Navratilova reveals her favorite tennis players for Wimbledon

Martina Navratilova and Wimbledon are synonymous with success and history. The American is the queen of the British tournament; no one has won the title more times (nine) or claimed as many victories (120). Additionally, she holds the record for most consecutive wins, a total of 47, from 1982 to 1988. It could be said that Wimbledon is her garden, as she amassed a total of 18 Grand Slams.

No one knows the intricacies of this surface like she does. Hence, she is a highly authoritative voice in predicting who the favorites are to claim the champion's trophy on the 12th of July. The WTA has sought her input to reveal her top 8 players who could contend for the title.

Aryna Sabalenka

For Navratilova, the number one player is her first choice: "It's hard to see her not as the favorite this year. She is a complete player and has a good grass game. It's hard to find a weakness or a gap against her. I wonder if losing the French Open final will motivate her. I think she is in a good moment."

Coco Gauff

The recent Roland Garros champion is her second pick: "Great athletes always shine on grass. She is the best female athlete in tennis. That should pay off, and she is soaring high after winning the French Open. It's about managing her game, body, and emotions. She has found the middle ground, the balance between focus and euphoria."

Madison Keys

The Australian Open champion enters the favorites' podium: "After winning in Australia, she has lifted a significant weight off her shoulders. It's the weapons that win on grass, and she has them. I believe she is the third favorite to win the tournament, after Sabalenka and not far from Gauff."

Jasmine Paolini

The Italian, last year's finalist, is another choice to vie for the title: "It was fun to watch her run last year, defeating Madison Keys and Emma Navarro consecutively and taking Barbora Krejcikova to three sets in the final. She won in Rome and remains a force to be reckoned with. I see her living up to her ranking position (4th in the WTA ranking)."

Jessica Pegula

The American also features in her compatriot's list: "I think her strength is consistency and a good volley because she has played a lot in doubles. I would love to see her go forward more often and finish points at the net. If the draw is slightly favorable, she could reach the semifinals and then feel confident, perhaps more aggressive."

Iga Swiatek

Despite her uneven year, for Navratilova, she is always a player to watch: "Just the fact that she hits the ball so well gives her a chance. Solid as a rock backhand. The forehand stroke is pretty good, although it doesn't perform as well on grass as on clay. We haven't seen the draw yet, but let's hope she is not in Sabalenka's quarter."

Paula Badosa

The Spanish player also makes it onto the nine-time Wimbledon winner's list, although her back issues are always a question mark: "It was tough to see her battle the back injury. It's good to see her relatively healthy again, playing well in Berlin. Three round of 16... she has a game that transitions well onto grass. If I were a betting person, which I'm not, I would bet on Keys and Badosa."

Elena Rybakina

Lastly, the 2022 champion, Elena Rybakina, will also be a name to consider: "With no weaknesses, she is a good athlete. She is not afraid to move forward and volley. She has soft enough hands to hit drop shots and plays very smart and high-percentage tennis. She reminds me of Lindsay Davenport, with her effortless way of hitting the ball. She doesn't strike hard, but it's a heavy ball."

So, these are the eight chosen by Martina Navratilova for the upcoming two weeks at Wimbledon. We will have to see if the historic player's prediction is correct or if a surprise will slip through. From the 30th of June until the 12th of July, we will clear our doubts.
 

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Navratilova confiesa sus tenistas favoritas para Wimbledon