The Wimbledon Starts Today

Published on Monday, June 2nd, 11:15am EST
Written By: Ned Wilson


Who to look out for as the outright title favorites

The oldest and perhaps the most prestigious tennis tournament starts today. The history of this tournament dates back to 1877 and has always been played on grass. The most successful players in history are Martina Navratilova with nine titles to her name and Roger Federer who comes into this year's Wimbledon with eight titles. Serena Williams has seven titles to her name and leads all active players in the draw in that stat.

Those stats alone make Roger and Serena rightly the favorites to win this year's edition of Wimbledon, although on the women's side the bookies favorite is Petra Kvitova who withdrew from last week's WTA premier event in Eastbourne with right hamstring injury.


Odds Source: Bet365
Time Stamp: July 2nd, 2018 10:50 am EST
Odds Subject to Change

Federer is a in a tricky part of the draw for him in that he might have to deal with the big serving Ivo Karlovic and then with Borna Coric, who just beat Federer in the Halle final, also played on grass. Thereafter, Cilic probably awaits and that is the match that could spell significant trouble for the Swiss.

Who else looms as an outright winner to this year's tournament.

On the men's side Marin Cilic 13/2 stands out as one of the prime candidates to make a long run into the tournament and even lift the title, something he by beating Djokovic in Queen's Club ATP 500 event in the warm up for Wimbledon few weeks ago. Cilic is not scheduled to face opposition stiff enough to trouble his game until at least the 4th round where he could face the challenge of Milos Raonic. Isner is the only other serious threat in that part of the upper draw. In the semi-final, however Federer awaits, and that might be the final before the final, providing both of them take care of business in the previous rounds.

In the lower part of the draw Novak Djokovic 11/2 is a threat. He just played a final of Queens and his form has been on the rise of late. On his way to the to the title a few challengers await, but none that he should not feel comfortable against. Namely, Thiem and Kyrgios will test Djokovic's game, but in the lower part of the draw, Novak truly looks like a man to beat at the moment.

Nadal and Del Potro are also in the bottom part of draw and although they will probably make a deep run into the tournament, with lack of playing time on grass this season, both should be happy to make it to the quarterfinal where another classic between the two of them could decide who challenges Djokovic for a spot in this year's Wimbledon final.

Federer 13/8

Cilic 13/2

Djokovic 11/2

Del Potro 16/1


What about the women's side of the draw

In the women's draw, Serena Williams is back to being one of the favorites despite having played in only four tournaments this year, after giving birth to a daughter. She is seeded 25 although her ranking is well below that currently, but the organizers feel she deserves to be ranked and just as the bookies also believe that she ought to be one of the favorites. With 6/1 odds to win the tournament outright she appears to be the strongest pick in the women's draw. Maddison Keys and Elena Svitolina are the most difficult opponents standing in her way in her part of the draw.

Other players that look poised to make a long run in the tournament are certainly the likes of the big hitting Russian Sharapova, who has been slowly regaining her form this year after a suspension from tennis during the 2016 and part of 2017 season. At 20/1 she looks like an attractive pick to go all the way although she would have to meet the number one seed Halep in the quarter-finals, but that matchup looks favorable for Sharapova on this surface.

Defending champion Garbine Muguruza is another real threat in the women's draw with outright odds to win at 8/1 and although she could have a few tricky matches on her way to defending the title, namely Kerber, Osaka or Garcia, all formidable opponents on this surface.

Williams 6/1

Sharapova 20/1

Muguruza 8/1