Since Serena Williams won her seventh and final Wimbledon singles title in 2016, there have been six individual women to have won the next six singles titles.
There is a big chance that this year’s tournament will make that seven from seven.
My choice of semi finalists from the 128 in the draw is not too imaginative, given that they are the top four seeds.
More interesting is my prediction of the various paths required to navigate in reaching the final four.
Iga Swiatek is a clear world number one, and her dominance was accentuated with her third Roland Garros crown claimed just weeks ago.
Content to sit back and watch others play grass court lead up tournaments, Swiatek is primed to attack the major where her winning percentage is less than any other.
Her best effort is a quarter final, achieved last year.
This time, with improvements to her all court game, she should manage her way through a challenging area of the draw, which features Grand Slam tournament winners Sofia Kenin first up, and wildcard Angelique Kerber floating around.
There is also Yulia Putintseva, who just won the Birmingham title.
Another major winner, Jelena Ostapenko, probably awaits in the round of sixteen.
Ostapenko was a Wimbledon semi finalist six years ago but hasn’t scared anyone since.
However, Swiatek has yet to beat Ostapenko in four tries. Including the 2023 US Open round of sixteen.
This Wimbledon will be the first time.
Quarter final victim probably will be reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova (6), who Swiatek thrashed in the Roland Garros quarter finals this year.
The other semi finalist from the top half of the draw I believe will be fourth seed and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
After sorting out Leylah Fernandez (30) in the third round, it may be Liudmila Samsonova (15) in the round of sixteen.
Samsonova won the first four meetings between the pair, but the fifth and most recent was a semi final victory to Rybakina in Abu Dhabi this year.
In the last month, Samsonova has won the Libéma Open, then lost the opening round match in Berlin.
Quarter final may be against Jessica Pegula (5).
Pegula has a 3-1 record over Rybakina, although her Wimbledon record is inauspicious. Last year’s quarter final is her best effort.
Her recent tournament win in Berlin, including a semi final win over CoCo Gauff gives Pegula some cause for hope against Rybakina should they meet.
In the bottom half of the draw, third seed Aryna Sabalenka must deal with possible early matches against Donna Vekic, Dayana Yastremska (28) and then a round of sixteen against either Daria Kasatkina (14) or Mirra Andreeva (24).
Sabalenka is the reigning Australian Open champion, and her last two journeys to Wimbledon have resulted in semi finals.
Donna Vekic has a 47% winning record at Wimbledon, but she holds a 6-2 record in matches against Sabalenka.
Yastremska also has a winning record, 3-1, against Sabalenka, although the most relevant match is the most recent, Sabalenka winning third round of the 2024 WTA 1000 Italian Open.
Daria Kasatkina won the Eastbourne tournament last weekend, but Sabalenka holds a 7-2 record against her, including two wins this year.
Andreeva defeated Sabalenka in the Roland Garros quarter finals this year.
However, in only her second Wimbledon, it is hard to justify a repeat of Paris if the pair meet.
A quarter final is seeded to be between Sabalenka and Zheng Qinwen (8).
Her two Wimbledon exits have been third round and first round.
She has lost both times playing against Sabalenka, including this year’s Australian Open final.
Second seed CoCo Gauff is due to better perform at Wimbledon, having failed to progress beyond the round of sixteen previously.
Her draw this year allows for the round of sixteen to be reached once more, with a possible third round match win against Sorana Cirstea (29) included.
Cirstea has reached the third round five times, including last year, but failed to win each time,
Gauff won the only time the players met before - second round of the 2020 Australian Open.
Round of sixteen competition for Gauff could be either Victoria Azarenka (16) or unseeded Diana Shnaider.
Not Naomi Osaka considering she hasn’t played Wimbledon since 2019, and her record was poor back then.
Azarenka is a two time Wimbledon semi finalist (2011-2012), and made the round of sixteen last year. She also was a semi finalist at the recent Berlin tournament.
Azarenka won the only match previously played against Gauff - 2022 quarter final in Guadalajara.
Diana Shnaider won last weekend’s Bad Homburg Open, and has never played against Gauff.
This is her first appearance in the Wimbledon main draw.
Quarter final opponent should be Madison Keys (12).
Jasmine Paolini (7) is seeded to be there, but she has lost her first round match at Wimbledon for the past three years
This year should be better, based on the improvement shown, exemplified by a Roland Garros final and follow up Eastbourne semi final.
Predictions:
Semi finals:
Iga Swiatek (1) to defeat Elena Rybakina (4)
Aryna Sabalenka (3) to defeat CoCo Gauff (2)
Final:
Aryna Sabalenka (3) to defeat Iga Swiatek (1)
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