Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek: Who are the leading women's title contenders at Wimbledon?
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Published 29/06/2023 at 09:01 GMT
Who are the leading contenders for the women's singles title at Wimbledon? From Elena Rybakina to Iga Swiatek and Karolina Muchova, we run through the top names who could be in contention at the All England Club. Rybakina is defending champion at the Grand Slam, which starts on July 3, while world No. 1 Swiatek will be aiming to win a fifth major title.
'I feel one of the favourites to win Wimbledon' - Alcaraz after winning Queen's title
Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have won the last five women’s Grand Slam titles between them.
So impressive have the trio been that there has been talk that they have started to form a ‘Big Three’ in women’s tennis.
But will they make it six from the last six at Wimbledon? It does not look guaranteed.
Rybakina is the defending champion but has struggled over the last month with a viral illness and pulled out of the Eastbourne International this week.
Swiatek has not made it past the third round at Wimbledon before and has said she expects to continue to be “uncomfortable” on grass.
And former Wimbledon semi-finalist Sabalenka lost in straight sets in her second grass match of the season in Berlin last week.
So who are the true Wimbledon contenders? We assess the hopes of all the leading challengers.
Elena Rybakina
Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick recently called Elena Rybakina the favourite for the Wimbledon and the “best grass court player in the world”.
But that was before she lost to Donna Vekic in her second match in Berlin and then pulled out of Eastbourne due to a viral illness.
Rybakina showed at Wimbledon that with her big serve and powerful groundstrokes she is a force on grass. If she’s healthy then she should be the one to beat, but her withdrawals from the French Open and Eastbourne raise questions about whether she will be able to go on another deep run.
Aryna Sabalenka
If Rybakina is the Wimbledon favourite despite her illness setback, then Sabalenka is not far behind.
Like Rybakina, Australian Open champion Sabalenka has the power game to succeed on grass, as she showed in making the semis at Wimbledon in 2021.
She has come a long way since then, most importantly improving her confidence in her serve and her all-round game.
And after not being able to play Wimbledon last year due to the ban on Russian and Belarusian players, she should be eager to impress, especially as she could get to world No. 1 for the first time depending how both she and Iga Swiatek fare.
Iga Swiatek
Is this the season Iga Swiatek properly gets to grips with grass?
In a bid to do so she has opted to play in Bad Homburg this week, which is the first time since 2021 that she has played a grass event ahead of Wimbledon.
She still seems uncertain about her game completely translating to the surface, so much could depend on her draw.
If she can get a few matches under her belt and build some momentum then she could go on a run. But if she runs into Sabalenka and Rybakina she would likely not start as the favourite.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2023/06/28/3734517-75980268-2560-1440.jpg)
Iga Świątek
Image credit: Imago
Ons Jabeur
Ons Jabeur not only made the Wimbledon final last year, but took the first set against Rybakina before losing in three.
Two months later she lost out again in the US Open final to Swiatek.
She is keen to change the script this summer.
“The feeling that never goes away - it’s always there,” she reflected on her 2022 Grand Slam final defeats before playing in Eastbourne.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2023/06/07/3722320-75736333-2560-1440.jpg)
Corretja on Jabeur after defeat at Roland-Garros - 'She needs more power'
“Definitely, you want to change the scenario in that episode. Maybe, we will see. For me, the most important thing is I feel healthy and enjoy my game on grass.”
Jabeur’s form this season does not make her an obvious pick to make the final again. She had injury problems to start the year and has only shown flashes of her best.
However, she enjoys playing on grass and has experience on the surface, both of which count for a lot.
Petra Kvitova
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova served a timely reminder of her grass expertise in Berlin, where she won the title without dropping a set.
It was Kvitova’s sixth grass title and although she played down her Wimbledon chances afterwards, she has to be in the conversation.
"I think we always have a few favourites who can win it, it's a little bit different to the men's side," she told DW. "But maybe there will be a surprise."
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2014/07/05/1273033-27452360-2560-1440.jpg)
Petra Kvitova is a two-time Wimbledon champion
Image credit: Getty Images
The 33-year-old hasn’t been to the Wimbledon quarter-finals since winning the title for a second time in 2014.
However, she looks in good form and should be a threat on her favourite surface, assuming her withdrawal from Eastbourne is just precautionary.
Karolina Muchova
Less than weeks after making the French Open final - and having professed her liking to playing on grass - Karolina Muchova is still under the radar heading into Wimbledon.
Muchova was took out Sabalenka in the semis in Paris and then lost to Swiatek in the final in three sets.
Afterwards Eurosport expert Mats Wilander described Muchova as perhaps the “most complete tennis player on the women’s side in the world” and said he expects her to be “absolutely sensational” at Wimbledon.
Muchova has made two Wimbledon quarter-finals and said after the French Open she prefers "fast surfaces" like grass over clay.
Muchova hasn't played a grass event since the French Open but should be full of confidence heading into Wimbledon.
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement