Wimbledon 2022: When is it? When's the draw? Who's playing? And who are the favourites to win?

All set for Wimbledon 2022

Wimbledon 2022 will be the 135th edition of The Championships and the 54th time it is played during the Open Era. 

Novak Djokovic is the defending champions in the Men’s Singles event, while Ashleigh Barty won the Women’s Singles in 2021 but will not participate after retiring from tennis in March earlier this year. 

Wimbledon has already been in the news in 2022 due to its decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players over Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. There will be no ranking points attributed to the tournament as a consequence. 

When does Wimbledon 2022 start?

The main draw for Wimbledon will begin on Monday, 27 June with first round matches to take place over the course of two days. The tournament is scheduled to run for two weeks and will conclude on Sunday 10 July, 2022 with the Men’s Singles Final. 

In a break with tradition, there will be play schedules for the ‘Middle Sunday’, 3 July. Historically, this date was only used in the case of an extreme backlog of matches caused by weather. Indeed, this only occurred on four occasions during Wimbledon’s history. 

Play begins at 11am BST on the outside courts each day, with Court One matches to start at 1pm and Centre Court matches to begin at 1.30pm.

Wimbledon main draw schedule 

• 27, 28 June: Men’s and Women’s first round
• 29, 30 June: Men’s and Women’s second round
• 1, 2 July: Men’s and Women’s third round
• 3, 4 July: Men’s and Women’s fourth round
• 5, 6 July: Men’s and Women’s quarter-finals
• 7 July: Women’s semi-finals, Mixed Doubles final
• 8 July: Men’s semi-finals
• 9 July: Women’s final, Men’s Doubles final
• 10 July: Men’s final, Women’s Doubles final

When is the draw?

The Wimbledon 2022 draw will be made on Friday, June 24. It will take place at 10am but is not televised.

Rafael Nadal has won the first two Grand Slams of the year and will be playing at Wimbledon 2022

Who is playing at Wimbledon? 

For British fans, uncertainty continues over the status of Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu’s participation at Wimbledon this year because of injury. Murray reached the final of Stuttgart but picked up an abdominal problem in defeat to Mateo Berrettini that renders his participation a doubt. It forced him to withdraw from Queen’s. 

Raducanu, meanwhile, suffered an injury in her first grass court match of the season at the Nottingham Open. She reached the fourth round at Wimbledon 2021. 

Similarly, there are lingering doubts over the fitness of Rafael Nadal, who won the first two majors of the year. The Spaniard won the French Open while receiving injections for a foot injury, but he has said it is his intention to play at Wimbledon. Novak Djokovic will also be eligible to play, with vaccine status no longer a concern. 

In the Women’s draw, Serena Williams will be present as a wildcard. She has not played since retiring in her first-round match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich in 2021. 

Who is not playing at Wimbledon?

Russian and Belarusian players have been banned from taking part at Wimbledon this year due to the invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin’s government. 

ATP World No.1 Daniil Medvedev is the highest-profile victim of this policy, but World No.8 Andrey Rublev and World No.23 Karen Khachanov are also absent. Aslan Karatsev and Ilya Ivashka are the other notable Top 100 players on the Men’s side who are absent.

Roger Federer is notably absent due to injury as he overcomes knee surgery.

The Women’s event is set to have a greater volume of absentees because of this reason. WTA World No.5 Aryna Sabalenka and fellow Belarusians Victoria Azarenka, who is a two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist, and Aliaksandra Sasnovich are missing. 

Russia’s Daria Kasatkina, who made the final four at the French Open last month, leads an extensive list of her compatriots who are not permitted to take part. Veronika Kudermetova, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Liudmila Samsonova, Varvara Gracheva, Anastasia Potapova, Anna Kalinskaya, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

Defending Women’s champion Ashleigh Barty is not playing because she has retired. Naomi Osaka, the former World No.1, is injured and will not play. 

What is Wimbledon? 

Wimbledon is the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world, having been founded in 1877. It is played at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London. 

The only major event that is played on grass courts, The Championships are steeped in traditions, such as players being required to wear all white outfits, and therefore generates a unique atmosphere on the circuit.

Historically, Wimbledon took place in the final two weeks of June, but in recent years it has been moved back a week to allow players an extra week of recovery between the French Open and the third major of the year. 

Roger Federer holds the record for Men’s Singles titles, having won the tournament on eight occasions, while Martina Navratilova’s nine triumphs is a record for the Women’s Singles competition.

Who are the favourites to win Wimbledon? 

Novak Djokovic is a hot favourite to win the Wimbledon 2022 Men’s Singles draw, with odds of 1.88 representing strong favouritism. Nadal, who is chasing the Grand Slam, can be backed at 9. 

Other leading contenders are Matteo Berrettini, beaten finalist at the Championships in 2021, is on offer at 8.6 while up-and-coming sensation Carlos Alcaraz is available at 11.5. Felix Auger-Aliassime can be supported at 17.5. Andy Murray is available at 60. 

Iga Swiatek has won her last 35 matches and is a warm favourite to win the Wimbledon 2022 Women’s Singles at 2.82. Coco Gauff, who reached the final of the French Open, is available at 13.5, while the dangerous Ons Jabeur can be supported at 15.5. Simona Halep, the 2019 champion, can be backed at 16. 

Recommended bets

Novak Djokovic @ 1.88

Iga Swiatek @ 2.82