Wimbledon build-up: Who are Serena Williams’ main challengers?
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Serena Williams may be a strong 13/8 favourite with Coral to regain the Wimbledon ladies’ singles title this term, but she has only taken the grass Grand Slam title once since winning her fourth SW19 crown in 2010.
This shows the women’s game, evolved so much by Serena and sister Venus, has caught up to Williams. A woman ahead of her time, it is getting tougher and tougher for her to go the well.
Who are Serena’s main challengers at the All-England Club following her 20th Grand Slam crown at the French Open? Our tennis experts have got their heads together to take punters through some superb tennis stars that could cost Williams further glory.
Currently fourth-favourite for a Wimbledon win, Belarus’ best sporting export must improve on early exits in the last couple of years. A two-time SW19 semi-finalist and twice Australian Open champion, Azarenka has also won a Gold medal on this surface in the doubles at the All-England Club during the London Olympics.
Eugenie Bouchard (66/1)
A shocking loss of form on other courts has cost Canada’s rising star Bouchard a spot among the current women’s elite, but her run to the Wimbledon final last year looks anything but a fluke. That included wins over German pair Andrea Petkovic and Angelique Kerber, plus Romanian heavyweight Simona Halep.
Petra Kvitova (10/3)
The woman just behind Serena in the rankings and thus most likely to stop world number one Williams, according to the betting. Czech Republic player Kvitova is a two-time Wimbledon winner and the defending champion.
Russia’s top tennis pro Sharapova is the only other active player besides Serena to have scooped the career Grand Slam. This ability to take top honours on any surface means she is always a danger.
Caroline Wozniacki (40/1)
Danish sensation Wozniacki has got herself back into the WTA’s top five ahead of Wimbledon, and that shows she is once again taking her tennis seriously. Like Sharapova, there is something of a cult of celebrity surrounding the former partner of golf star Rory McIlroy.
Coral betting tip: Kvitova should be targeting a third Wimbledon triumph at tasty odds of 10/3.
