Wimbledon women's singles: Swiatek's the player to beat, but take a Riske on Alison

Swiatek the player to beat

The build up to the Women’s Singles at Wimbledon 2022 may have been dominated by Serena Williams’ return to action and, to a lesser extent, Emma Raducanu’s injury problems, but Iga Swiatek is clearly the player to beat. 

The Pole swept to glory at the French Open and is on a 35-match winning streak – the joint longest of the millennium. At 2.68 she is a strong favourite with defending champion Ashleigh Barty having retired after winning the Australian Open.

Recent history, though, shows that even in the majors, the Women’s Single draw is fraught with upsets, so who might finally overcome Swiatek?

Pole yet to shine on grass 

There is no doubt that Swiatek is the form player in women’s tennis right now as she enjoys a run the type of which has not been seen in a generation. However, her past record at Wimbledon does not point to her extending her incredible sequence for at least another fortnight. Last year, she was a fourth-round loser, ultimately bamboozled by Ons Jabeur over three sets.

Swiatek’s career record on grass stands at 4-4, but the highest-ranked player she has ever overcome on the surface is Heather Watson, who was WTA World No.65 when she battled through in three tight sets in Eastbourne last year. She has not played a grass court warm-up event, meanwhile.

She’ll have to step it up this time around to go all the way, although she is in a good section of the draw and does possess mental fortitude that is unmatched in the women’s game.

Jabeur the main threat

Look for Jabeur, the player who beat Swiatek last year, to pose her the greatest threat this time around. The World No.2, who is priced at 10.5, is the first Arab woman to have won a World Tour title and subsequently a WTA 1000 event, while she won on the grass in Berlin earlier this month, dropping just a single set (on a tiebreak) in five matches. 

Jabeur, however, has never gone beyond the quarter-finals of a major and was dumped out of the French Open in the first round when all eyes were on her. Expect the Tunisian, who possesses a fierce slice, to go better at the All-England Club, particularly as her section of the draw looks inviting. 

Beatriz Haddad Maia is a dangerous outsider in the lower half of the draw, priced at 27. She has won a couple of grass court events in the build up to Wimbledon, coming out on top in Nottingham and Birmingham while beating a string of Top 50 players in the process.

Raducanu’s prospects

Naturally, a great deal of attention from the UK press will focus on Emma Raducanu, the shock winner of the 2021 US Open. With odds of 48, she is not expected to repeat that feat. She posts an 8-11 losing record in events this year, has won consecutive matches only twice and has not beaten a player higher than 49 in the rankings. 

With an injury problem compounding all of this, the prospects of the 19-year-old matching last year’s run to the fourth round seem slim. 

The Wimbledon women's singles begins on Monday 27 June, with the final scheduled for Saturday 9 July.

Dangerous outsiders

Bianca Andreescu should not be slept on in the top half of the draw. She is coming back after a long period out injured but is one of the mentally toughest competitors in the women’s game – and at her peak has a game to match anyone. This was underlined as she reached the final of Bad Homburg, beating two Top 30 opponents along the way. If she gets up a head of steam, odds of 40 will look very short. 

For a big outside bet to win the title, look to No.28 seed Alison Riske, on offer at 80. The American has a reputation for going well on grass and reached the final in Nottingham earlier this month before losing to Haddad Maia. Her section of the draw looks welcoming, and she stands a good chance of equalling her best Wimbledon run, which came in 2019 when she reached the quarter-finals. 

A step too far for Serena

What of Serena, then? The American is chasing a historic 24th major but has not played a singles event since Wimbledon last year, when she managed just six games before retiring in the first round. It’s tough to expect much of the 40-year-old in this context, particularly given her draw. Karolina Pliskova, out of form but dangerous, is a potential third-round opponent, while Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova are both in her section. 

Simona Halep and Petra Kvitova, both previous winners, are possible quarter-final opponents for Williams. Eastbourne winner Kvitova is priced at 16.5 while Halep, who has been fighting to find her best level, is 20. To this end, the Czech looks the better value. 

Recommended bets

Ons Jabeur @ 10.5

Bianca Andreescu @ 40

Alison Riske @ 80