Former world No 1 picks Wimbledon favourite and it’s not Iga Swiatek
World No 1 Iga Swiatek remains unproven on grass and is not among Andy Roddick’s top two favourites to win this year’s Wimbledon women’s singles title.
Instead the honour of favourite for the 2023 grass-court Grand Slam title goes to defending champion Elena Rybakina with world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka also ahead Swiatek in Roddick’s pecking order.
Swiatek has dominated the women’s game over the past 18 months, but the majority of her success has come on clay and hard courts as she is 63–9 on the red dirt and 97–33 on hard surfaces.
As for grass, the Pole is 6–5 with her best performance at Wimbledon coming in 2021 when she reached the fourth round.
The 22-year-old has opted not to play any warm-up events ahead of The Championships and former world No 1 Roddick says Rybakina is ahead of the four-time Grand Slam winner in the queue to lift the title.
“[Elena Rybakina is my favourite to win at the All England Club] because she’s the best grass-court player in the world. It’s pretty straightforward,” the three-time Wimbledon runner-up told Tennis Channel.
“You won’t find a bigger fan of Iga Swiatek than me. I have so much respect for her and so none of this is a slight to Iga, but she’s unproven on this surface.
“I’m sure she would probably tell you the same thing and she does have some challenges on this surface. And what she does creating those RPMs, the movement that she has on clay, those things don’t translate to a grass court.”
Rybakina, meanwhile, is 19–6 on grass and she is 10-1 at Wimbledon with her only defeat coming in the fourth round during her SW19 main draw debut in 2021.
Roddick feels that Sabalenka – who is 21–14 on grass with her best Wimbledon performance a semi-final appearance in 2021 – is also a better pick for the title than Swiatek.
The American added: “Conversely, everything that is a struggle for Rybakina on clay with the movement, slowing down her shots through the court is additive at Wimbledon. So I don’t know how you can’t make Rybakina the favourite. I actually would think that Sabalenka might be the second favourite and then maybe Iga third [or] fourth.
“Iga is largely unproven on grass, she would probably tell you the same thing and she does have some challenges on this surface, especially if it is playing quick.”
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