Eighteen-time Grand Slam champion and third seed Roger Federer was upset by sixth seed Milos Raonic in the semifinals of last year’s Wimbledon men’s singles tournament at the All England Club. But the 35-year-old Federer has looked reborn this year and enters Wimbledon as the +200 favorite as the third seed again ahead of defending champion Andy Murray, who is listed as the +350 second choice.
Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com
Federer started 2017 by winning the Australian Open over longtime rival Rafael Nadal. He has since added three more titles, including the Gerry Weber Open for a record ninth time, improving to 24-2 overall. Federer took some time off after winning the Miami Open to rest and prepare for Wimbledon because last year he suffered a knee injury.
Murray is the top seed and beat Raonic 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2) in last year’s Wimbledon final for his second career title there. However, he did not have to face a player seeded higher than sixth en route to winning it, knocking out No. 12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and No. 10 Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.
Other top contenders include fourth-seeded Nadal (+400), second-seeded Novak Djokovic (+600) and sixth-seeded Raonic (+1400). Fifth-seeded Stan Wawrinka is +2500 and has never made it past the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.
On the women’s side, defending champ Serena Williams is out of action due to her pregnancy and will not return until 2018. Williams has won Wimbledon seven times.
Angelique Kerber is the top seed despite never winning Wimbledon, with her best finish coming last year when she lost to Williams in straight sets in the Final as the fourth seed.
But Kerber is sixth on the betting board behind 11th-seeded Petra Kvitova (+500), third-seeded Karolina Pliskova (+550), sixth-seeded Johanna Konta (+800), 14th-seeded Garbine Muguruza (+900) and 10th-seeded Venus Williams (+1200). Second-seeded Simona Halep is +1800 with 13th-seeded Jelena Ostapenko also +1400.
Of that group, Kvitova and Williams are the only women who have previously won Wimbledon. Kvitova has won it twice (2011 and 2014) while the elder Williams has taken home the title five times (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008).
