The withdrawal of defending champion (2019) Simona Halep through injury is a big disappointment. The blow for the world number three comes on top of also missing Roland Garros.
World number two Naomi Osaka has chosen to bypass the grass court major, leaving Aryna Sabalenka as the second seed behind Ashleigh Barty, who is returning to competitive tennis following her injury forced retirement from Roland Garros when leading Gauff.
The lead up tournaments to this year’s Wimbledon, and the grass court credentials of those in the draw, should make predictions of success easier, but unfortunately no, especially since there was no 2020 version to use as reference material. However, I’ll have a go.
Let’s begin with the top seed. Barty starts with a contest against sentimental favourite Carla Suarez Navarro, whose fight back over cancer has inspired the tennis world.
The Aussie should progress to the third round where it could be Johanna Konta (27). Konta won Nottingham in the last fortnight, but Barty has won their past three encounters, including the 2018 Nottingham final.
A possible round of sixteen clash with Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova could be interesting but the change from clay to grass may be a touch to much for the Czech revelation.
Barty is seeded to play Bianca Andreescu (5) in the quarter finals, but I don’t believe the Canadian will make the final eight, Victoria Azarenka (12) preferred.
Barty ‘s semi final opponent would come from a section of the draw containing two former Wimbledon champions, Serena Williams (6) and Angie Kerber (25). Those two are scheduled to meet in the third round, and Kerber is a real chance considering she defeated Williams in the 2018 final, and just won the Bad Homburg title.
My pick is Kerber, and for her to not only overcome Serena, but to beat anyone else who she faces before Barty, whether it be Belinda Bencic or CoCo Gauff in the round of sixteen, then Elina Svitolina (3) or others such as Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (16) in a quarter final.
In the bottom half of the draw, two former champions in my opinion have excellent chances of repeating former glory.
Petra Kvitová (10) should defeat fellow Czech player Karolina Pliskova in the round of sixteen, a place where Pliskova has exited in the last two Wimbledons. Pliskova may even fail to reach that far, as she could struggle against 2019 quarter finalist Alison Riske (28) in the third round.
It is Sofia Kenin seeded to be the quarter finalist against Kvitová, and her Wimbledon record is poor. Elise Mertens (13) or Madison Keys (23) may be a stopper for Kenin in the round of sixteen.
Garbiñe Muguruza (11) is seeded to defeat Ons Jabeur (21) in the third round, which won’t be simple, more so after Jabeur won the lead up Birmingham tournament. The round of sixteen battle, seeded to be with Iga Swiatek, may actually be with Petra Martic (26) given the latter’s greater Wimbledon experience and two round of sixteen appearances in the past three forays. Swiatek lost first round in 2019.
Aryna Sabalenka (2) is one of the favourites, but her Wimbledon efforts read: second round loss in 2017, and first round losses in the two years after that.
Happily for the Belarusian, she has landed in a quarter of the draw where only two players have ever made it past the third round - Misaki Doi and Sabalenka’s first round opponent, qualifier Monica Niculescu.
So, almost safe to give Sabalenka a pass to a quarter final match up with Muguruza, though Maria Sakkari (15) could surprise.
All that considered, my predicted semi finalists are:
Ashleigh Barty (1) v Angelique Kerber (25)
Petra Kvitová (10) v Garbiñe Muguruza (11)
(The top seed and three former champions - 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018)
Final: Angelique Kerber (25) to defeat Garbiñe Muguruza (11) in three sets.
Danger: Unseeded Jelena Ostapenko, Eastbourne title winner
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