The initial qualifying stage of Wimbledon has already started. Players have started giving their very best from the first round. However, a majority of tennis zealots will be looking forward to 3rd July, when the main draw of the grass-court Major will commence.
From Novak Djokovic to Andy Murray and from Iga Swiatek to Venus Williams, the younger stars as well as the veterans, all the big names in the world of tennis will be in action for the 2023 Wimbledon. Tennis is an extremely demanding sport. It requires sheer commitment as well as physical prowess to ace.
Thus, the green surface has seen numerous individuals getting relinquished. On the flip side, it has also witnessed various players rising to the top. Likewise every other year, this year’s draw at the All England Lawn Tennis Club will be filled with massive competition. Thus, without further ado, let’s take a look at the top 5 men’s singles players at 2023 Wimbledon.
#5 Andy Murray
Starting the list with the hot take, Andy Murray. The Brit is the only player who has managed to reach the top ranking in the era dominated by Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer. His achievements in the world of tennis have been astounding, and they can’t be understood by just looking at his statistics. Murray is a three-time Grand Slam winner, and he managed to reach the final of all the majors.
From 2010 to 2016, he reached the final of the Australian Open on five occasions. However, he always had to face agony at Melbourne Park either against Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer. However, his 2013 Wimbledon final is still the biggest highlight of his career, where he took down the Serbian Wizard 6–4, 7–5, 6–4 in straight sets to win his first Grand Slam title.
Thus, currently, when stopping Novak Djokovic seems nearly impossible to stop, an old arch-rival can surely give him a point of concern. Moreover, the fact that Andy Murray is still undefeated against Novak Djokovic on grass can’t be ignored. He also withdrew from the 2023 French Open because he thought he might have a deeper run in Wimbledon.
Nevertheless, his current form is surely a matter of concern but his ability and longevity on the tennis court are commendable. Thus, until Murray is present in the grass-court Major, the chances of him winning his fourth Grand Slam title are present.
#4 Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev can possibly perform better at this year’s Wimbledon and win the prestigious title
Daniil Medvedev recently won the Italian Open by defeating Holger Rune in the final of the ATP 1000 event. Undoubtedly, the Russian is brilliant on clay, however, playing on grass is a whole other thing.
Just like the majority of players in the top 10, he’s also yet to taste success in the grass court Major. His best finish in the tournament was witnessed in 2021, when he reached the fourth round at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, eventually losing against Hubert Hurkacz.
However, the 2021 US Open champion is keen to win his second Grand Slam title during his prime years. Consequently, the scenes of the 2021 US Open are still fresh in the mind of tennis fans. During the match, Novak Djokovic was seen smashing his racket on the count, moreover, he even jumped on one of his racquets, bending it from the middle. Hence, it’s fair to say that Daniil Medvedev knows how to get on the nerves of the 36-year-old.
Moreover, their last meeting took place at the Dubai Tennis Championships, which was won by the Russians in straight sets. Medvedev suffered a surprising loss against Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarterfinal.
However, he might be lost but he’s still far from getting derailed. Thus, the Russian has the best chance to bounce back in the grass-court Major, where he’ll arrive as one of the high-seeded players. Thus, before the quarterfinal, it’s unlikely that he’ll lock horns against a favorite.
#3 Holger Rune
The Dane prodigy, Holger Rune is a different type of talent. He can play powerful groundstrokes and at the same time, he can confront the booing crowd after winning points. He provided a reliable display of his elite mentality when he squared off against home favorite Fabio Fognini at the Foro Italico. Despite continuous jeers and jibes getting thrown at him, he managed to stay cool and win the match, ending the tournament as the eventual runner-up.
Moreover, the 20-year-old is also seen as a potential member of the future ‘Big 3’ consisting of him, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz. He’s currently ranked 6th in the ATP rankings, however, he’s still well far from attaining success at a Grand Slam. Last year, he had a dismal run at the grass-court Major, where he lost against Marcos Giron in the first round.
Thus, he will be looking forward to bettering his statistics on the green surface by having a deeper run in this year’s Wimbledon. Moreover, the Dane has kept improving in the last few months and it’s fair to say that because of his mentality and on-court exemption, he’s one of the favorites to win at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London.
#2 Carlos Alcaraz
Alcaraz is currently in steller form and he stands as the favorite to win this year’s Wimbledon
When Carlos Alcaraz played his first match at the Queen’s Club Championships, Arthur Rinderknech managed to grasp his breath by forcing the fixture into a tie-break. However, the US Open champion managed to come back from behind and capture his first win in the grass season.
After his first triumph, the Spaniard captured four easy wins over the likes of Jiri Lehecka, Grigor Dimitrov, Sebastian Korda, and Alex de Minaur to win his maiden grass-court title. Consequently, with the win, he again became the World No. 1 ahead of the 2023 Roland Garros champion, Novak Djokovic.
Thus, the chances of the 20-year-old entering the All England Lawn Tennis Club are extremely high. Last year, Alcaraz lost against Jannik Sinner in the fourth round of the Grand Slam and after the defeat, he stated that movement on the green surface is more difficult than then the other ones. However, with the win at Queen’s Club Championships, he has made a solid statement ahead of the grass-court Major.
Thus, he’ll be entering Wimbledon as a favorite just like the Serbian Wizard, Novak Djokovic, who ended his Roland Garros campaign in the semi-final earlier this month. However, the Spaniard’s health and fitness will surely remain a major concern, especially after he started cramping against the 23-time Grand Slam winner in their last meeting.
#1 Novak Djokovic
Standing stronger than the young players at the age of 36, Novak Djokovic is an exception in men’s tennis. While the other two respective figures of the “Big Three” have either retired or are currently suffering from gruesome injuries, Djokovic is winning consecutive Grand Slam titles.
Moreover, he has been winning the grass-court Major since 2018. With consecutive titles in the last four editions of Wimbledon, without playing preparation matches before the Grand Slam, the Serb always comes forward with a mysterious game plan. Thus, just like any other year, Novak Djokovic is again the favorite to triumph at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
Although, he’ll not be the top seed, the possibilities of Djokovic getting an easy draw are quite high. Thus, he’ll be reaching the semi-final at the 2023 Wimbledon quite easily. In addition to that, his prowess and experience on grass are also quite difficult to overcome for all the other participants in the upcoming Grand Slam.