Wimbledon is no ordinary tennis tournament. Played on one of the game’s two natural surfaces, The Championships is one event that every child that picks up a racquet dreams of winning. The resplendent green lawns, the spotless white attires and how the two combine to immaculately fill the television screens of fans worldwide only add to the allure. It was thus no surprise that even when Wimbledon was stripped of ranking points last year for barring Russian and Belarusian players against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war, it did not acquire the look and feel of a glorified exhibition event. Rafael Nadal underwent radio-frequency treatment on his leg to ensure participation; Serena Williams came out of semi-retirement and a pantheon of stars, including Rod Laver and Billie Jean King, gathered to celebrate the iconic Centre Court’s centenary. As the 2023 edition gets underway on Monday, it will be an opportunity for the aficionados to rekindle their love for the premier competition. It helps that none of last year’s distractions remains. The Russians and Belarusians have been welcomed back and Wimbledon has its ranking points restored. In another sign of listening to the world, organisers have shortened doubles matches to best-of-three sets, in line with the other three Majors.
Monday will also mark the first Wimbledon since eight-time men’s singles titlist Roger Federer officially retired. Novak Djokovic may be a seven-time champion, but his enduring grass-court excellence notwithstanding, it is the Swiss maestro whom this era’s fans most romanticise. It remains to be seen if the action over the next fortnight provides cues to identify the next king of grass. The popular choice is World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, who burnished his credentials by winning the tune-up at Queen’s Club. But Djokovic is a four-time defending champion and has not lost a completed match at SW19 since Sam Querrey beat him in 2016. That the 23-time Major winner can tie Federer’s record of eight crowns and is halfway towards an improbable Grand Slam (winning all four Slams in a single year) can be big motivations. Among women, the list of contenders is more spread out, with two-time winner Petra Kvitova, defending champion Elena Rybakina, 2022 finalist Ons Jabeur, 2021 semifinalist and World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka all in the mix. World No.1 Iga Swiatek’s grass-court nous is not fully developed but someone who has lifted the junior trophy in these parts is not to be trifled with. Five-time winner Venus Williams is making a return, aged 43. After all, what is Wimbledon without a bit of ageless romance.
