Bookies not looking beyond Novak Djokovic for Wimbledon title

James Richardson 23 Jun 2023 10:14 AM

Novak Djokovic

A quick glance at a cross-section of odds offered for Wimbledon by prominent sportsbooks shows that bookies aren’t willing to look beyond Novak Djokovic as the men’s singles winner.

Djokovic is the only man to currently be under 1/1 odds in the betting for the Wimbledon singles title.

Among the bigger sportsbooks in the UK, none currently offer longer odds than 4/6 on Djokovic to win Wimbledon.

While bookies are risk averse in their pricing to be sure, in this case, they are more than likely on the money.

Djokovic has been unstoppable at Wimbledon since Roger Federer stepped away from the limelight, and the players who could possibly mount some sort of challenge haven’t looked in great shape in the build-up to the tournament.

The man considered to be the second favourite, Carlos Alcaraz, has been placed some way back in the esteem of bookmakers.

Alcaraz has settled between 3/1 and 5/1 with reputable sportsbooks operating in the United Kingdom.

The Spaniard had been made favourite for the French Open but fell at the final hurdle, losing to Djokovic in a championship match that ultimately proved anti-climactic as Alcaraz struggled with cramp.

That match has solidified Djokovic as the king of five-set tennis and informs the bookies’ reluctance to lengthen the odds of the Serbian claiming a record 24th Grand Slam win at SW19.

Daniil Medvedev is some way behind Alcaraz but holds a surprising position, given his mixed results on grass in the past.

Medvedev certainly has most of the tools needed to be good on grass but has often come up short in tight matches against serve and volley experts.

Young Italian Jannik Sinner certainly has the look of a Wimbledon champion about him and is also attracting interest in the men’s singles market.

Nick Kyrgios’ injury woes have seen him fall away from that leading group with his chances deemed to be not quite as good as the likes of Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune.

It is a little too early to rule Kyrgios out, with the Australian surprising the experts all too often.

Andy Murray narrowly misses out on being inside the bookies top ten options for the Wimbledon title this season.

Murray comes in just behind Sebastian Korda with the young American outsider also drawing significant interest on the grass swing.

Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas haven’t been ruled out but neither man has really taken to grass or impressed at Wimbledon.