Wimbledon is a tournament apart, It is heartening that it is played on pristine grasslands, a return to the era when the sport was still called ‘lawn tennis’. Star players, who would otherwise resemble walking billboards, are required to be reticent and wear immaculate white attire, in line with a strict policy of keeping the tournament site relatively free of commercial sponsorship. Until 2021, the tournament also had a ‘mid-Sunday’ holiday, an out-of-place idea in an era of mega television deals and ambush marketing. And the magnetic pull of this phenomenon is such that even the biggest crisis to hit tennis in recent times — of Wimbledon except for Russian and Belarusian players Against the background of the Russo-Ukraine war and the ATP and WTA retaliated by removing ranking points – did not turn into a smoky hell. Rafael Nadal, who won his 14th French Open and a record 22nd Grand Slam title on one leg three weeks ago, is back to work after undergoing radiofrequency treatment. Seven-time singles champion Serena Williams has been out of semi-retirement for a year. Roger Federer’s grass-court glory will be remembered – for the first time since 1998 – but the game has such a unique knack for reinventing itself that there will be enough grandeur and splendor when the iconic Center Court celebrates its centenary.
Nadal and three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic will be the biggest men’s drawcards along with eighth seed Matteo Berrettini, who is back at his best after recovering from a hand injury. The absence of the top-two ranked men in Daniil Medvedev (blocked) and Alexander Zverev (injured) is unfortunate, but in SW19 they progressed to the farthest fourth round. Nadal, who is halfway towards an impossible Grand Slam (winning all four Majors in the same year), could be a handful if he survives the first week when the grass is still green and the bounce is low and slippery. Is. Djokovic will be desperate to add to his 20 Slam titles and avoid the rare scenario where he will not be the reigning champion in any of the four majors. Berrettini comes in with a 20-1 grass-court win-loss record since Wimbledon 2019, which includes two titles at the Queen’s Club, one in Stuttgart and one final at Wimbledon 2021. In women, following the retirement of defending champion Ash Barty, Inga Sweetek has established herself as number one. The grass is really the weak surface of the pole and a close-knit group with established credentials including Serena, Petra Kvitova, Garbine Muguruza, Simona Halep and Angelique Kerber. But Sweetek’s stellar recent form—six titles including Roland-Garros and 35 consecutive match-wins on hard and clay—means she’ll be less than confident even without the specific skills demanded by the grass court.