Tennis: Djokovic hunting more history at Wimbledon
It is that time of the year when the strawberries and cream are served with reckless abandon while the best players in the world slug it out for glory at Wimbledon from 3-16 July 2023.
Novak Djokovic, fresh from claiming a record breaking 23rd Grand Slam title, will be on the hunt for more history at SW19. Not only does the Serb have the opportunity to stretch the gap over Rafael Nadal atop the list for the most Grand Slam Titles but he also has the opportunity to match Roger Federer for the most Wimbledon titles on eight.
If Djokovic gets the job done on Centre Court on July 16, he will claim his fifth consecutive title at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, matching the longest-ever winning streak set by both Federer and Bjorn Borg.
Carlos Alcaraz heads to SW19 in fine form, picking up his first grass court title the Queens Club Championship, which returned him to the summit of the world rankings.
Despite missing out on the Australian Open through injury and losing in the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2023, the Spaniards stock continues to rise and is a perennial favourite ahead of every Grand Slam.
The 20-year-old will be eager to add a second Grand Slam title to his resume, after breaking his duck at the 2022 US Open, but there will be no shortage of challenges thrown his way enroute to the final.
Naturally the rest of the top-10, and even beyond will be hoping to mount a challenge that will see their names on the Centre Court order of play come championship Sunday but the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Holger Rune, Andrey Rublev, Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz, and Frances Tiafoe will have to play second fiddle to the Alcaraz-Djokovic final, which is quickly shaping up as the main battle for tennis supremacy.
As the reigning champion, Elena Rybakina will hold top billing in the women’s draw but in reality, the title is up for grab for whoever dares to take it. The Kazakh followed up her title in 2023 with a finals appearance at the 2023 Australian Open but has since battled for form and fitness ahead of her title defence.
2023’s Grand Slam champions and world no1 and no2, Iga Swiatek (Roland Garros champion) and Aryna Sabalenka (Australian Open champion) will both be expected to make deep runs at SW19, though neither have a particulary impressive record at Wimbledon. Swiatek best showing was a fourth-round appearance in 2021 while Sabalenka reached the semifinals once in her four appearances at Wimbledon.
Elsewhere Ons Jabeur, who became the first Moroccan to reach the final at Wimbledon in 2022, be hoping to draw on the experience of last year to kickstart her 2023 season, while Coc Gauff will be hoping that she can make the break through and become a Grand Slam champion for the first time at Wimbledon.
