Dark Horses for Wimbledon 2021

[jm1980]

Korda and Kyrios. But Novak seems like a lock.

Shapovaloc, Evans, Kyrgios...

Bizarre field now. About as deep as my bath tub.

Kyrgios hasn't played outside of Australia since the pandemic started

He withdrew from Stuttgart, Queen's, and Mallorca

Will he play Wimbledon?

 

[James P]

When is draw out? i'm going to hedge my bet on DJoker's other side just in case there is a fluke in the final, which there won't be, but i'm making bets now on:

Sinner at 30/1
Berrettini at 30/1
Raonic 40/1
Cilic 50/1
Felix 75/1
and 40 bucks on big John Isner at 100/1

Is Berrettini really 30/1?

 

[junior74]

Kyrgios hasn't played outside of Australia since the pandemic started

He withdrew from Stuttgart, Queen's, and Mallorca

Will he play Wimbledon?

I guess no one knows. I just named the three players that don't wet their pants by the sight of ND.

 

[jm1980]

I guess no one knows. I just named the three players that don't wet their pants by the sight of ND.

Nick, probably. Not sure about the others. Shapovalov is 0-6 against Novak.

Dan Evans's 1-0 record is kind of dangerous territory. Djokovic has played 32 matches against players who had a 1-0 over him, and he is 25-7 in these. Kyrgios is the first (and only) player to win such a match since Safin in 2008

 

[I Am Finnish]

Zverev second favourite what the hell
He is 0-1754784 against Top 10 players

 

[junior74]

Nick, probably. Not sure about the others. Shapovalov is 0-6 against Novak.

Dan Evans's 1-0 record is kind of dangerous territory. Djokovic has played 32 matches against players who had a 1-0 over him, and he is 25-7 in these. Kyrgios is the first (and only) player to win such a match since Safin in 2008

It's been a long time since we've seen a bigger favourite for the Wimbledon title than Novak this year.

 

[jm1980]

It's been a long time since we've seen a bigger favourite for the Wimbledon title than Novak this year.

He was an even bigger favorite in 2016

 

[Hamnavoe]

I will also put Lloyd Harris' name into the mix.

 

[MarkyMark]

AA for me

 

[junior74]

He was an even bigger favorite in 2016

Not in the world I live in. 2016 also had a weak field, but nothing like today's.

 

[beard]

The problem is, none of those guys will have any chance against Djokovic or even be a tough matchup for him.

For all of them it’s not about lifting the trophy, but hoping to be in the lower half of the draw to be able to play for 2nd place.

Why is this a problem?
I don't see any problem there

 

[Nadal_King]

127 Players that enter apart Djokovic are all dark horses, infact Djokovic should be booked to be in the Final only to stop centre court grass to worn out less due to Djokovic's Sliding on it

 

[Terry Tibbs]

Not quite sure how you summise that Zverev is one of 2 clear favourites. He is actually 5th favourite and behind Federer who is 4th currently.

I agree on Berrettini as being a dark horse. He has the weapons for grass, has had a great season and is in form. He has been impressive at Queens as well dispatching Murray in straight sets.

 

[Krish0608]

Karatsev
Ugo Humbert
Marin Cilic
Matteo

 

[stringertom]

Dangerous Floaters (non-seeds):

Mannarino
Korda
Nishikori
Gasquet
Querrey
Vesely
Tsonga

Cuspy Seeds/Non-seeds & dangerous

Cilic
Norrie
Bublik

Dark Horses (Seeds outside top 10 to make QFs:

Shapo
FAA
Evans
Sonego
Humbert

Threats to Joe Kovic:

Tsitsipas
Zverev
Berrettini
Rublev

 

[Nadal_King]

Dangerous Floaters (non-seeds):

Mannarino
Korda
Nishikori
Gasquet
Querrey
Vesely
Tsonga

Cuspy Seeds/Non-seeds & dangerous

Cilic
Norrie
Bublik

Dark Horses (Seeds outside top 10 to make QFs:

Shapo
FAA
Evans
Sonego
Humbert

Threats to Joe Kovic:

Tsitsipas
Zverev
Berrettini
Rublev

Medvedev no threat??

 

[Terry Tibbs]

Players like Berrettini, Isner, Anderson, Raonic, Tsonga etc are all of the same mould. Big hitting serve bots who also have a decent baseline game and can be very dangerous. However when it comes to winning the event they come up short as they are too one dimensional and dont have a B game. If Federer cant challenge Djokovic this year then I dont see anybody stopping him.

 

[stringertom]

Medvedev no threat??

King of 3R Meddie?

 

[Krish872007]

Starting to change my mind a little bit
If Berrettini can land in the opposite half of the draw to Djokovic I would have him as second favourite
An incredible statement to make about someone who won just 5 games in his last appearance at Wimbledon but a real testament to the hard work and development

 

[Krish872007]

Update post-draw - great opportunity for Berrettini to carry over his form from Queen's and go deep here.

R1 - Pella
R2 - Barrere / van der Zandschulp
R3 - Isner
R4 - Karatsev / Nishikori / Ruud
QF - Zverev / FAA
SF - Federer / Medvedev
F - Djokovic

 

[Subway Tennis]

Update post-draw - great opportunity for Berrettini to carry over his form from Queen's and go deep here.

R1 - Pella
R2 - Barrere / van der Zandschulp
R3 - Isner
R4 - Karatsev / Nishikori / Ruud
QF - Zverev / FAA
SF - Federer / Medvedev
F - Djokovic

How do you think Berry vs Zverev would play out if they met in QTRs?

 

[Krish872007]

How do you think Berry vs Zverev would play out if they met in QTRs?

Could be a very tight contest if they both get that far - both capable of serving huge. Will probably try and pin each other on their backhand wings
Tough one to pick but I might favour Zverev if it goes the distance; Matteo would want to wrap it quicker than that

 

[I Am Finnish]

 

[ForehandRF]

 

[RF-18]

For me right now, the dark horse is Cilic. He is playing his best tennis now since some years back where he was out of form and won Stuttgart recently. Played great at FO too on his worst surface. He has a strong game on grass and if he finds his groove I can see him amongst the top four in the end, and then who knows what could happen depending on how the draw looks.

 

[stringertom]

For me right now, the dark horse is Cilic. He is playing his best tennis now since some years back where he was out of form and won Stuttgart recently. Played great at FO too on his worst surface. He has a strong game on grass and if he finds his groove I can see him amongst the top four in the end, and then who knows what could happen depending on how the draw looks.

fedr vs Red Hot Pepper QF rematch of 2016 with a different result, no?

If Meddie gets to 3R that could be a nice battle. First the #2 has to be tuff enuff vs Struff and he wasn’t just two weeks ago in Halle.

 

[Krish872007]

For me right now, the dark horse is Cilic. He is playing his best tennis now since some years back where he was out of form and won Stuttgart recently. Played great at FO too on his worst surface. He has a strong game on grass and if he finds his groove I can see him amongst the top four in the end, and then who knows what could happen depending on how the draw looks.

Agree, I like where Cilic is at now
His draw is OK - potentially some danger with Med / Struff in R3 but can see him making the QFs. Whether or not he can go further depends on who lies in wait

Berrettini vs. Cilic or Zverev vs. Cilic SF could get interesting (I doubt any of these guys want to see Federer in a SF as it would mean he's back in form)

 

[Krish872007]

My current list. To be clear my list of "favourites" for the title is limited pretty much to Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev. Zverev being a very, very distant second. Medvedev and Tsitsipas are bookies' 2nd and 3rd favourites right now - but it's all very much up in the air

Matteo Berrettini - yeah go on, laugh away. But he's come on very well since 2019. Coming in off the back of a strong clay season and has the weapons to make a serious impact on grass.
Roger Federer - never write this guy off. It looks to be all over; but then again, it's always darkest before the dawn.
Andrey Rublev - could take some names.
Felix Auger-Aliassime - has looked impressive in the tune-ups until now. I don't see him as a winner given the dreadful Finals record but he could take advantage of a draw opening up.
John Isner - for obvious reasons. And he's no stranger to the later rounds at Wimbledon.
Seb Korda - promising up-and-comer, good technique, well positioned on the surface.
Marin Cilic - after a pretty disastrous year, played a decent-ish match against RF at RG and seems to have suddenly re-discovered good form on grass.

Would not surprise me if at least 2 of the Semi-Finalists came from the above list.

Bump one more time mid-tournament.
Looking decent so far. Nearly all the names mentioned through to Week 2 / Round of 16. Cilic also with a half chance to get there if he can pull off the upset against Med.

 

[Krish872007]

Manic Monday took out a few more names.
But out of the original list we are now down to 3

Berrettini, Federer and FAA. At least 1 guaranteed to make the semi-finals.

 

[D.Nalby12]

FAA and Shapo

 

[OldBalls]

Not sure if anyone has mentionedHubert hurkacz but he is my dark horse to maybe go deep. Had an early exit at Halle but has the game to trouble lots of players at wimbledon. Took a set off novak last time they met in 2019.

Just want to bump this up as my boy hurk-hurk beats rog today

 

[Krish872007]

Just want to bump this up as my boy hurk-hurk beats rog today

Great call - I really need to watch more of his games, kind of under-estimated him

 

[D.Nalby12]

I think both Hurkaz and FAA are more complete players than Berrettini. He has huge serve but his backhand is totally crap shot. And once Novak' return manages to put some serves back in play - His serve will vanish too. So I think Shapo has best chance against Novak, followed by FAA/Hurkaz and then Berrettini.

 

[Krish872007]

And we have our first Wimbledon finalist! From the OP - Matteo Berrettini.