Ahh the smell of freshly cut grass, the taste of a Pimm’s cup with strawberries and cream, and the sound of elite players battling away on court…. Wimbledon is back!
Over the next two weeks 127 matches will be played to determine the Ladies’ Singles Champion. Reigning champion, Ashleigh Barty, retired from professional tennis earlier this year, so there will be no title defense on the women’s side. Additionally, due to the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, the All England Club decided to ban all Russian and Belarussian players from entering the competition this year. This means players like world no. 6, Aryna Sabalenka, and 2-time Grand Slam winner, Victoria Azarenka, will not be participating.
Here are our eight players to watch at Wimbledon 2022.
Editor’s Note: At the time of publication, the first round has been completed. Swiatek, Jabeur, Raducanu, Gauff, Kerber, Halep, and Kvitova won their matches and have advanced to the second round. Williams did not win and will not move on.
Swiatek d. Fett 6-0, 6-3
Jabeur d. Bjorklund 6-1, 6-3
Raducanu d. Van Uytvanck 6-4, 6-4
Gauff d. Ruse 2-6, 6-3, 7-5
Kerber d. Mladenovic 6-0, 7-5
Halep d. Muchova 6-3, 6-2
Kvitova d. Paolini 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
Tan d. Williams 7-5, 1-6, 7-6(7)
Iga Swiatek [1]
The world no. 1 is riding a 35-match win streak heading into Wimbledon, and has won six singles titles this year. Moreover, she has not lost more than one set in a tournament since back at Indian Wells in March. Grass is, however, probably her worst surface – likely due to having played on it the least. In a recent press conference, she said, “I still feel like I need to figure out grass… this year I only played like 10 days on grass.” Swiatek has never reached a final on this surface at the senior level, but did win Wimbledon as a junior just four years ago.
Ons Jabeur [2]
By securing the world no. 2 this week, Jabeur became the highest ranked African singles player in tennis history. The Tunisian started her grass court season off strong, winning the Berlin Open for her second title this year, and third overall. Jabeur has many weapons in her arsenal, but her signature drop shot could prove the most deadly (even Serena was awestruck by Jabeur’s delicate touch). This shot can be extremely effective due to the low bounce on grass, leaving the opponent almost no chance to return.
Emma Raducanu [10]
Raducanu took the tennis world by storm when she won last year’s US Open as a qualifier without dropping a set in only her second ever Grand Slam appearance. Unfortunately, she has struggled to play well consistently since then, dealing with numerous injuries and the pressure of being a top-ranked player. Her speed and agility allow her to defend the court well and play aggressively, which is necessary if she wants to make a deep run in this competition. The now British no. 1 will make her Center Court debut in the first round.
Coco Gauff [11]
Just about a month ago, Gauff had one of the best fortnights of her life, both graduating from high school and becoming a Roland Garros finalist in that time. Still just 18-years-old, Gauff has plenty of tennis ahead of her, but is hungry to get her hands on a coveted Grand Slam trophy soon. What’s one source of motivation for her? Using her platform to address social issues. Gauff said in a pre-tournament press conference, “the more I win, the more people are watching, and the more people can hear my message… I use that as fuel.”
Angelique Kerber [15]
The three-time Grand Slam winner, and Wimbledon 2018 champion, has been called a “dark horse” of this tournament by some – although, can a former champion really be a dark horse? She has a highly defensive style of play with a powerful ground game (the forehand down-the-line is a thing of absolute beauty), making her one of the best returners on tour. Grass is Kerber’s best surface, so if there was any time for her to win her fourth Major, it would be now.
Simona Halep [16]
One of the more veteran players on tour, Halep has the ability to win on any surface. Though her aggressive baseline style of play best suits clay, her speed and strength allows her to be successful on grass, even leading her to a Wimbledon title in 2019. Plagued by injury last year, Halep missed out on much of the tour, but this season is looking more promising. She and new coach, Patrick Mouratoglou (yes, Serena’s former long-time coach), seem to have hit it off well and will be looking to make a deep run this tournament.
Petra Kvitova [25]
Kvitova is a 2-time Wimbledon winner, the latter coming in 2014. Her serves are her strong-suit, thanks to her tall frame, and are a vital tool on the grass surface. Kvitova has been quite inconsistent lately, however, but captured her 29th singles title overall and fifth on grass at the Eastbourne Invitational leading up to Wimbledon. If she can maintain that level going into this tournament, she will surely be one to beat.
Serena Williams [WC]
The undisputed G.O.A.T, Williams made her long-awaited return to tennis last week in Eastbourne, partnering with Ons Jabeur in doubles. When she takes Center Court for her first round match, it will be nearly one year to the day since her last competitive singles match – one which took place on the same court, but unfortunately ended with an ankle injury and retirement halfway through the first set. Now with a new team and renewed energy, Williams is ready to go again, with only one thing on her mind – winning that elusive 24th Major singles title.
Written by Deepti Ajjampore
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