A look at what's to come during during the 2023 Wimbledon.
Novak Djokovic has already become the most successful player in the men’s game with 23 grand slam titles. He’s now chasing down the mantle of the most decorated tennis player of all time. Djokovic might not celebrate the popularity of players like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and even Andy Murray but he will categorically be able to call himself the greatest of all time on the court.
Djokovic has been relatively untested in the tournament so far having dispensed with Stan Wawrinka, Jordan Thompson, and Pedro Cachin, all in straight sets. This could be the stage in which he cements his awe-inspiring legacy over the game.
In 2022 Beatriz Haddad Maia enjoyed a fantastic grasscourt season. The Brazilian left-hander won back-to-back titles in Nottingham and Birmingham as she dominated the preliminary tournaments before last year’s Wimbledon. The problem was that she had put so much energy into those competitions that come to the grand slam, Haddad Maia was knocked out in the first round.
This year it would appear that she has taken a much more grounded approach to the grass season and saved her energies for the most important tournament having made it to the round of 16 and even the second round in the doubles with Victoria Azarenka.
What is better yet is that Haddad Maia has grown into the tournament. After dropping the first set against Yulia Putinseva in the first round, she came back to bagel her opponent and win the match over three sets.
In 2019, Andy Murray announced he would retire from professional sports. However, just four years on he’s back having had a metal hip put in and adapted to this new way of playing. He’s had to work his way back up again but the 36-year-old has shown he’s still got the capacity to play at the top level.
His second-round match with Stefanos Tsitsipas was marred by going on late and having to be contested over two days. The British player led by two sets to one when the game was suspended for the evening, allowing his adversary time to re-think his strategy.
Given the capacity crowd and the momentum was firmly behind Andy Murray, the match result could have been very different if they were allowed to continue playing. Regardless, Murray showed the world that he still has what it takes to compete at Wimbledon and beyond.
Iga Swiatek has been a staple of the WTA tour in recent years. After Ash Barty retired from the sport, the Polish player took the mantle of World No. 1 with great dignity and resilience. Her 37-match streak made her the dominant force in women’s tennis in 2022.
However, she’s not been as formidable in 2023. Aryna Sabalenka won her first grand slam this year in Australia, adding to the rivalry as these two have become the most successful players in the women’s division.
Given that the two are ranked as the number one and two seeds, the only chance they’ll have to play one another is if they both make it to the final. However, this could easily happen as the two appear to be in fine form. All tennis fans would be treated to another instant classic should these two populate the 2023 Wimbledon final.
