The world’s best tennis players are descending on SW19 hoping for success at
Wimbledon.
Rafael Nadal is missing and Novak Djokovic battling to recover from knee surgery in time, but a host of contenders remain.
Here are 10 players trying to follow in the footsteps of last year’s champions Carlos Alcaraz and Marketa Vondrousova…
Iga Swiatek: A clay master, who is yet to conquer grass
Swiatek has already proved herself as this generation’s clay-court master, winning her fourth French Open title in five years last month. Grass, though, remains a work in progress for the Pole, despite her success at junior level.
Indeed, the 23-year-old has yet to taste trophy success on grass at WTA 250, 500 or 1000 level, in addition to Grand Slams, amongst her 22 titles to date (12 won on hard court, 10 won on clay).
Swiatek showed promising signs last year before a quarter-final loss to Elina Svitolina and will look to continue a 19-match winning streak.
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Highlights of Swiatek against Aryna Sabalenka from the Rome final
Carlos Alcaraz: Tennis’ next superstar?
Alcaraz showed remarkably fast development on grass last summer, winning Queen’s and then his second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, defeating Djokovic in a pulsating five-setter.
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz heads to Wimbledon as the French Open champion for the first time
The Spaniard, 21, added a first clay-court Slam title in Paris last month and is a man very much for the big occasion.
Defeat by Britain’s Jack Draper at Queen’s last week was a blow but only a minor setback.
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Highlights of Alcaraz’s sensational victory vs Jan-Lennard Struff at the Madrid Open
Coco Gauff: The up-and-comer on the women’s tour
Gauff has left her teenage years behind and returns to Wimbledon as a Grand Slam champion having lifted the US Open trophy last year.
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Highlights of the US Open final between Coco Gauff against Aryna Sabalenka at Flushing Meadows in New York
She followed that up with semi-final appearances at the Australian Open and in Paris, losing to the eventual champion each time.
The 20-year-old suffered a shock first-round loss at Wimbledon last year, something she will no doubt be keen to rectify.
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A look back at 19-year-old Gauff’s first Grand Slam win at the US Open
Jannik Sinner: 2024’s world No 1
Sinner has been the man of 2024 so far, winning his first Slam title at the Australian Open and usurping Djokovic as world No 1.
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The world No 1 Jannik Sinner beat Hubert Hurkacz to win his first ATP Tour title on grass last week
The 22-year-old Italian has lost only three matches all season and began his grass-court campaign with a first title on the surface in Halle.
It would be no surprise if the final was another clash between the sport’s two biggest young stars in Sinner and Alcaraz.
Aryna Sabalenka: The power player on the cusp at Wimbledon
Is this Sabalenka’s year to go all the way at the All England Club?
The big-hitting Belarusian has a game built for grass but has fallen just short of reaching the final on her last two appearances.
Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka clinched the Australian Open Grand Slam title this year
The 26-year-old powered her way to a second successive Australian Open title in January without dropping a set but is nursing a shoulder problem.
Tommy Paul: The American athlete
Winning the Queen’s Club title on Sunday lifted 27-year-old Paul above Taylor Fritz to become the new American No 1.
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Watch Tommy Paul hit a superb tweener to help take the point against Sebastian Korda at the Libema Open
He has already shown his capabilities at the Slams, reaching the semi-finals at the Australian Open last year, while his solid groundstrokes and brilliant athleticism make him a hard nut to crack.
Mirra Andreeva: The promising youngster
Andreeva only turned 17 in April but she has already racked up two Grand Slam fourth-round appearances and a semi-final, having beaten a poorly Sabalenka in the last eight at Roland Garros.
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Mirra Andreeva talks about her rise to the top of the women’s game at the age of 17
The Russian, whose game is mature well beyond her years, will be seeded at a Slam for the first time and will look to go further than last year’s run to the last 16.
Jack Draper: The Brit in form
Paul edged out Draper in the quarter-finals at Queen’s, bringing to an end the best week of the 22-year-old’s career.
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After winning his first ATP event in Stuttgart, Jack Draper continued his fine form by beating the defending Queen’s Club champion Carlos Alcaraz and said there is no place he’d rather be right now
The young British star claimed his first ATP Tour title in style in Stuttgart before earning his biggest win against Alcaraz on home soil.
Just as encouragingly, he has stayed fit this year, and he will be seeded at a Slam for the first time.
Katie Boulter: Britain’s next hope on the women’s side
Katie Boulter is a name no player will want to find in their section of the draw.
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British No 1 Katie Boulter reveals which five guests she would invite to a dinner party. Listen to the full episode here on the Sky Sports Tennis podcast
The British No 1 has built brilliantly on her grass-court breakthrough last summer, winning a WTA Tour 500 title in San Diego and then successfully defending the trophy in Nottingham earlier this month.
She will be seeded for the first time and will hope her powerful game can do some real damage.
Alexander Zverev: A contender for sure
The German is yet to go beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon but, having recovered from ankle surgery two years ago, he is in the form of his life.
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The best of the action from Alexander Zverev’s clash with Nicolas Jarry in the final of the Italian Open
Zverev reached his second Grand Slam final in Paris last month, losing agonisingly in five sets to Alcaraz. If he can find his feet on the grass, the 27-year-old could be a hard man to stop.
What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?
In the run-up to the third Grand Slam of 2024 – Wimbledon – you can watch the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports.
- Mallorca Championships (ATP 250) – June 23-29
- Bad Homburg (WTA 500) – June 23-29
Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.
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