Wimbledon: Classy Petra Kvitova can repeat last year’s triumph
Last year’s women’s singles was a strange tournament with only three of the top 10 seeds reaching the quarter-final stage. Compare that with the men’s where four of the top five made the last eight.
Serena Williams fell to Alize Cornet of France in the third round, even though she breezed through the first set, winning 6-1.
The failure to record convincing victories in the early rounds of Grand Slams is what concerns me most about the American legend.
Williams teetered on the brink of exit again at last month’s French Open in multiple matches before picking up form, and possibly fitness, to win yet another Major.
I’m not convinced she will escape a humbling in the early rounds at the All England Club so I’m prepared to look elsewhere.
Last year’s champion, Petra Kvitova, is the second seed and has had a strong year so far.
The Czech defeated Williams in straight sets in Madrid in early May, which was all the more striking as clay isn’t her best surface.
She is a good bet to go far again in the tournament and won’t fear anyone on grass. I’m backing her at 7/2 with Betway.
You have to go all the way back to 1995 to find the longest women’s Wimbledon match in terms of games played in the tiebreak era, which finished 17-15 in favour of American Chanda Rubin over Canada’s Patricia Hy-Boulais in the third and final set.
I don’t think any match will get near that figure this year and will be selling the longest women’s match at 39 games with Sporting Index.
▀ Pointers…
Petra Kvitova at 7/2 with Betway
Sell longest women’s match at 39 games with Sporting Index