Wimbledon

No other sporting event signals the arrival of British summertime quite like Wimbledon. Set amid the pristine lawns of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, this year’s tournament is poised to showcase the talents of the world’s finest tennis players. Sports fans eagerly await the start of one of the most illustrious events in the sporting calendar.

The action is served up on 30 June and runs until 13 July. All of the best action is available via the BBC’s extensive coverage, so sit back and prepare to enjoy two weeks of exhilarating matches and memorable moments from London SW19.

Recap of 2024 tournament

The 2024 men’s singles final seemed to mark a changing of the guard as Spain’s 22-year-old Carlos Alcaraz powered to victory in straight sets over 37-year-old seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic (SRB). In the women’s singles, Barbora Krejčíková (CZE), seeded 31, defeated the number seven seed Jasmine Paulini (ITA) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 to win her first Wimbledon title.

Sadly for British fans, injury forced Andy Murray to withdraw from the tournament just hours before his first-round match. But there was some UK success as Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara (FIN) won the men’s doubles title, and the relentless Alfie Hewitt won his sixth wheelchair men’s singles title.

Contenders: men’s singles

Jannik Sinner – The 23-year-old from Italy is already a three-time major winner after back-to-back Australian titles in 2024 and 2025, adding to his US Open title in 2024. The current world number one is seeking his first title in SW19 after being knocked out at the quarter-final stage by Daniil Medvedev (RUS) last year. Odds: 3/1

Carlos Alcaraz – The hard-hitter is the new rising star in world tennis. In 2022, he became the youngest player to be ranked world number one, aged just 19, in a year when he also won his first major at the US Open. Consecutive Wimbledon titles in 2023 and 2024 followed, in addition to the 2024 French Open. He will start as the favourite. Anyone for a three-peat? Odds: 3/1

Novak Djokovic – Although in the twilight of his career, only a fool would write him off just yet. Novak’s trophy cabinet tells you that he is the greatest man ever to hold a racquet. The freakishly athletic Serbian has a record 24 major titles to his name, including 10 Australian Opens and a record seven Wimbledons. Could he possibly equal Federer’s eight? Odds: 8/1  

Jack Draper – The left-handed 6ft4 powerhouse is the most exciting star of British tennis and has already won three tournaments on tour. The 23-year-old from London also reached the semi-final stage of the US Open in 2024. Recently moved up to number five in the world rankings, ahead of Djokovic. Odds: 10/1

Alexander Zverev – The current world number two is long overdue to win his first major title after being runner-up at the US Open in 2020, French Open 2024 and Australian Open in 2025. The 6ft6 German covers the court well with his massive frame and strong baseline game. Could this be his year? Odds: 15/1

Contenders: ladies’ singles

Aryna Sabalenka – The current world number one has the perfect physical attributes for the women’s game, her powerful serve and all-round aggressive style of play producing a lot of outright winners. The 5’ 11” Belarusian has a total of six majors including Wimbledon titles in 2021 and 2023. Odds: 3/1

Coco Gauff – The athletic 21-year-old from Delray Beach, Florida, is lightning-fast around the court and will never give up. Now regularly reaching the later stages of major tournaments, she won the US Open last year and was knocked out in the quarters at Wimbledon. Odds: 9/1

Emma Raducanu – Burst onto the scene back in 2021 when she became the youngest British player to win a grand slam title at the US Open at just 18 years old. Her meteoric rise projected her to her highest world ranking of number 10. Injuries have held her back, and she subsequently lost her British number one status to Katie Boulter. Emma is back on form and sure to be a home crowd favourite. Odds: 25/1

Iga Świątek – The Polish former world number one already has five grand slam titles to her name, including four French Opens in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and the US Open in 2022. Her extreme forehand grip that generates ferocious topspin is more suited to hard courts, but she will be a real threat. Odds: 7/1

Elena Rybakina – Has a ‘complete game’ perfect for grass to repeat her only grand slam victory, at Wimbledon in 2022. The 6ft Russian (now competing for Kazakhstan) possesses a powerful serve, flat deep ground strokes and a delicate touch around the net. Currently ranked at 12 in the world, but will be one of the favourites. Odds: 7/1