The draw for the 2023 Wimbledon Championships was released a few hours ago, much to the excitement and intrigue surrounding the projected matchups and storylines forthcoming. We now know Novak Djokovic’s possible route to a record-tying eighth title as is Carlos Alcaraz’s path to a first Wimbledon title. We’ll narrow down the list of favorites and delve into the players to watch and dark horses to win the third Grand Slam of the season.
Wimbledon 2023 Betting Tips & Predictions
Men’s Singles: Favorites to Win the 2023 Wimbledon
Novak Djokovic, the four-time defending champion, is the big favorite, as he always is in a Grand Slam setting.
The Serb is seeking a record-tying 24th Major (to tie Margaret Court’s all-time record) and Roger Federer’s eighth Wimbledon.
Those aren’t the only two records the Serb has in mind, but there is a potential Calendar Grand Slam waiting to happen should he triumph at SW19.
Djokovic’s draw, to put it bluntly, is an absolute gift. That might be a subjective opinion, but Djokovic’s 84 wins at Wimbledon is more than the rest of the top 20 combined.
And strikingly, none of the current top 10 has even made it to a semifinal at the grass-court slam. Statistics favor Djokovic. Form favors Djokovic. History also says Djokovic will win it all again.
As is the case with most grand slams, the top two seeds are almost invariably the favorites to win the tournament. Although that wasn’t the case at the French Open (where Djokovic was the third seed), you’d still need to take down one of those top seeds to win the title.
So going by the seeds Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz are the smartest money picks in the outright. Alcaraz won his first grass court title at Queen’s in the buildup to Wimbledon – that’s the perfect prep to make a major assault at the men’s title at SW19.
- Men’s Singles Winner Prediction: Novak Djokovic: 8/13
- Men’s Singles Winner Dark Horse Prediction: Carlos Alcaraz: 10/3
Men’s Singles: Players to Watch at 2023 Wimbledon
Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray is still among the elite, at least that’s what American great John McEnroe said in the build-up to the tournament.
Murray’s grass court nous places him among the greats of the game. He is the only player to beat Novak Djokovic in a Wimbledon final.
Murray is in his best shape and form since he made his comeback from a career-ending hip surgery. He won two titles on grass in June, and even a first-round defeat at Queen’s could be a blessing in disguise.
The Scotsman has had two weeks of rest time and might be a name to keep an eye on in the second section of the top half. He plays Ryan Peniston in an all-British opener before taking on one of Stefanos Tsitsipas or Dominic Thiem.
With Thiem past his peak, and Tsitsipas woefully out of form, Murray might be a favorite to edge either of them in a match on grass.
Murray’s first big test could be in the fourth round where he could face a resurgent Sebastian Korda or compatriot Cameron Norrie.
Korda, it should be noted, reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open in January, and only returned to full gear at Queen’s this month. The rangy American is a player to watch on grass and he will play at Wimbledon for the first time since his fine debut in 2021 (made the fourth round).
Outside Djokovic and Alcaraz, Korda is the most attractive longshot pick in the outright.
To Win the Tournament: Sebastian Korda: 33/1
Men’s Singles: Dark Horses to Reach Second Week at Wimbledon
Frances Tiafoe won in Stuttgart. And winning a tuneup tournament before a grand slam isn’t for the fainthearted as it has the possibility of altering a player’s career.
Tiafoe has a serious shot of reaching his first Wimbledon quarterfinal, provided he can win a projected fourth-round shootout against Holger Rune – the highest-seeded player he could meet in the last eight.
Alex de Minaur was another top performer in the lead-up to Wimbledon. With Nick Kyrgios struggling for fitness, de Minaur is Australia’s flag bearer at the Championships. He has a seemingly harmless opener against a qualifier but could set up a tasty second-round match against former finalist Matteo Berrettini.
Although it is arguable Berrettini will even emerge unscathed against compatriot Lorenzo Sonego, de Minaur will probably cast his mind farther ahead of the draw where he could face Alexander Zverev in the third round.
de Minaur’s form and extraordinary speed give him a slight edge, but Zverev’s 6-1 head-to-head advantage means this projected fourth-round match could be a real toss of the coin.
- To Reach the Quarterfinal: Frances Tiafoe
- To Reach the Fourth Round: Alexander Zverev/Alex de Minaur
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