wimbledon This is not an ordinary tennis tournament. Played on one of two natural playing surfaces, The Championships is the competition every kid picking up a racket dreams of winning. The glistening green lawns, the spotless white dresses and how the two together flawlessly fill up the television screens of fans across the globe only add to the charm. Thus it is no surprise that when Wimbledon was stripped of ranking points last year in the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war, except for Russian and Belarusian players, it still did not have the look and feel of a glorified exhibition event. Rafael Nadal underwent radio-frequency treatment on his leg to ensure participation; Serena Williams came out of semi-retirement and stars including Rod Laver and Billie Jean King gathered to celebrate the centenary of the iconic Center Court. As the 2023 edition begins on Monday, it will be an opportunity for fans to rekindle their love for the premier competition. It helps that none of last year’s distractions remain. The Russians and Belarusians are welcomed back and Wimbledon’s ranking points are restored. In yet another sign of listening to the world, the organizers have reduced the doubles matches to best-of-three sets, in line with the other three majors.
Monday will also be the first Wimbledon since eight-time men’s singles title winner Roger Federer officially retired. Novak Djokovic may be a seven-time champion, but despite his enduring grass-court excellence, it is the Swiss maestro with whom fans of this era are most romantic. It remains to be seen whether the action over the next fortnight provides clues to identify the next king of grass. Popular Choice World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, who brightened his credentials by winning a tune-up at the Queen’s Club. But Djokovic is the four-time defending champion and hasn’t lost a match at SW19 since Sam Querrey beat him in 2016. The 23-time major winner could match Federer’s record eight crowns and is halfway to an improbable Grand Slam (win). All four Slams in the same year) can be a big motivation. Among the women, the list of contenders is more spread out, with two-time winner Petra Kvitova, defending champion Elena Rybakina, 2022 finalist Ons Jabeur, 2021 semifinalist and world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka all included. World number one Inga Swiatek’s grass-court vein isn’t fully developed, but anyone who’s won a junior trophy in these parts can’t be overlooked. Five-time winner Venus Williams is making a comeback, aged 43. After all, what’s Wimbledon without some old fashioned romance.