Summer in the tennis world means just one thing — it’s time for the Wimbledon championships. Wimbledon starts today, June 28th, and the men’s final will be on July 11th, closing the event.
The famous tournament is part of the Grand Slam, together with the Australian Open, the Roland Garros (French Open), and the US Open, and it’s the only one played on grass. Wimbledon was not held last year due to the pandemic, the only Grand Slam that was canceled.
This year, it will welcome spectators and be open with 50% capacity on the Centre Court and 75% on smaller courts. Organizers are planning to increase the capacity during the later stages. Spectators need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test that is not older than 48 hours.
So what should we expect? In men’s, No.1 Novak Djokovic enters as the favorite. He’s won the tournament five times, including the most recent one in 2019. He’s also won both the Australian and French Grand Slams in 2021.
From the Grand Slam record-holders, Federer and Nadal, only Federer will participate, as Nadal pulled out due to injury. The Swiss has won the most Wimbledon titles, eight, and will be looking to add the 9th one, which would also be his 21st Grand Slam overall.
Among women, the No.2 ranked Naomi Osaka withdrew, citing scheduling issues and taking some time off the court as the reasons. The No.1, Ashleigh Barty, is coming off an injury, having missed the French Open, and will be looking for her second Grand Slam title and first at Wimbledon.
In the doubles, fans are very excited to see the mixed double pair of Venus Williams and Nick Kyrgios. The 41-year-old Williams brings much experience, with 25 titles in doubles and 5 titles in Wimbledon. Furthermore, Kyrgios, known for his antics, adds to the excitement.
In the end, will Djokovic win and extend his record at No.1, or maybe see the experienced Federer on top? Will Ashleigh Barty win her first Wimbledon title, and how far will Williams and Kyrgios go? You will have to tune in to find out.
