It wouldn’t be Wimbledon without the threat of rain. Wednesday night saw thunder and lightning hit the capital and let’s hope it goes away before the start of play on Monday. As always, we’ll have all of your tennis odds right here on NetBet, so sit down, relax, pour some cream on those strawberries and listen to the fine sound of John McEnroe’s voice. Let’s run through the tournament’s runners and riders.
Men’s
As arguably the most prestigious of the Grand Slams, the winner of the Men’s singles is a ticket to being classified as a legend. Novak Djokovic is set to defend his Wimbledon crown and with odds of 5/7, he’s the overwhelming favourite to win again. He hasn’t lost at Wimbledon since the 2013 final to Britain’s Andy Murray and has already filled his trophy cabinet this year with both the Australian and French Open. On the subject of Murray, he lost in the final of Roland Garros last month, but bounced back with a fifth career tournament victory at Queen’s. He’s reunited with Ivan Lendl and wants to break Djokovic’s stranglehold on the title. British winners are a rarity at Wimbledon, but at 11/4, Murray is the second favourite to do it.
ANDY OFFERRRRRRRRRRRR
Strawberries and cream are synonymous with Wimbledon, but so is Roger Federer. He won his first title in 2003 and has gone on to win another 6 since. His star may be waning though, he hasn’t won a Grand Slam since the 2012 Wimbledon and with Djokovic’s emergence as the dominant force in men’s tennis, you sense at 19/2 that this is his last chance. As for a wildcard pick, Canada’s Milos Raonic could well be a dark horse. Coached by John McEnroe, the World No.7 has had an impressive 2016 so far, and although he lost at Queen’s to Murray, he’s made progress over the last two years. Get him at 14/1 to win the competition.
Women’s
As for the Women’s competition, it’s all about Serena Williams. Now approaching the age of 35, she had a dominant 2015, winning the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon before losing in the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows. She was a losing finalist in both Grand Slams so far this year, but with 6 Wimbledon titles and odds of 7/5, it’s dangerous to discount her. British fans have been crying out for a female tennis star for years, and with Laura Robson injury prone and priced at 160/1, Johanna Konta has taken over the mantle as Britain’s best hope for this year’s Championships. She defeated two time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova to reach the quarter finals at Eastbourne and is the first Brit to be seeded since 1984. At 55/1, she’s an outsider but one to keep an eye on.
