Picking the winner at Wimbly this year look's like a tough proposition.

In no particular order we have:

Defending Champ Maria Sharapova who has won 2 of the 5 biggest tournaments over the past year. She's also on a 17 match grass winning streak but at the same time has won only one low-ranked title (Birmingham) since thumped by Davenport at Indian Wells.

Davenport, while ranked No. 1 and a past Champion (1999), hasn't won a major title in the past year and hasn't played any grass warm-ups. In fact, she's played very few tournaments since the end of the hardcourt swing.

Then there's Serena Williams whose Wimbly record stands at 20-1 over the past 3 years. However she's only played one match - a first round loss in Rome - since hurting her ankle during the American green clay swing.

Next is Henin-Hardenne who hasn't lost a game since the end of the Hardcourt season. However she's never won Wimbledon in 4 attempts, she hasn't played any grass warm-ups and recently withdrew from Eastbourne on the advice of her doctors. Apparently the virus that kept her out of tennis for so long is still lingering in her system and she was in need of rest (though I've learnt punters oppose Justine at their peril)

Then there's Clijster's who's just won Eastbourne and made the semi's at Wimbledon at her last attempt (though she doesn't have a great history at the tournament). Then there's Mauresmo who just lost in the first round of Eastbourne having said she was there to work hard on her grass game, and the likes of Kuznetsova, Venus Williams (2 times Champion plus 2 times finalist) and the 'nervy' Petrova who all have some claims.

From a betting point of view this looks wide open with some great opportunities against underdone players such as Davenport, the Williams sisters and to some extent Hardenne who are all first-up on grass. The upsets will come - it's just a matter of picking when.

Clijster's and Sharapova are the pick of the bunch at the moment but I don't say that with any real conviction. Plus Clijster's is always mentally vulnerable if she comes up against Henin-Hardenne or Serena (which may happen in semi's).

Notable retirements in matches leading up to Wimbledon include:
Dementieva (retired Eastbourne: Shoulder)
Bartoli (retired Eastbourne: Left foot)
Groenefeld (retired Eastbourne: Thigh)


Some background info can be found at:


http://www.wtatour.com/newsroom/sto...cle_7394_rx.asp (preview)

http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news...8907456644.html (preview)

http://www.tennisreporters.net/sub_...ers_061805.html (interesting article on Clijsters)

http://msn.foxsports.com/tennis/story/3695184 (interesting article on Williamses)