview
Wimbledon Men’s Championship
Wimbledon begins on Monday and defending champion Roger Federer is the favourite for the men’s singles title, but there are plenty of contenders in what could be a wide open competition.
With the likes of Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka unseeded, it promises to be an entertaining two weeks of grass court tennis.
Roger Federer @ 2.75
As the current holder and eight-time winner, Roger Federer is the 2.75 favourite to take the title at SW19 and it is hard to look past the 20-time Grand Slam champion.
The Swiss maestro took the title without dropping a set last year and has been in impressive form in the build-up to the Grand Slam event.
Federer opted to skip the clay-court campaign, as he did last year, and made a return at the Stuttgart Open. The 36-year-old took the title in the German tournament and then reached the final in Halle, as he registered a 20th consecutive win on grass by progressing to the final.
Federer did suffer a surprise loss to Borna Coric in the final at Halle, but that shouldn’t detract from his chances of winning Wimbledon and he is the man to beat in the tournament.
Juan Martin del Potro @ 21.00
Juan Martin Del Potro was the form player on the ATP Tour for a brief period earlier in the season and he made a mark at the French Open, with a march through to the semi-finals before coming up against Rafael Nadal.
The Argentine star’s best performance at the All England Club is a semi-final appearance in 2013, but he could be an outside contender for the title this year, particularly if he is handed a favourable draw.
Rafael Nadal @ 8.00
Rafael Nadal is the current world number one and a two-time Wimbledon winner, but he could be one to be avoided in the betting this year. The Spanish star hasn’t played competitively on grass this season after claiming an 11th French Open crown and his recent record at the All England Club has been poor.
Nadal reached the final in 2011 but hasn’t progressed beyond the fourth round since and a lack of practice on grass over the last few weeks may see him struggle to make an impact at Wimbledon.
Novak Djokovic @ 6.00 & Andy Murray @ 15.00
Former world number ones Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are still working their way back to full fitness and top form after long injury spells and it would be a surprise to see either take the title at Wimbledon.
Djokovic had a good run at the Fever-Tree Championships as he reached the final, where he went down to Marin Cilic, but looks a little short at 6.00 to back with any confidence. Cilic is a contender at 8.00 to end his wait for a major title, although his hopes may depend on avoiding Federer, as he has managed just one win in 10 attempts against the eight-time Wimbledon winner.
Murray is further behind in his recovery but, at a big price, could be worth some consideration. Aside from Federer, the former British number one is probably the best active grass-court player but it will be a huge ask for him to take the title in what will be just his third tournament since his return.
Borna Coric @ 41.00
If you’re looking for a real outsider, Croatia’s Borna Coric could be one to watch out for. The 21-year-old has been threatening a real breakthrough season for some time and this year’s Wimbledon could well be the major tournament where he makes a real name for himself.
Coric is currently ranked at a career-high world number 21 by the ATP and his win over Federer in Halle was no one-off, as he also overcame Alexander Zverev in that event. The youngster has never been beyond the third round in a Grand Slam and that is a concern, but he is in good form and this may be a real chance for him to finally make a mark in a big competition.
