2019 Wimbledon Preview - Ladies’ Singles

Before Roland Garros began this year, I predicted an all Czech final between Petra Kvitová and Karolina Pliskova. That didn’t work out too well, with Kvitová withdrawing injured, and Pliskova dumped in the third round.

My forecast for Wimbledon was the same, and after the first days play the chance of Pliskova making the final have improved markedly.

It is a heavily lopsided draw, one of the most uneven in history, the top half features top seed and world number one, Ash Barty.  She is surrounded by a host of big names.  Her second round opponent could be dual Grand Slam winner Sveta Kuznetsova, while she is seeded to play 2017 Wimbledon champion and 2015 runner-up Garbiñe Muguruza. Barty is in great form, having won on grass in Birmingham just over a week ago, and should manage both challenges.

Things don’t become easier, as round of sixteen opponent is expected to be 13th seed Belinda Bencic. Bencic is a former top ten player, and only injury has prevented her from sustaining that position. 2019 has seen the ranking of Switzerland’s number one rocket back to where it should be. Last year Bencic made the fourth round at Wimbledon, and only the eventual champion Kerber stopped the run.

If Barty survives the first week, and reaches the quarter finals,  the probable task will be to defeat either Angie Kerber or Serena Williams, the 2018 finalists.

Williams will always be a worry, while Kerber, the reigning champion, just contested Eastbourne and was the beaten finalist.  Semi final opposition should be the winner of a quarter final between dual champion Petra Kvitová and world number four Kiki Bertens.

Other high profile names in the top half are:

Maria Sharapova 2004 champion and 2011 finalist.

Sloane Stephens 2017 US Open champion 

Samantha Stosur 2011 US Open champion 

My prediction 

Quarter finals

Barty to defeat Kerber

Kvitová to defeat Bertens 

I envisage another battle between Barty and Kvitová in the semis. The pair have clashed three times already in 2019.

Semi finals

Kvitová to defeat Barty

The bottom half is much lighter in potential for a winner, and the first round saw the demise of second seed Naomi Osaka, beaten by Yulia Putintseva.  Also departing was 10th seed Aryna Sabalenka and Roland Garros finalist Marketa Vondrousova, the 16th seed.

Karolina Pliskova is the major beneficiary of Sabalenka and Vondrousova leaving. Those would have been the likely round of sixteen and quarter final opponents for the third seed.

Now the road to the final is decidedly clearer for Pliskova, the champion from Eastbourne days ago. 

My prediction 

Quarter finals 

Pliskova to defeat Martic

Halep to defeat Keys

Semi finals

Pliskova to defeat Halep