MAN Magazine Summer 2019

SPORT
TENNIS Wimbledon (July 1 - July 14)
By Adam Jones
A
nyone for tennis? The Great British
summer welcomes the 133rd edition
of the All England Championships at
Wimbledon between July 1 and July 14...
SW19’s iconic grass courts welcome the best
names from around the world for a two-week tennis
bonanza. So, can the ageless Roger Federer make it a
ninth men’s title? Or will defending champion Novak
Djokovic reign supreme again?
Djokovic is the man to beat after winning
Wimbledon, the US Open and Australian Open in
the last year, taking his tally to 15 Grand Slams. That
means he is just five shy of Federer’s all-time record –
and the Serb very much has age on his side.
-But the fast nature of grass court tennis means
Wimbledon plays into the hands of some of the bigserving
underdogs... The likes of Marin Cilic, Kevin
Anderson, Milos Raonic and Sam Querrey have all
reached at least the semi-finals in recent years by using
their booming serves as their key weapons.
The emerging talents of Alexander Zverev and
Stefanos Tsitsipas will also be in contention, whilst
British hopes pin on Kyle Edmund after Andy
Murray’s hip surgery earlier this year.
The women’s side of the draw is arguably more
open than ever. Five of the last eight Grand Slams
have been won by first-time champions, with US and
Australian Open winner Naomi Osaka pursuing her
first Wimbledon crown.
Much will depend on the fitness of seven-time
SW19 champion Serena Williams who, like Federer,
is 37 and very much in the twilight of her career.
Angelique Kerber defeated Williams in the final last
year and has the perfect game for grass, while fellow
leftie Petra Kvitova is always a threat having triumphed
in 2011 and 2014.
Big-hitting Katie Boulter will lead the British
charge after a brilliant breakthrough year in
which she broke into the world’s top 100.
Wimbledon will be live across the BBC and on
the BBC red button from July 1- July 14.
sevenstarmedia.co.uk
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MAN
MAGAZINE SUMMER 2019