Wimbledon is just around the corner, and the men’s singles field is nearly finalised now that all the wildcards have been announced.
While there’s still one spot left in the women’s draw, all eight wildcards for the men have been handed out ahead of this year’s Grand Slam.
As expected, British players make up most of those selections, with Grigor Dimitrov and Stan Wawrinka standing out as the only non-Brits given a place.
Their presence should add quality to the tournament, though Carlos Alcaraz missing out is already a significant loss for fans hoping to see him play again.
Sinner goes into Wimbledon as one of the clear front-runners. Still, there are several players outside of that main group who have shown they can be dangerous on grass and might make things interesting as the tournament unfolds.
Wimbledon closing in with final wildcards confirmed
Wimbledon is nearly here, and the men’s singles field is essentially set following the announcement of the remaining wildcards. There is still one spot left to be filled in the women’s draw, but all eight men’s wildcards have now been assigned.
Most of those have gone to home players, with Grigor Dimitrov and Stan Wawrinka standing out as the only exceptions among a group otherwise filled by Brits.
The tournament should still offer plenty of quality despite Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal. He’ll leave a big gap, but there are still intriguing storylines.
That leaves Jannik Sinner as the clear favourite to win at Wimbledon this year, though there are a few names outside that main group who could be worth keeping an eye on. Here are five possible dark horses.
Taylor Fritz among early dark horses for Wimbledon
Leading the way to challenge world number one Sinner, the American now boasts a superb 10-5 record against fellow challenger Alexander Zverev, although his biggest concern may just involve his nightmare 0-11 record with Novak Djokovic.
Alex de Minaur
De Minaur has had a strong season so far, reaching the final of the Libema Open, and he’ll be hoping this is the year he can finally break through past the quarterfinals at a major.
The Australian has yet to get beyond that stage in any of the four Grand Slams, but with Sinner still finding his feet after Roland-Garros and Zverev’s game not exactly suited to grass, this might be his best opportunity yet.
Jiri Lehecka
Jiri Lehecka is another strong player on grass and could easily pull off a surprise or two this summer.
It’s still unclear if he can deliver at Wimbledon, but the current landscape in men’s tennis may play into his hands, giving him and others a real chance to shine in London.
Matteo Berrettini
Despite his injury setbacks, Matteo Berrettini remains a player you can’t count out on the big stage, as he showed with his recent performance at the French Open.
The Italian reached the quarterfinals in Paris, adding to an already strong grass-court reputation that began building years earlier. His run to the 2021 Wimbledon final stands out in particular, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.
Jack Draper
Jack Draper, who has spent much of his career battling injuries, is back in the mix and could be one to watch at Wimbledon, especially with the home support behind him.
The Brit has been putting in a lot of work to regain his fitness, leaning on Andy Murray for guidance as he prepares for his return.
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