Preview 2023 Wimbledon Championships ATP and WTA: Can Djokovic seal an eighth title as questions surround WTA 'Big Three'

Sunday, 02 July 2023 at 12:57

Preview: The 2023 Wimbledon Championships are set to take place between July 3-16 and now that the draws have been completed and the dust has settled, TennisUpToDate will preview the third Grand Slam of the season.

Taking place on the grass courts of the All England Lawn and Tennis Club, it is a tournament this year that like recent years has changes and different talking points.

Djokovic goes for eighth Wimbledon titles

Novak Djokovic is the out and out favourite not only to extend his now record breaking Grand Slam title but also head towards being the most successful player of all time at Wimbledon.

An eighth title would see him draw level with Roger Federer and with the Swiss now retired and unable to add to that, the likelihood is he will break the record in the coming years.

As ever with Djokovic, he has decided against playing any grass court warm-ups. A novel approach for some but one that has worked for him time and time again on one of his favourite surfaces.

There will also be an element of having a point to prove for Djokovic with promotional material heavily leaving the Serbian out. This was put down to further material being released to celebrate him and that Elena Rybakina, the women's champion also received only a second.

But this extended to posters which were subsequently changed. Likely not a factor that bothers Djokovic too much but one that could spur him on again over the next fortnight.

Alcaraz aims to stop seemingly unstoppable Novak

But one player who could stop him is Carlos Alcaraz. A player who will come into the tournament as the World No.1 and top seed albeit not favourite.

Owing not only to Djokovic's grass court dominance but also Alcaraz being fairly green on the surface (pun intended).

Alcaraz came into Queen's and struggled against Arthur Rinderknech but got through that opener and was barely troubled from there en route to a pivotal pre Wimbledon title and one that could show there is a light at the end of the tunnel yet in terms of it not being a foregone conclusion.

Other challengers either have struggled on grass recently or have not played including Casper Ruud who has decided to go to concerts and play golf instead of warm-ups.

Nick Kyrgios who reached the final last year will still be a big draw but has just returned from knee surgery and withdrawals have been common place so it is firmly Novak v the chasing pack.

No Nadal, likely only one more appearance awaits

One player who won't be at SW19 is Rafael Nadal with the Spaniard who only returned last year from a hiatus from playing in the tournament out likely for the rest of the season.

It is a tournament though that Nadal will probably only play one more time with an almost 2024 retirement tour pencilled in.

A big miss to the Championships this year but one that the organisers will hope is still playing to give him a proper sendoff in 2024.

Question marks surround so called WTA Big Three

While in the Women's Draw, it is the opposite to the ATP edition of Novak v the field.

Iga Swiatek as World No.1 isn't at her best on this surface albeit a run at Bad Homburg only derailed by food poisoning could serve as the tonic she needs to make strides.

Especially given Elena Rybakina who is defending champion struggling with illness recently which saw her play Berlin but withdraw from Eastbourne this week.

Not 100% and not at her best by any means, she will likely open up the tournament on Centre Court as defending champion with more questions than answers albeit still as favourite.

Aryna Sabalenka could sense an opportunity though. A proficient grass court player who was only derailed last year by the ban of Russian and Belarusians.

But even then after the demoralising loss to Karolina Muchova at Roland Garros, she lost early in Berlin and has since not played practicing instead as pictured with Djokovic at Wimbledon but could that be the end of tournament ball photo?

Other contenders include Ons Jabeur who reached the final last year and is probably in many ways the best chance for a new Grand Slam winner.

Coco Gauff has also played superbly in Eastbourne, while Caroline Garcia and Jessica Pegula as a few of the top seeds offer potential outside tips.

As do Petra Kvitova, two time winner who won in Berlin, Donna Vekic who lost to her in that final and also Ekaterina Alexandrova who won in Den Bosch in an all Russian final with Veronika Kudermetova who also is up in the running.

But amid the back drop of the Russian U-turn and points returning, a Russian or Belarusian winner would likely spell a fire storm for the tournament.

Even in victory last year, Rybakina despite not representing Kazakhstan had more questions about her Russian heritage than actually winning the tournament so there are question marks across the whole women's field which could spell a shock winner.

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Marching towards the #Wimbledon title. Who gets the crown? 👑

10:13 AM · Jun 30, 2023

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