2023-07-02 19:25:10
The suspense is not budding on the branches of the Wimbledon men’s draw. Victory is promised to Novak Djokovic and this prognosis will not delight lovers of Rafael Nadal, absent, and Roger Federer, retired. But since a tournament played in the Temple of Tennis is always worth a look, here are six reasons to look into the 2023 edition of the London Grand Slam.
Because Djokovic can match other legends
In 2022, the race for the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time) had turned in favor of Rafael Nadal, in terms of the prize list. The Spaniard had reached 22 Grand Slam titles, while Roger Federer announced his retirement and Djokovic was not welcome everywhere, due to his vaccination status.
Nevertheless, the Serb had won Wimbledon, without the points that go with it. This year, “Nole” rose for the first time alone to the top of the hierarchy of winners in Major, among men. He signed a tenth victory at the Australian Open before winning his 23rd Grand Slam at Roland-Garros.
Now he can push back the summit of Everest from the tennis world. The tournament favorite has the opportunity to equal Margaret Court’s 24 major titles. If he wins on the English grass, he will hold as many coronations as “Roger” (8) in the garden of the Swiss. Finally, he would maintain the hope of a calendar Grand Slam, a performance never achieved since these tournaments are held on the three surfaces.
Because Alcaraz learns to garden
The “Djoker” is quite alone in his quest for eternity on the circuit. He has reserved favorite status for himself. Far behind, Carlos Alcaraz slipped into the costume of the first outsider the moment he grabbed his first grass tournament.
First title on grass for Carlos Alcaraz! The 20-year-old Spaniard won the Queen’s tournament against Alex de Minaur (6-4, 6-4) and returned to world No. 1 ahead of Novak Djokovic! ????#HomeOfTennis pic.twitter.com/xL7QBM76VG
— Eurosport France (@Eurosport_FR) June 25, 2023
The Spaniard had only played six grass matches on the main circuit before 2023, all of them at Wimbledon. For the first time, he tried his hand at Queen’s. Once a hung inaugural round negotiated against Arthur Rinderknech, the prodigy of El Palmar was launched. He defeated Alex de Minaur in the final, despite a call to the physio between the two sets.
Juan-Carlos Ferrero’s protege took the opportunity to recover the world number 1 cap and the first seed label. If he does not slip on the grass, his support is less assured than on earth, he has adapted his game to bounce back after his elimination in the semi-final against “Djoko” at Roland-Garros. To the point of instilling doubt in the skull of the ultra-favorite of the tournament?
Because Swiatek does not have the ascendancy on grass
Virtually unbeatable on clay, dominant on hard courts, Iga Swiatek is not quite flourishing on grass yet. The three-time Roland-Garros champion still reached the last four in Bad Hombourg this week, but, ill, she preferred to forfeit before the semi-final.
Although it would be unwise to eject her from the list of favourites, the grass credentials of Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina are stronger than those of the Pole. Semi-finalist at Wimbledon in 2021, Sabalenka had to chew the brakes last year, excluded because of his Belarusian nationality.
At the same time, Rybakina had revealed her ironclad composure to win her first Grand Slam. On her way, the Kazakh of Russian origin only lost in the final at the Australian Open against… Sabalenka. If the 3rd player in the world still seems bothered by the virus which kicked her out of Roland-Garros, the two favorites therefore have the opportunity to afford a second Major. On English soil, their striking power and their service are formidable.
Because the Blues could regain color
Porte d’Auteuil, the French put on their cape of invisibility before the third round. At the Australian Open, only Caroline Garcia had reached the second week. The Lyonnaise will still be the main blue hope in London. After a disappointing season on clay, the 5th player in the world signed two quarter-finals in two tournaments on grass. His sensations and his risky game marry better with green than with ochre.
She will challenge Katie Volynets in the first round. Eighth finalist last year, Alizé Cornet will face Nao Hibino. Problem, if successful, she could cross Rybakina. Among the men, three Franco-French duels are on the menu: Müller-Rinderknech, Bonzi-Mayot, Moutet-Gasquet. The certainty of seeing blue in the second round, especially since the best Frenchies express themselves better on the lawns.
Ugo Humbert (38th) has regained confidence this year, Adrian Mannarino (43rd) propelled himself to the final in Mallorca, while offering himself Daniil Medvedev in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, and Gregoire Barrère invited himself in the last four at Eastbourne.
Because it will be Gracheva’s first Major in blue
French women’s tennis has a new tricolor number 2. Since last year, Varvara Gracheva has been competing under a neutral banner. At the All-England Club, a French flag will be next to its name for the first time in a Grand Slam. The native Russian, who had therefore not been authorized to participate in Wim’l last year, was officially naturalized at the end of May.
A weighty reinforcement for the French delegation. 43rd player in the world, she is ahead of the French number 3 Alizé Cornet by more than 30 places (74th). In March, Jean-René Lisnard, director of the Cannes tennis center, which houses Gracheva, provided the tennis presentations: “It’s a steamroller. She plays fast, but without missing. She chokes you, she has strength. She knows how to activate robot mode. »
The Franco-Russian had managed a surprising American tour in March. She had dominated Daria Kasatkina in Indian Wells and Ons Jabeur in Miami. On grass, she joined the quarters in Bad Hombourg before falling on Lucia Bronzetti. In London, she has an appointment with another Italian, Camila Giorgi, in the first round.
Because it will be a revealer of the forces present
The frozen rankings of the Covid period had made the ATP and WTA rankings difficult to read. The situation has cleared up, but the current hierarchy does not say everything about the reality of the circuit. While the Russians and Belarusians were deprived of the London Grand Slam in 2022, no points were distributed at Wimbledon.
For example, the outgoing winners Djokovic and Rybakina are “missing” 2000 points. The 2023 edition will once again reflect the importance of the already rather short grass season in the women’s and men’s rankings. Wimbledon will also be the opportunity to gauge the level of the new generation on this surface.
If Jannik Sinner or Alcaraz have already delivered clues of their possibilities at a time when the courts are green, talents like Holger Rune or Lorenzo Musetti have only played one and two games respectively in London. The French Luca van Assche, opposed to Aslan Karatsev, and Arthur Fils, who finds Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina, will discover the main draw of Wim’, just like the nuggets Ben Shelton, Mirra Andreeva or Linda Fruhvirtova.
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