Wimbledon starts this week, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for. Click here to check out the draws. Ok, let's get after it!
#1. Can Aryna Sabalenka get it done on grass? Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the number one ranked player in the world on the ladies' side, but she is yet to win a grand slam away from hard court. She came close at the French Open, losing in the final to Coco Gauff, but no cigar. She has reached the semifinals at Wimbledon twice in 2021 and 2023. Will this be the year she finally wins away from the hard court? That's the question.
#2. Can Jannik Sinner get it done on the grass? Just like Sabalenka, Jannik Sinner is ranked number one in the world without having a grand slam title away from hard court under his belt. Also like Sabalenka, Sinner came up short in the final at the French Open, though his loss was more heartbreaking given he was up 2-0 on Carlos Alcaraz. The parallels between Sinner and Sabalenka continue as the furthest Sinner has gone at Wimbledon is the semifinals in 2023. It'll be interesting to see if Sinner will have any better luck than Sabalenka or maybe both will break through on the grass.
#3. Will Emma Raducanu make some noise in front of the home crowd? Ranked No. 38 in the world, it feels like a while ago since Emma Raducanu won the US Open in 2021. Given she is a British citizen, she should have the London crowd behind her. The furthest she's gone at Wimbledon is 4th round in 2021 and 2024. Perhaps this is the year she'll make a push to at least the quarterfinals.
#4. How will Jack Draper do behind the home crowd? Jack Draper comes in as the No. 4 seed in the tournament with the weight of Great Britain behind him, hailing from London. Fortunately for him, he doesn't have the ghost of Fred Perry to worry about as Andy Murray put that demon to bed when he won Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016. Still, the Brits love to see their own do well at The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club. Draper hasn't done well at Wimbledon, having not gotten past the second round. Hopefully for him, he'll fare much better this year.
#5. Will Coco Gauff threaten? Despite all the success she has had, most recently winning the French Open, Coco Gauff remains stuck at Wimbledon, reaching the 4th round three times in her career but never beyond that. On paper, given she is the No. 2 seed, you'd think she'd be a heavy favorite. History suggests otherwise. Perhaps this will be the year she'll buck that trend for the better.
#6. Will Carlos Alcaraz complete the three-peat? Carlos Alcaraz comes in as the number two ranked player in the world, yet he is the two-time defending champion at Wimbledon. Odds are on him to go the distance, but it's never easy to repeat, let alone three-peat at Wimbledon. If he's able to do that, he'll continue to put himself in rarified air.
#7. Can Mirra Andreeva continue her momentum from Roland Garros? Mirra Andreeva is coming off a strong performance at Roland Garros, reaching the quarterfinals. She reached the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2024, so perhaps she's just far ahead on the clay. Still, at 18 years of age and ranked No. 7 in the world, there is a lot of interest in how she'll perform.
#8. Can Alexander Zverev shake his Wimbledon struggles? Given he is ranked No. 3 in the world, never having gotten past the 4th round at Wimbledon I think is a failure for Alexander Zverev. There's no reason to think this year will be any different, but hope springs eternal, I suppose.
#9. Can Naomi Osaka find her groove again? Ranked No. 56 in the world, it's been a while since Naomi Osaka has been relevant at a grand slam. She also has never won a grand slam away from the hard court, making it a long put for her to win Wimbledon. If she could reach the 4th round and build some momentum for the US Open, I think she'd take it.
#10. How will Novak Djokovic perform? Novak Djokovic comes in as the No. 6 player in the world, having reached the semifinals at both grand slams this year. Djokovic loves Wimbledon, having won it seven times. This might be his best opportunity to win a slam this year. Especially since Sinner and Alcaraz both emptied the tank in the French Open final.
Prediction: On the gentlemen's side, I have to roll with Carlos Alcaraz. It's his tournament to lose. As for the ladies' side, I'm going to say Aryna Sabalenka breaks through to win her first Wimbledon title.
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