Week #25-26 preview: Wimbledon

Wimbledon (GBR), Grand Slam, £4,275,000
The grass courts of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club will host once again the most traditional, famous and ellegant Grand Slam. 5 times champion (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 & 2008), Venus Williams feels really confortable on the grass of Wimbledon and will be the big favourite for the title. Her sister Serena Williams, champion in 2002 and 2003, will be her major threat, and another all-Williams final seems more than likely. Russians Svetlana Kuznetsova and Dinara Safina were the best players in the last few months, but that was on clay and they don't cope especially well with grass. Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic and Elena Dementieva seem far from their best tennis, while Vera Zvonareva is just back from a two months absence due to an ankle injury. With this view, it can be expected some big upsets in the early rounds, and youngsters such as Victoria Azarenka, Caroline Wozniacki or Agnieszka Radwanska, veterans such as Nadia Petrova, Amelie Mauresmo or Virginie Razzano and grass specialists like Marion Bartoli, Samantha Stosur or Tamarine Tanasugarn could get a place in the decissive rounds. Finally Maria Sharapova's performance is unpredictable, as it's only few weeks she's just back from a 9-month injury break and, although she reached the quarter-finals in Roland Garros, she still looks a little bit far from her best.