Bet UK’s BIG Wimbledon 2023 preview
The greatest show on grass is back. Strawberries and cream, aces and baseline winners, overhead smashes and through-the-legs flicks - get set for a carnival of incredible, world-class tennis.
At BetUK, we will serve up hundreds of pre-match and in-play markets on all the action. We have cobbled together this BIG tournament preview to give you some inspiration for your best sure-thing and long shot bets…
Top Three Men To Watch
Novak Djokovic
Previous Wimbledon Best: Winner - 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
World Ranking: 2nd
Strengths: Deep returns, flexibility, adaptability, mental strength
Weaknesses: We don't know of any
Odds to win: 8/11
"The present time has one advantage over every other – it is our own, " said English cleric, writer and collector Charles Caleb Colton. If ever there was a quote to encapsulate the hay that Novak Djokovic is making over his GOAT rivals, it's this.
With Roger Federer recently retired and Rafael Nadal battling injuries (at the start of June, it was confirmed he would be out for around five months after surgery to his back), Djokovic has a clean run at cementing his legacy.
With 23 to his name, he already holds the individual record for the number of Grand Slam titles, but the issues facing Nadal mean the Serbian has a chance to extend his lead over his great Spanish rival.
He's looking fit and fresh, and it would take a brave person to take against this relentless winner in the betting.
Stat smash: If Djokovic repays the faith of the bookmakers, he will draw level with Federer's record of eight Wimbledon titles
Carlos Alcaraz
Previous Wimbledon Best: Fourth round - 2022
World Ranking: 1st
Strengths: Speed across the ground; aggression; fast hands
Weaknesses: Service game
Odds to win: 4/1
An heir to el rey del tenis in Spain? He's got a long way to go, but Alcaraz is the shining light of the new crop of talent coming through the ATP tour, where he leads all players in returns over the past year.
The 20-year-old is in red-hot form and, earlier in the year, became the first player since 1990 to win the Indian Wells title and make the semi-finals of the Miami Open without dropping a set. He couldn't defend his 2022 Miami Open title after losing to Italian player Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals but his victory at Queen's in June, his fifth title of the year, reminded us of the thrilling capabilities of this insatiable talent.
Former world number three Ivan Ljubicic labelled him a hybrid of Djokovic, Federer and Nadal - we would agree. He's the most likely candidate to upset the odds.
Stat smash: He is the only player ever to beat Nadal and Djokovic back-to-back in consecutive matches
Daniil Medvedev
Previous Wimbledon Best: Fourth round - 2021
World Ranking: 3rd
Strengths: Excellent service game from imposing 6ft 6in height; mobility.
Weaknesses: Susceptible to losing to the drop shot
Odds to win: 16/1
While the top two in the betting are there on merit, Medvedev comes into this tournament as a dark horse.
The Russian has a horrible record at Wimbledon and has never advanced past the fourth round, but he did capture the US Open title in 2021 after beating Djokovic in straight sets. He is getting used to winning this year - his five titles so far in the 2023 season represent the most he's won in his career.
We wouldn't place any massive bets on Medvedev, but he's worth keeping an eye on if one of Alcaraz or Djokovic suffers a shock early exit.
Stat smash: He was the first player to reach 40 wins on the men's tour this campaign
Take a look at all our Wimbledon markets here
Top Three Women To Watch
Iga Swiatek
Previous Wimbledon Best: Winner - 2021
World Ranking: 1st
Strengths: Aggressive return of serve; forehand; baseline game
Weaknesses: Psychological game management
Odds to win: 4/1
An incredible run of form in 2022 shows no signs of abating in 2023 for the Polish superstar. Everyone knows about her 37-game winning streak last season - the longest in the 21st century - but Swiatek has continued her dominance in 2023 with an incredible victory at the French Open to make it back-to-back titles at Roland Garros.
The grass court is more of an unknown arena for Swiatek-backers, but she is a justifiable joint-favourite.
Stat smash: Swiatek has never advanced past the round of 16 at any grass-court tournament in London
Aryna Sabalenka
Previous Wimbledon best: Semi-finals - 2021
World Ranking: 2nd
Strengths: First service game; forehand winners down the line
Weaknesses: Lack of spin on second serve
Odds to win: 4/1
Renowned as a fierce competitor with an aggressive approach to her tennis, Sabalenka was disappointing in a straight-sets defeat to Veronika Kudermetova in the round of 16 at the German Open.
However, at the turn of the year, she beat the reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina to win the Australian Open and her first-ever Grand Slam.
It's hard to be confident about the Belarusian but, if she can carry her hard-court form into Wimbledon, she has a puncher's chance.
Stat smash: She was the first woman in 2023 to win three WTA titles
Elena Rybakina
Previous Wimbledon Best: Winner - 2022
World Ranking: 3rd
Strengths: Power serves; power returns
Weaknesses: First serve consistency
Odds to win: 4/1
The defending Wimbledon champion and the first-ever Kazakhstani player to win a major title, Rybakina completes the list of the top three in the betting.
An incredible shot-maker who deserves her place among the world's elite - indeed she is the WTA leader in aces and first serve points percentage this year - she will likely be on the betting slips of thousands of bettors ahead of the tournament.
Her appearance will come with a caveat, however. She has struggled with viral illnesses over the past month and had to withdraw from the Eastbourne Open toward the back-end of June, while she also had to pull out of the French Open.
Stat Smash: In 2023 so far, she has a win percentage of over 80% on her service game - the highest in her career
Take a look at all our Wimbledon markets here
Best British Hopefuls
At BetUK, we will always nod our head to British athletes in any competition and Wimbledon is no different. Here are three homegrown hopefuls with the best opportunity to win a major…
Andy Murray Now a metal-hipped, long-time centre-court darling, don’t forget Murray is a two-time Wimbledon champion.
At 40/1, you'd be getting a good each-way price on a player who knows what it takes to win at these hallowed turfs - and crucially one who, despite his well-publicised injury woes, is still the ATP Tour’s return leader on grass over the past year.
Prediction: Round of 16
Cameron Norrie Last year's semi-finalist seems a tempting price at 60/1 - but there were circumstances to his deep tournament run.
Russian and Belarusian athletes were banned because of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, while other injuries meant Norrie had a clear run to register his best-ever tournament showing. He could, however, be worth a nobble at the bigger odds.
Prediction: Fourth round
Katie Boulter The British number one made history earlier in June after becoming the first woman to a WTA final between two Britons since Sue Barker and Virginia Wade in 1977 with a victory in the Nottingham Open final over Jodie Burrage.
Despite reaching the third round at Wimbledon last year, she comes into the tournament unseeded. Can she better her 2022 performance?
Prediction: Fourth round
When is Wimbledon 2023 and how to watch
The tournament runs from 5th July to 16th July and can be watched on terrestrial BBC or streamed via the BBC iPlayer.
Players will be competing for a prize pot worth an eye-watering £44.7million, with the winners each taking home £2.35million.
