WTA Wimbledon Post-Draw Tips: Sakkari capable in wide-open quarter four

Kvitova with market support following title

Petra Kvitova and Caroline Garcia won this week's warm-up events to go into Wimbledon with confidence, and Kvitova in particular has seen big market support after that title - the Czech player is now into 16.015/1 fourth favourite for the title.

Swiatek with much to prove on grass

Following Friday's draw, Iga Swiatek's status as the pre-tournament favourite in the outright market remains unchanged. The Pole is currently trading at 2.809/5, with Ons Jabeur at 10.09/1 and Cori Gauff 15.014/1. Simona Halep 19.537/2 is the only other player in the women's draw priced below the 20.019/1 mark.

I still can't see why Swiatek is attracting such market pricing.

Of course, she's by far the best player on tour on other surfaces but she has so much to prove on grass and I think the market is taking a real chance with her price at the time of writing. Jabeur, with a good record on grass so far this season, looks a very justified second favourite even with some very slight injury doubts.

Admittedly, Swiatek has a very easy-looking opening few rounds, but does have a tricky week two in prospect, with the likes of Garbine Muguruza, Bianca Andreescu and Elena Rybakina waiting for her.

Andreescu, who lost to Garcia in the Bad Homburg final today, also comes into the event in good form but her ranking outside the top 32 is a real issue and sees her face either Rybakina or previous grass court specialist, Coco Vandeweghe, in round two.

Kvitova or Anisimova with chance to come through Q2

Quarter two is bookended by Paula Badosa and Karolina Pliskova, who for various reasons don't inspire me ahead of a grass court Grand Slam.

Badosa had a fitness problem following the French Open and lost to British wild card Jodie Burrage (ranked outside the top 200) in her only grass match subsequently, and doesn't have much of a track record on the surface. Pliskova has grass court pedigree, but hasn't done enough in the two grass events she's played for me to think that she's come through a very poor start to this season.

This lends itself to Kvitova or Amanda Anisimova having a strong chance to come through quarter two, which is definitely the most competitive bracket. With Cori Gauff, Simona Halep and Serena Williams all also in quarter two, there will be plenty of players in quarter two with expectations of making the semi-finals at least.

As for Williams, her opening two rounds look kind but she would have the prospect of Pliskova in round three - given that Williams hasn't played since this event last year, I think success for her would be to just make week two.

Jabeur and Sakkari just needing to translate level to Slams

Jabeur looks a decent favourite to win quarter three, with Angelique Kerber, Caroline Garcia and possibly also Alison Riske, who loves grass, capable of challenging, but this really is as good a quarter as Jabeur could have asked for. The Tunisian now just needs to show that she can exhibit her level in Grand Slams as well as she has done in other main tour events.

Finally, quarter four looks like it has a few contenders. Belinda Bencic is one, but retired last time out, while Beatriz Haddad Maia will have her supporters after being the form player in the grass court warm-up events.

Jelena Ostapenko looks a real threat, but I'm going with Maria Sakkari to come through the quarter.

As with Jabeur, Sakkari needs to translate strong main tour levels to Grand Slam, but she has good grass court numbers over the last couple of years and a strong level in 2022 generally also - plus what looks like a comfortable schedule for the opening few rounds.

In a bracket where the draw could really open up, Sakkari to win quarter four at 5/1 with the Sportsbook looks reasonable enough, and she's quite surprisingly fourth favourite to progress from that bracket.