Wimbledon is scheduled to begin in a matter of days, but the field has not yet been finalized. That doesn’t mean the favorites aren’t established by oddsmakers, with a lineup of usual suspects leading the pack.
Before play begins in London on June 27, with the final winners to be determined on July 10, here’s a look at the betting markets at Wimbledon.
–Men’s Competition an International Affair
Two players are already preparing to play the third Grand Slam of the year. Specifically, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were seen training on Monday.
The participation of both has yet to be officially confirmed – Nadal has said he will participate.
Nadal and Djokovic would open as favorites in the absence of Russia’s Daniil Medvedev and Germany’s Alexander Zverev. The latter is out due to an injury he suffered at Roland Garros.
Neither Nadal nor Djokovic will not have it easy. Matteo Berrettini, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Carlos Alcaraz could surprise along the way.
Nadal won the French Open but has not set foot on the grass at Wimbledon since 2019. In 2020, the tournament was not played due to the COVID-19 pandemic and injuries kept the Spaniard away last summer.
Serbia’s Djokovic also stepped onto the grass for the first time this season in preparation for the third Grand Slam of the year. The Belgrade native appeared at the All England Club, where he exercised with his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, and his physical therapist, Ulises Badio.
Djokovic has not played officially since losing in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros. That loss was at the hands of Nadal.
BetMGM has Djokovic as the favorite to win the Wimbledon Men’s title. He opened at +100 and is now at -125. Nadal’s line started at +1000 and was +650 on Monday.
Spain’s Alcaraz, who jumped the most out of the top three, opened at +3300 before improving to +800.
Matteo Berrettini of Italy could be a surprise winner. He opened at +8000 and now stands at +500.
–Women’s Competition Brings Unexpected Face
Natela Dzalamidze was going to miss this Wimbledon because of the ban on Russian players. Instead, she found a way around the block. She changed her nationality and is now Georgian, opening up a path to compete. However, her partner, Kamilla Rakhimova, didn’t, which means her appearance in doubles is questionable.
The big question is whether Serena Williams is up for the Wimbledon challenge. She canceled a last-minute training she had planned for this week. Still, the 23-time Grand Slam champion returns to competition after a year-long absence.
Williams injured herself last year at Wimbledon. It was an unnecessary injury that led to a change in the rules for this year. Now, it will be possible to train on the central court with the aim of improving its grip. Previously, only the best matches were held on the court.
Williams had been training at a local club this weekend. She was scheduled to attend a session at Devonshire Park before playing doubles at Eastbourne with Ons Jabeur, the World No. 3 in women’s singles.
Their debut as a pairing is Tuesday against Sara Sorribes Tormo and Marie Bouzkova.
Because of Williams’ condition, she isn’t ranked among the favorites to win a single’s event, and her overall odds of a title on BetMGM dropped from +1200 to +1400.
Poland’s Iga Swiatek, the top-ranked player in female tennis, leads the way on BetMGM. Swiatek opened at +1000 and is now at +150. Third-ranked Jabeur from Tunisia has moved up considerably, jumping from an opening of +2800 to +1000.
Cori Gauff’s talent on the court cannot be ignored. Currently ranked 12th, Gauff’s line moved from +1500 to +1000.
-Field Level Media
