2013 Wimbledon Odds, Predictions and Free Picks – Novak Djokovic the Favorite to Win: It seems like the French Open just ended, but the top tennis players in the world are already gearing up for the third major tournament of 2013. The Championships, Wimbledon kick off Monday at the All England Club in London, and the speedy grass surface is far cry from the clay at Roland Garros. Wimbledon is considered by many the most prestigious of the major tournaments, largely because it is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. Not to mention the fact that it is the lone major that still features a traditional grass surface. Of course, winning any major title is special, but there is something a little bit different about Wimbledon(check latest 2013 Wimbledon Odds).
Last year, Roger Federer turned back the clock and won at the All England Club for the seventh time in his career. The victory tied him with Pete Sampras for the most Wimbledon crowns all-time and extended his record for Grand Slam titles. Federer didn’t exactly back his way to the win either. He took out defending champion and world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals before dismissing crowd favorite Andy Murray in the finale.
The Favorites
He rolls into the All England Club as the top-ranked player in the world and the No. 1 seed, and Novak Djokovic has been no stranger to success in the majors recently. He has reached at least the semifinals in 12-straight major tournaments, playing in the championship match eight times during the stretch. At Wimbledon specifically, Djokovic has gone to at least the semis in three-straight years, winning in 2011 and falling to eventual champion Roger Federer last year in the semifinals. After losing an epic five-set marathon to Rafael Nadal at the French Open last month, Djokovic will likely be very eager to try to add to his Grand Slam total on a surface other than clay. Not to mention the fact that his improvements in his service game this year should pay huge dividends on the grass of the All England Club.
While he is technically coming off an injury that forced him to miss the French Open, skipping the major on his worst surface to rest up for the major he wants to win most might not be the worst strategy for Andy Murray. More importantly, his career has been on an upward trend recently. Murray has reached the finals in the last three majors he has played in, and he got the monkey off his back so to speak with a win in the U.S. Open last year. At the All England Club, he has reached at least the semis in four straight years, including his first appearance in the championship match in 2012. Murray fell to Roger Federer in that match, but he has only improved since then while Federer has headed in the other direction. Murray is more than capable of becoming the first British player to win Wimbledon since 1936.
Other Contenders
Yes, his days of dominating tennis are behind him, but Roger Federer is still the defending champion at the All England Club. He is also a seven-time time Wimbledon champ with five titles coming in consecutive fashion from 2003 to 2007. Overall, he owns a 66-7 career mark in the event, and the fact that another title would move him ahead of Pete Sampras for the most all-time at Wimbledon has to be a nice motivating factor. Granted, Federer did fall in the quarterfinals at the All England Club in 2010 and 2011 and has been bounced before the semis in two of the last three majors, but grass is his best surface and Wimbledon has been his best Grand Slam. He just might have enough gas left in the tank for a title defense at Wimbledon.
While missing an extended period of time with an injury didn’t stop Rafael Nadal from winning his eighth-career French Open title, it will create a potentially brutal road to a third-career Wimbledon crown. Nadal is the No. 5 seed at the All England Club, meaning he may have to face Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Roger Federer in order to win. Not to mention the fact that he has not won a major outside of Roland Garros since 2010. That being said, Nadal did reach the championship match in the five Grand Slam events he played in prior to suffering an injury in a second-round loss at Wimbledon in 2012. He may not be unstoppable on grass like he is on clay, but if any player can overcome a brutal road to a title, it’s Nadal.
The Sleepers
There have been 38 major tournaments played since 2004, and 35 of them have been won by the four players I have already mentioned in this preview. Throw out Andy Murray, and three players have combined to win 34 of the last 38 majors. In other words, it has been tough sledding for everyone else in the tennis world, but David Ferrer has been making some headway lately. He has reached at least the semifinals in four of the last five Grand Slam events, including his first-career appearance in a major final at this year’s French Open. He also reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon for the first time last year, and his recent progress suggests an even deeper run this time around. Ferrer has yet to show he can consistently beat the top players in the game, but he has had his moments. If anyone is going to sneak up and snatch the title at the All England Club, it’s Ferrer.
Prediction: David Ferrer Wins in 5 Sets