From 1999 to 2021 Wimbledon had Roger Federer competing.
2003 saw the introduction of Rafa Nadal, and 2005 Novak Djokovic.
Without Federer, 2022 still had the other two of the Big 3.
However 2023 was the first year without both Federer and Nadal.
Again this year there is only Djokovic, but with time, injuries and increased potency of the young brigade, 2024 could well signal the final viable assault on Wimbledon by a representative of the Big 3.
Novak has done extremely well to recover from his Roland Garros knee injury to even appear on the Wimbledon grass.
My predictions for this years semi finalists, based on form and the draw, include Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz. Alexander Zverev and Hubert Hurkacz.
Sinner is world number one and top seed. He was beaten in the Roland Garros semis by the ultimate champion Alcaraz, and subsequently took home the Halle trophy in the lead up grass court tournament.
He is seeded to meet Ben Shelton (14) in the round of sixteen.
Shelton beat him in the Shanghai Masters 1000 round of 16 last year, but Sinner won the next two encounters - Vienna later in 2023, and Indian Wells Masters 1000 round of 16 this year.
Quarter final opponent is scheduled to be Daniil Medvedev (5).
Medvedev holds a 6-5 head to head record over Sinner, but Sinner’s five wins have been in the last five matches, including twice this year - Australian Open final, and Miami Masters 1000 semi final.
Alcaraz is third seed, and current Roland Garros champion.
Although he lost in the second round at Queen’s Club to unseeded Jack Draper, Alcaraz is the reigning Wimbledon champion and he should be favoured to win through his first few rounds this year.
His round of sixteen opponent is seeded to be Ugo Humbert (16).
The pair haven’t met previously, but Humbert is in poor form - he reached a semi final in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, but in two tournaments before and two tournaments after, he failed to win a match.
Quarter final hurdle should be Casper Ruud (8), someone whom the Spaniard has beaten all four times they have met, including in the 2022 US Open final.
The bottom half of the draw features fourth seed Alexander Zverev, finalist in this years Roland Garros.
Since Paris, Zverev has made the semi finals in Halle, losing to in form Hurkacz.
The round of sixteen opponent for Zverev could be either Taylor Fritz (13) or Alejandro Tabilo(24), both who just won titles - Fritz his third Eastbourne crown, and Tabilo supreme in Mallorca.
Zverev has a 5-3 record against Fritz, and he won their most recent clash - a quarter final in the Rome Masters 1000 this year.
The only match he has played against Tabilo was a semi final in the same Rome tournament, which he won.
Quarter final for Zverev is seeded to be against Andrey Rublev (6).
Rublev won three of the matches between the pair in 2023, but Zverev won their final clash of the year - a round robin match in the ATP Finals, which was the last time they met.
Rublev has struggled lately - third round Roland Garros exit and first round loss in Halle.
Hubert Hurkacz is seventh seed, thanks to his rise in the rankings to a career high after Halle.
There he lost a close final to number one Sinner in two tie breaks.
Probable third round with Francisco Cerundolo. He has won both times they have met.
Round of sixteen, and either Alex de Minaur (9) or Felix Auger-Aliassime (17).
1-1 record against de Minaur, but they haven’t met since 2019 when Hurkacz won in Madrid.
Interestingly, Felix has a 3-1 record against Hurkacz, and won the most recent contest - 2023:Basel final.
However, Felix retired from his first round match in Halle, and so his threat this Wimbledon is in doubt.
Quarter final opposition, according to the seedings, should be Novak Djokovic (2).
Despite his announcements, I have grave doubts concerning the recovery of Djokovic from his knee injury suffered in Paris, and don’t believe he will be at his peak for Wimbledon.
Even if he makes the quarters, and his draw is relatively soft on paper, Hurkacz may be too much to encounter. (This a big call since Hurkacz is 0-7 against Djokovic)
Predictions:
Semi finals:
Jannik Sinner (1) to defeat Carlos Alcaraz (3)
Hubert Hurkacz (7) to defeat Alexander Zverev (4)
Final:
Jannik Sinner (1) to defeat Hubert Hurkacz (7)
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