Wimbledon
All England Club, London
Monday, June 27 - Sunday, July 10, 2022
In answer to that question, I’m not so sure he can just yet.
My reasons. Let me start by offering my first tip of this preview. Like at the French Open last month, I will be sticking with golden girl Iga Swiatek to win the women’s singles title at a best price of 13/8 with Betfred.
I just can’t bring myself to go against her, despite some competition.
Six tournament titles on the bounce, including the French, the perfect Pole is playing like she has dropped herself into the old classic computer game TopSpin 4 and has activated cheat mode.
At some point, she will come unstuck. There is no denying that. And it may come here as she has described grass as a “tricky” surface.
But how can you go against her? All logic points to her, and if she gets beat, it will be a major shock. I can accept that.
The one thing I can’t accept is backing a short-priced favourite who does not warrant the price. And that brings us to Novak Djokovic.
Berrettini looks good value to go one better than 2021
When Djokovic beat Italy’s Matteo Berrettini in four sets on Centre Court last July to claim a record-equalling 20th grand slam singles title, everything was rosy in the Serbian’s garden.
The Strawberries and Cream tasted sweet, shall we say. But they have since gone sour.
The height of his miserable last year came in January when he had his well-documented battle with the Australian government over his refusal to be vaccinated for Covid, bringing about one of the greatest sporting nicknames in recent memory, Novax! Simple, yet genius.
I’m sorry, I just can’t get on board with Djokovic glory at a best price of 10/11. It is just too short for a player who has only won one tournament all year (Rome on clay last month) and has only played an exhibition event at Hurlingham in preparation for this tournament.
Six Wimbledon titles or not, and I’m a huge fan of Djokovic’s, he is just too short a price for me.
Someone who is in fine form - not quite Swiatek levels, I grant - is Berrettini, who I would be keen to get on board with.
The 26-year-old looks primed for his first grand slam title having featured at the sharp end at all major venues; Wimbledon final, semis at Melbourne and Flushing Meadows and the quarters at Roland Garros.
After missing the recent French Open in order to recover from a hand injury, the imposing Roman has won recent grass-court events in Stuttgart and at Queen’s. He beat Sir Andy Murray in the final of the former.
Berrettini, the second favourite at SW19, is a best price of 11/2 for the crown with bet365 amongst others and would be my pick.
With that in mind, I quite like the 6/4 on anyone other than Djokovic or French Open champ Rafael Nadal winning Wimbledon with Betfair in their Big Guns v The Field market. They have those two as the Big Guns and everyone else, including Berrettini, as The Field.
Path to glory may not be the smoothest for Swiatek, with Haddad Maia looking good to win her quarter
Iga Swiatek has only lost two sets in her last 27 matches dating back to mid-March. Her path to title after title has been plain-sailing.
But there might be the odd speed bump in her way over the next fortnight, which she is clearly good enough to overcome.
There are two players I think should be watched. They are Ons Jabeur of Tunisia and Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia, who are both in excellent form having won grasscourt warm-up events over the last couple of weeks, the latter winning two.
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Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship
The in-form Haddad Maia looks set for a strong showing
At 9/2 a £10 bet would return £55
Wimbledon
June 27, 2022
9:00 am GMT+1
Jabeur is ranked three in the world and is second favourite (10/1), while 29th ranked Haddad Maia, whose big swing lefties serve is a particularly potent weapon, is 20/1 for success.
It is Haddad Maia who I like at 9/2 with Coral to win her Quarter of the draw.
She heads the market to win Quarter 4 ahead of the likes of Belinda Bencic, the world number 17, who is in reasonable form and world number two Anett Kontaveit, who isn’t.
* Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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