Wimbledon 2013: Experts' picks for the women's draw

The tennis experts of Sportskeeda look ahead at the 2013 Wimbledon Championships by making picks for the women’s draw in four categories: dark horse, early exit, dangerous floater, and champion.

1. Dark horse

Petra Kvitova – The dark horse

Haresh Ramchandani: When Petra Kvitova won Wimbledon two years ago, she seemed on her way to bigger and better things. But the Czech woman, rumoured to be now dating Radek Stepanek, has fallen on hard times. Kvitova’s big serve and big groundstrokes are suited for the grass courts at SW 19 and if her game clicks, she can certainly go all the way.

Anand Datla: 2011 champion Petra Kvitova may have slipped down the ladder to 8th in the world, but it is difficult to ignore her chances on grass. If she can find her rhythm through the first week, Kvitova could turn into a formidable opponent.

Roh: Former champion Petra Kvitova fits this bill perfectly, in my opinion.

Varun Jog: The 2011 Wimbledon champion, Petra Kvitova, is the dark horse for me in this year’s edition. She has had a poor last couple of years by her lofty 2011 standards, but cannot be discounted at her favourite Grand Slam. Women’s tennis is all about upsets and is less predictable than the men’s game, which means a couple of favourable results elsewhere will make her task easier. She is also one of the few women who can challenge Serena Williams on a physical level.

Ram Narayanan: It is a little sad that I have to rate the 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova as a dark horse here, instead of considering her as a contender. This talented southpaw looked unplayable two years ago in Wimbledon. But to our disappointment, she could never repeat that kind of performance in the Majors that followed. I just hope she gets her head right this year and regains her lost form. Though, it is not going to be an easy task for anyone to overcome Serena in her current form, the 23-year-old Czech has all the weapons in her repertoire to prevail over anyone on a given day.

Sudeshna Banerjee: Petra Kvitova is unpredictable as ever, but she is the only one who has been able to stamp her name on the Venus Rosewater Dish other than a Williams since 2006. She has enormous raw talent, and her lefty wide serve works to perfection on the grass. If she comes alive, the Czech has a pretty good chance of making the final as she plays Victoria Azarenka tough and knows what it takes to beat Maria Sharapova too at SW19.

Musab Abid: When a WTA player slams four 120mph aces in a single game to save multiple break points, you tend to remember that player for a long time. During her stirring run to the Wimbledon semis in 2011, Sabine Lisicki did exactly that, so it’s never a good idea to count her out on grass. Her ranking may be in free-fall and her confidence at an all-time low, but you know that at Wimbledon, that enormous serve and those cracking groundstrokes can always make plenty of noise.

2. Early exit

Caroline Wozniacki – An early exit on the cards again?

Haresh Ramchandani: Maria Kirilenko is finally into the world’s top 10 but the Russian has drawn the young British hopeful Laura Robson in the first round. Kirilenko reached the quarters here last year and likes coming into the net but Robson’s powerful game and crowd support will make her a dangerous first round opponent.

Anand Datla: I would have to go with Li Na on current form – she hasn’t been past the second round of her last three tournaments, including the one in Eastbourne. Also in contention is the 11th seeded Roberta Vinci, who could be the first major departure from Wimbledon.

Roh: 10th seed Samantha Stosur has always been troubled on grass. Looking at her previous years’ results at Wimbledon, an early exit seems quite likely for the 2011 US Open champion.

Varun Jog: Caroline Wozniacki‘s below-par results this year are putting her in danger of being omitted from this category very soon. While she is still around in the Top 10, she remains a perennial favourite to make an early exit, unless things change dramatically for her.

Ram Narayanan: The Danish girl Caroline Wozniacki might have been ranked No. 1 player a couple of years ago, but lately her performances have been rather miserable. She has seen so many early exits going into this year’s Wimbledon that I have lost count. She never went past the fourth round at the All England Club even when she was the number one player in the world. So going by her current form, I do not see her doing anything special, which could keep her alive for the second week. I predict a second round loss for her.

Sudeshna Banerjee: The ladies draw has thrown up quite a few riveting blockbusters as early as the first round. But the one I would like to pick for an upset would be the Russian 10th seed Maria Kirilenko‘s match versus British No. 1 Laura Robson. A vociferous home crowd, a comfortable surface and a new coach to cheer her on – Robson has it all stacked in her favour. Kirilenko – even though she is playing some of her best tennis – might just find things a little too tough if Robson can get her serve going.

Musab Abid: Angelique Kerber has done a fabulous job of carving a permanent place for herself in the top 10; she has consistently punched above her height, and mad props to her for that. But I keep waiting for the inevitable moment where she runs into an opponent too powerful for her (of which there are many) too early in a tournament, and grass is as likely a surface as any for that to happen.

3. Dangerous floater

Zheng Jie – more than just an outside chance?

Haresh Ramchandani: Donna Vekic will turn 17 during Wimbledon and the British press are already comparing her with Sharapova, who won here at that same age. The Croatian teen reached the finals in Birmingham last week before going down to Hantuchova and is already ranked in the 60s. She’s also in a good section of the draw, with the struggling Caroline Woznaicki lined up in round two and Sloane Stephens lined up in round three. Vekic may not be ready to win in London yet but she can certainly go deep in the draw.

Anand Datla: Bojana Jovanovski, ranked 40th, and Daniela Hantuchova, ranked 48th, are my picks for this category. The two women could pose a serious threat to the opponents in their way.

Roh: Bojana Jovanovski is slowly making her presence felt as yet another gifted Serbian tennis prodigy. Though, not seeded at Wimbledon, Jovanovski is a player who could cause an upset or two and make her way deep into the tournament.

Varun Jog: Laura Robson has come of age in the past year or so, and playing in front of her home crowd will definitely spur her on. She has come close to creating an upset over the past few years at Wimbledon when she was a far more limited player, and this could well be the year of her big breakthrough. That said, she needs to find a way to enjoy the home support rather than feel pressurized by it.

Ram Narayanan: Former World No. 5 Daniela Hantuchova just won a title in Birmingham, defeating some big names along the way. Had it not been for the injuries that she suffered last year, her ranking would have looked better this season. As a former quaterfinalist in Wimbledon, she looks all the more fresh going into this year’s grasscourt fiesta.

Sudeshna Banerjee: The 36th-ranked Russian Elena Vesnina has been on a roll since completing a dream French Open where she captured the doubles crown with her good friend Ekaterina Makarova. High on confidence, she has gone all the way to the Eastbourne final this week, stunning several seeded players on the way. She has thundering pace off the ground and delicate hands at the net, which are mandatory ingredients for a good grasscourter. All of her grasscourt prowess was evident when she upset Venus Williams in the Wimbledon first round last year. Vesnina has a wonderful opportunity to make it to the fourth round this year if she can get past the difficult-yet-unpredictable challenge of Sabine Lisicki.

Musab Abid: Zheng Jie has always thrived on grass; her flat, skidding groundstrokes gain plenty of traction on the slick courts of London, and her ability to redirect the ball while hugging the baseline is second to none. Zheng reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 2008, and last year pushed Serena Williams all the way to 9-7 in the third set of their third round match. Guess where she’s placed in the draw this year? Even closer to the American – she is slated to meet Williams in the second round. Let’s just say Williams needs to watch her step.

4. Champion

Still far ahead of the pack

Haresh Ramchandani: I predicted the law of averages would catch up with Serena Williams in Paris but she took the friggin’ ball and shoved it down my friggin’ throat. In this kind of form and confidence, Serena wins half her matches even before she walks out on court. I’ll play it safe this time and pick her as the winner.

Anand Datla: Indeed the easiest of all the picks, it is difficult to look beyond Serena Williams here. The American is in a tearing rush to add Grand Slam titles to her bulging cabinet. Clearly, her mind is set on tennis this year and when that is the case, there isn’t a woman on the planet who can touch the younger Williams. It might be more appropriate to ask if Serena will drop a set through the fortnight!

Roh: Serena Williams – defending champion, reigning French Open champion. Any surprises there? Don’t think so.

Varun Jog: Yes, I know I should be picking Serena Williams. But I will still stick my neck out and say Maria Sharapova will win it this year. Serena’s dream run has to end sooner rather than later and Sharapova’s love affair with Wimbledon will have yet another chapter, nine years after her first title at the All-England Club.

Ram Narayanan: At 31 years of age, she is playing the best tennis of her life. World No. 1 Serena Williams seems to be the clear favourite to win this year’s Wimbledon, and I am not interested in scratching my head too much to find someone else who is likely to lift the trophy.

Sudeshna Banerjee: Can one even dare to bet against the imperious Serena Williams? This is the place where the Williams sisters have firmly established their hegemony and the defending champion Serena comes in this year on a sizzling 31-match winning streak. Age is just a number for the 31-year-old as she continues to show that insatiable hunger and unwavering will to clinch trophies. Her coach Patrick Mouratoglou believes Serena can go past legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova with her Grand Slam tally. But for the moment, Serena has expressed her desire of matching Roger Federer’s 17, and that is very much an ominous sign for her opponents.

Musab Abid: She may be playing the best tennis of her career (which, by extension, probably implies that she’s playing the best tennis ever seen on a court), but there’s got to be a point where Serena Williams’s amazing run comes to an end. As great a player as she is, it’s not natural for Williams to go so many matches without suffering even a slight lapse in concentration. For that reason alone, I’m picking Maria Sharapova as the favourite to win the Championships this year. And if Sharapova gets hammered 6-0, 6-0 by Williams in the final, then I will try my best to thoroughly erase the memory of ever having made this completely hair-brained prediction.