By Tony Fairbairn at Wimbledon
- Iga Swiatek aims to overcome tough draw in Wimbledon breakthrough bid as Marketa Vondrousova defends the title.
- Top Seeds: Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina
- British Interest: Katie Boulter [32], Harriet Dart, Francesca Jones [WC], Sonay Kartal [Q], Yuriko Lily Miyazaki [WC], Emma Raducanu [WC], Heather Watson [WC]
LONDON, ENGLAND – Iga Swiatek will look to break new ground at Wimbledon as she leads the line-up that aims to dethrone defending champion Marketa Vondrousova at SW19.
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[1] Iga Swiatek
Best Result: Quarter-Finals (2023)
After claiming a fourth Roland Garros title, Swiatek is now looking to conquer the grass and will feel this year is her best season yet to win a maiden Wimbledon title.
Swiatek’s Path to the Final (Ranking/Seeding)
- R1: Sofia Kenin | H2H: Swiatek leads 2-0
- R2: Petra Martic | H2H: Swiatek leads 3-0
- R3: Katerina Siniakova [27] | H2H: First Meeting
- R4: Jelena Ostapenko [13] | H2H: Ostapenko leads 4-0
- QF: Marketa Vondrousova [6] | H2H: Swiatek leads 4-0
- SF: Elena Rybakina [4] | H2H: Rybakina leads 4-2
- F: Coco Gauff [2] | H2H: Swiatek leads 11-1
A tough opening round awaits Swiatek in the form of Sofia Kenin with the world number one potentially facing British opposition in the second round as Francesca Jones is in this part of the draw. Swiatek’s toughest opponent in the draw could be Jelena Ostapenko in the last 16 with the Pole yet to win a match against the Latvian with the grass being Ostapenko’s best surface on paper. Defending champion Marketa Vondrousova awaits in the quarter-finals while Rybakina could await in the semi-finals. On paper, it’s a tough draw for Swiatek but if the Pole can play her way into form then she has every chance of winning a maiden Wimbledon title.
[2] Coco Gauff
Best Result: Fourth Round (2019, 2021)
Gauff will feel she should be playing better at Wimbledon as recent results at SW19 have been disappointing with the American now searching for a second Grand Slam title.
Gauff’s Path to the Final (Ranking/Seeding)
- R1: Caroline Dolehide | H2H: Gauff leads 2-0
- R2: Olga Danilovic [LL] | H2H: First Meeting
- R3: Sorana Cirstea [29] | H2H: Gauff leads 1-0
- R4: Victoria Azarenka [16] | H2H: Azarenka leads 1-0
- QF: Jasmine Paolini [7] | H2H: Gauff leads 2-0
- SF: Aryna Sabalenka [3] | H2H: Gauff leads 4-3
- F: Iga Swiatek [1] | H2H: Swiatek leads 11-1
Gauff should have a relatively comfortable opening week although the tests start early with one of Victoria Azarenka, Sloane Stephens, Karolina Pliskova or Naomi Osaka awaiting in the last 16. Roland Garros finalist Jasmine Paolini or Madison Keys are in good form and could await in the quarter-finals before Sabalenka and Swiatek could await back-to-back. The first week will be crucial to Gauff’s success in this tournament as she needs to waste as little energy as possible so that she can be fresh for a brutal second week. Ultimately Gauff will fall short of the title but a run to the quarter-finals could be an encouraging result heading into her Wimbledon title defence.
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[3] Aryna Sabalenka
Best Result: Semi-Final (2021, 2023)
Sabalenka will aim to finally reach a first Wimbledon final as this should be a Grand Slam that the world number three should be targeting as one of her goals for the season.
Sabalenka’s Path to the Final (Ranking/Seeding)
- R1: Emina Bektas | H2H: First Meeting
- R2: Donna Vekic | H2H: Vekic leads 6-2
- R3: Dayana Yastremska [28] | H2H: Yastremska leads 3-1
- R4: Daria Kasatkina [14] | H2H: Sabalenka leads 7-2
- QF: Qinwen Zheng [8] | H2H: Sabalenka leads 2-0
- SF: Coco Gauff [2] | H2H: Gauff leads 4-3
- F: Iga Swiatek [1] | H2H: Swiatek leads 8-3
Sabalenka has been given another brutal draw with in-form Donna Vekic awaiting in the second round while Dayana Yastremska has the game to cause Sabalenka problems. It doesn’t get any easier as one of Daria Kasatkina, Paula Badosa, Karolina Muchova or Mirra Andreeva awaits in the fourth round. This should be a tournament that Sabalenka is aimed as the favourite for but once again this year that is not the case and this draw has the potential to result in another early exit for the world number three.
[4] Elena Rybakina
Best Result: Champion (2022)
Former champion Rybakina will be hoping to replicate her success from 2022 as she looks to prove that she is capable of being a big threat at Grand Slams.
Rybakina’s Path to the Final (Ranking/Seeding)
- R1: Elena-Gabriela Ruse [Q] | H2H: First Meeting
- R2: Laura Siegemund | H2H: Rybakina leads 4-1
- R3: Leylah Fernandez [30] | H2H: Rybakina leads 1-0
- R4: Liudmila Samsonova [15] | H2H: Samsonova leads 4-1
- QF: Jessica Pegula [5] | H2H: Pegula leads 3-1
- SF: Iga Swiatek [1] | H2H: Rybakina leads 4-2
- F: Coco Gauff [2] | H2H: Gauff leads 1-0
A fairly comfortable opening two rounds for Rybakina is followed by a tricky third round clash against Leylah Fernandez or even former Grand Slam champion Caroline Wozniacki. Berlin champion Jessica Pegula would seem to be the biggest obstacle ahead of a semi-final with Swiatek. Ultimately if Rybakina is on top form than it is hard to see who can stop her at Wimbledon but a slight dip in form could see the Kazakh crumble to any player in the draw.
Wimbledon starts on the first of July and concludes on the 15th of July.
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