The summer months are a sad time for the sports fan.
By mid-June, it’s been months since football was played. The NBA and NHL have just crowned a champion and won’t start back until the fall.
There’s MLS, international friendlies and a few tournaments going on in the soccer community, but even the most diehard fans long for the return of the world’s greatest domestic leagues.
During the summer lull, there’s arguably no finer event to watch than Wimbledon. The All England Club is playing host to the world’s greatest tennis players, and both the men’s draw and women’s draw are drenched in drama.
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic was just denied a career Grand Slam at the French Open earlier in June. Djokovic’s play was scintillating at times, but he fell short in the final against Stanislas Wawrinka. Despite coming up short in Paris, Djokovic has had a stellar year, posting a 41-3 singles record and claiming five titles.
Djokovic has likely already put the loss behind him, and there is a great chance it will inspire him.
Roger Federer is the No. 2 seed. The 33-year-old might not be as dominant as he once was, but Federer has one of the most impressive resumés in the tournament’s history. His seven Open-Era Wimbledon titles have him tied with Pete Sampras for the most all-time.
Andy Murray may have ended the long wait for a British man to win the Wimbledon men’s single title, but there always is pressure on him to deliver at The Championships.
There is a host of other players on the men’s side capable of pulling off upsets and making waves, setting up an exciting two weeks.
On the women’s side, it seems to be a case of Serena Williams vs. the field. She’s only lost one singles match in 2015, and it’ll be a shock if she doesn’t come out on top. She’s won the singles title at Wimbledon five times (to go with her five Wimbledon doubles titles).
Any time the field is pitted against one dominant athlete, it makes things more riveting. Heavy favorite vs. the underdog always is a fun matchup to behold.
Defending champion and second seeded Petra Kvitova doesn’t have much momentum right now, but she’s proven she can get the job done. Maria Sharapova is another former champion seeded highly (No. 4), but she hasn’t had much luck against Williams lately.
There’s a million scenarios of how the action could unfold, and nearly all of them are exciting. During the time of year when sporting events are more sparse, don’t miss the opportunity to watch one of sports’ grandest events.
You can reach Jack Woods on Twitter @Jack_TDR.