Strawberries. Pimm’s. The Hill. The Queue. And, most importantly, the world’s finest players battling it out on the ultimate test of grass-court tennis.
Wimbledon, one of the crown jewels of the British sporting calendar, returns as the Championships begin on Monday. Over the next fortnight, here are five key storylines to keep an eye on.
Raducanu Returns
Emma Raducanu’s Wimbledon experience last year was limited to making hospitality appearances for her sponsors. The 21-year-old Briton missed her home Grand Slam due to surgeries on both wrists and an ankle but returns this year in promising form.
“It was really hard last year because you would walk through the player tunnel, see your peers going to practice, going to play their match,” said the 2021 US Open champion. “Being on the other side just really stung.”
Raducanu missed the French Open to focus on the British grass season, a decision that seems to have paid off. She reached the Nottingham semi-finals and the Eastbourne quarter-finals, including a win over world number five Jessica Pegula. Raducanu faces Russian 22nd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova on Monday.
Murray Prepares to Say Farewell
Andy Murray, a British icon who ended the nation’s 77-year wait for a home men’s singles champion in 2013, faces uncertainty about his Wimbledon farewell due to injury. The 37-year-old Scot has been dealing with fitness issues, including a back problem that required surgery on a spinal cyst.
“I’m just trying to do what I can, trying to keep progressing each day,” said Murray, who is set to face Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic. If he can’t compete in singles, he may still have a touching swansong with his brother Jamie in the men’s doubles later in the week.
Draper Picking Up the Baton
Jack Draper is seen as the heir to Andy Murray and is beginning to achieve significant results. The 22-year-old ascended to British number one after winning his first ATP title in Stuttgart and defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz at Queen’s. Draper, seeded 28th, is the only British seed in the men’s singles, while Katie Boulter is seeded for the first time in the women’s singles. The pair lead a list of 19 home singles players at Wimbledon, the highest number this century.
‘Superhuman’ Djokovic Ready to Defy Expectations
Novak Djokovic, the 24-time major champion, continues to defy expectations. Coming off knee surgery on 5 June, Djokovic aims to win a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon men’s title. “I didn’t come here to play a few rounds,” said the 37-year-old Serb. “I really want to go for the title.”
Despite his recent surgery, Djokovic remains a formidable contender. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz has described Djokovic as “superhuman,” but the Spaniard is considered the title favorite. Jannik Sinner, the recently crowned world number one and a semi-finalist last year, also poses a significant threat.
‘Anybody’s Game’ in the Ladies’ Draw
The absence of seven-time champion Serena Williams has led to a revolving cast of Wimbledon winners in recent years. Each of the past six ladies’ singles champions lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish for the first time. This trend might continue this year, with only two previous winners seeded: defending champion Marketa Vondrousova and 2022 winner Elena Rybakina.
Belarusian third seed Aryna Sabalenka is a slight favorite but has expressed concerns about a shoulder injury. Poland’s Iga Swiatek, the top seed, has never gone past the quarter-finals and acknowledges she needs to improve her game on grass. American second seed Coco Gauff, who lost in the first round last year, believes the recent carousel of champions means it is “anybody’s game.”