The lead-in to Wimbledon has been overshadowed by player protests over grand slam prizemoney – but when tennis’ biggest stars hit the grass courts of the All England club, the action is certain to be as absorbing as ever.
Jannik Sinner is a runaway favourite to retain his men’s title…but the slew of upsets that characterised the French Open illustrated that nothing can be taken for granted on the big stage.
Meanwhile, the women’s draw shapes as being typically unpredictable – nine different players have taken out the title in the past nine years – with a returning legend the wildcard in the mix.
A couple of British guns arrive for their home major in good form, while hype around the Aussie contingent is decidedly muted despite some solid warm-up performances.
Read on for our complete 2026 Wimbledon preview, predictions and latest grand slam tennis betting tips!
Sinner short odds to go back-to-back despite slam stumbles
World No.1 Jannik Sinner boasts a 37-3 record in 2026 heading into his Wimbledon title defence.
But the $1.57 tournament favourite has plenty to prove after his run of five straight grand slam final appearances was halted by an Australian Open semifinal loss to Novak Djokovic in January, before he was rolled by Juan Manuel Cerúndolo in the second round of the French Open.
The Italian superstar, who beat two-time defending champ Carlos Alcaraz in last year’s Wimbledon final, has been cooling his heels since his shock Roland Garros defeat. He returned to action with an exhibition win over Cameron Norrie this week.
Seven-time winner Novak Djokovic is on the second line of betting at $7.00. He lost to Sinner in the 2025 semis – ending a run of six Wimbledon finals from his previous six appearances – while the Australian Open runner-up was stunned by Joao Fonesca in the third round of the French Open.
World No.3 Alexander Zverev ($12) emerged from the top-10 boilover wreckage in Paris to claim a long-awaited maiden major, beating Flavio Cobolli ($101) in a five-set final. But Wimbledon has been the German’s least fruitful slam, reaching the Round of 16 three times.
Big-serving sixth seed Taylor Fritz ($17) reached the semis last year and made the recent Stuttgart Open and Halle Open finals, going down 2025 Wimbledon quarterfinalist and current world No.4 Ben Shelton ($21) and Frances Tiafoe ($51), respectively.
Twenty-year-old Jakub Mensik ($34) is one to watch after rising to the top 15 on the back of his French Open semifinal charge.
Andreeva joins elite contenders after Roland Garros breakthrough
In a women’s French Open tournament as punctuated by upsets as the men’s (only one of the top six seeds got past the Round of 16 – Aryna Sabalenka, who lost in the quarters), Mirra Andreeva clinched a maiden major with a win over fairytale qualifier Maja Chwalińska in the final.
The 19-year-old Andreeva moved into the top five for the first time and is on the fourth line of Wimbledon betting at $10, having reached the quarterfinals at the All England Club last year.
World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka ($5.00) is the tournament favourite as she looks to break a semifinal hoodoo, having been halted a match short of the decider in her past three appearances.
Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina ($7.50), who won Wimbledon in 2022, and defending Wimbledon champ Iga Swiatek ($10) are also in that top bracket of contenders. Clay and hard-court weapon Swiatek’s triumph in 2025 was a surprise, having failed to get past the quarters previously.
Sixth seed Amanda Anisimova ($15) reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals last year but has struggled for form in recent months. Fourth seed Jessica Pegula ($15) made the recent German Open final but has never been beyond the last eight at Wimbledon.
After rousing clay swings, Ukrainian duo Elina Svitolina ($29) – a two-time Wimbledon semifinalist – and Marta Kostyuk ($34) represent some of the best value in the women’s winner market.
The GOAT returns
Arguably the biggest talking point of the women’s draw – and possibly the tournament overall – is Serena Williams’ Wimbledon comeback after a four-year absence.
A seven-time champion, Williams ($34) has not won a match at Wimbledon since losing back-to-back finals in 2019-20. The 44-year-old has warmed up for the return with some grass-court doubles appearances.
Another former champion, 2023 winner Marketa Vondrousova, was slapped with a four-year doping ban this week. Meanwhile, 2024 champ Barbora Krejcikova ($51) rocketed back into form – and the top 40 – by reaching the Libema Open final.
Recovered Draper carries British hopes
Jack Draper was seeded fourth ahead of Wimbledon last year, but he’s currently outside the top 150 after a wretched run with injuries – missing the first two majors of 2026.
However, after playing just one match in the past three months, the 24-year-old has embarked on an impressive run to the Eastbourne International semis this week. He beat Marcos Giron, Jack Phinnington Jones and Gabriel Diallo without dropping a set.
Draper is a $29 smoky to become the first British winner of Wimbledon since Andy Murray’s 2016 success.
Britain’s wait for the first homegrown women’s champion since Virginia Wade in 1977 appears to rest on the shoulders of Emma Raducanu ($34).
The 2021 US Open champ is ranked 32nd and emerged from a dismal 1-5 run to reach the Queen’s Club Championships final, losing to Donna Vekic.
But the injury-prone 23-year-old’s withdrawal from the Nottingham Open this week has sparked concerns over her fitness. Raducanu has twice reached the Round of 16 at Wimbledon – on grand slam debut in 2021 and in 2024.
Encouraging signs for de Minaur
World No.6 Alex de Minaur made another early French Open exit, but Australia’s best player hit the grass swing running with a charge to the Libema Open final – the tournament where he won his second ATP grass-court title in 2024.
‘Demon’ ($67) reached a maiden Wimbledon quarterfinal in 2024 – withdrawing from a showdown with Novak Djokovic due to injury – while he lost to Djokovic in the fourth round last year.
The next-best credentialled Aussie, Alexei Popyrin ($351), is on the verge of slipping outside the top 100 and has an 8-15 record in 2026.
Australian women’s contenders are thin on the ground, with 20-year-old Maya Joint ($301) dropping out of the top 50.
But injury-prone veteran Ajla Tomljanovic, a Wimbledon quarterfinalist in 2021-22, strung some good wins together in reaching the recent Libema Open semifinals.