It’s time for the Wombles to don their summer hats and indulge in bucket loads of strawberries and cream washed down by Pimms and sodas. It’s really all very civilized. I don’t often soften to British pomp and ceremony but for lovers of tennis the All England Turf and Croquet Club in Wimbledon is one of sport’s great annual events. Let’s see if we can find a winner and a couple of chargers to keep you entertained over the next two weeks.
We’ll start with the men.
The market: Novak Djokovic $2.20, Andy Murray $4.50, Rafael Nadal $5, Roger Federer $8, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga $21. All other runners 40/1 or better.
I think Djokovic is a fair price. He deserves to be favorite but this is still not his best surface (even though he won here in 2011). He is also facing at least two players who have form here and would rate this tournament as their best chance to win a 2013 Slam in Murray and Federer. I think Nadal is far too short at this price and is a great lay. I love Rafa but not at Wimbledon this year. His record here is surprising with two titles (2008, 2010) and three runner-ups finishes, but I just think the French Open might have really wearied the great champion and his knees aren’t what they used to be.
Murray and Federer both have serious claims but both have major hurdles to jump. The pressure on Murray will be immense and age is starting to catch up with the Fed Express. I would rate them as having an equal chance of winning the tournament so price dictates that I prefer the Swiss to the Scotsman.
Tsonga is the real wild card and could win this tournament if he serves his at his best consistently in the later rounds. Big servers have come from nowhere to win this tournament before and I think that Tsonga is physically and mentally on the improve.
Suggested bet: Djokovic, Federer or Tsonga. I think the bookies are pretty close to the mark on these three so take your chance and steer away from Nadal and Murray.
Now the Ladies.
The market: Serena Williams $1.42, Maria Sharapova $7.50, Victoria Azarenka $8, Petra Kvitova $21. All other runners are 40/1 or better.
What a sorry state women’s tennis is in at the moment. The real question is how is Serena feeling? My first feeling when I looked at this market was a sickening churning of the stomach. In short, I don’t want to take the shorts on Serena but I can’t see anyone that I would like to back. I try my best not to sit on the fence but I don’t want to orchestrate good advice if I am struggling to see it.
Suggested bet: If you are desperate to have a bet here this is what I would do. Back three or four women paying big dollars and pray that Williams gets knocked over early. Na, Radwanska, Stosur, Lisicki, Robson and Peng are all paying between 50/1 and 100/1 and in a fairytale could win the event. This way you will have some interest for the first week at least and could hit the jackpot if a miracle happens.
