As always, the anticipation of another glorious Wimbledon Championship gets everyone excited about the summer tennis tournament. Famed for its grass courts and of course, the strawberries and cream consumed on what is now called ‘Murray Mount’, it’s hard not to get excited by the oldest and most historic of the four Grand Slam competitions.
The Dominant Superstar Trio
Roger Federer is the most successful Wimbledon men’s champion of all time, having won eight of his twenty Grand Slam titles in London. He also shares the record for most consecutive tournament wins with five in a row, alongside Swedish tennis legend Bjorn Borg. Despite now being 39 and not quite as nimble, with odds on tennis at 15/2 ahead of Wimbledon 2021, Federer continues to be considered a genuine contender.
Nevertheless, the key battle of the best in the business will undoubtedly be between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, according to the latest tennis tips. 2008 and 2010 winner Nadal is valued at 5/1 odds, although five-time winner (2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019), Djokovic is regarded as the outright 6/4 favourite to dominate at Wimbledon this year.
Federer, Djokovic, Nadal – the fabled ‘big three’ – clearly remain the dominant trio to beat. However, if any of them are even slightly off their game, the next generation of aspiring stars are all waiting to pounce. 22-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas is widely considered a rising star, while Dominic Thiem won the US Open in 2020, underlining his capability to win Grand Slam titles.
The Gallant British Hopefuls
After legendary Fred Perry won three championships in a row at Wimbledon, between 1934 and 1936, fans of British tennis had to wait a long time until one of their own triumphed again. In fact, it would be more than seventy years until Andy Murray finally triumphed at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Before a roaring crowd on Centre Court at the All England Club, the Scotsman was cheered to victory against Novak Djokovic.
This was Murray at the peak of his career, having already won the US Open in 2012. He also went on to claim another Wimbledon title in 2016, beating Canadian finalist Milos Raonic, who certainly made him work for that second title and third Grand Slam. Since then, British tennis players have struggled to reach the final rounds of the tournament.
In 2019, Daniel Evans, Cameron Norrie, Kyle Edmund, and Jay Clarke were all eliminated in the Second Round. The pride of Birmingham, 31-year-old Evans is currently ranked as the British number one, therefore he is arguably the best prospect of a British winner at Wimbledon in 2021. Earlier this year, he beat Djokovic in straight sets at the Monte-Carlo Masters, and back amongst the top 30 players in the ATP rankings. Let’s hope this rising star of tennis can take victory back to his home town.
The Realisation of a Dream
For any British tennis player, getting to compete at Wimbledon is often seen as a highlight of their year, if not their entire career. Hopefully, a solid mixture of skill and good fortune will bring them cherished memories, along with something for the home fans to get behind. Any one of them triumphing would be a dream come true for British tennis.
