• Wimbledon 2010

Is this the year for Murray at Wimbledon?

Roger Federer kissing the Wimbledon trophy has become a familiar sight © Getty Images

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The sun has shone on Royal Ascot and those folk at SW19 will hope it comes out next week as Wimbledon fortnight gets underway on Monday.

Another year, but it's the same story of expectation piling on the shoulders of Andy Murray. The British No. 1 went close 12 months ago, losing in the semi-finals to Andy Roddick, but a year on and he is not in the same sort of form heading into the showpiece event of the grass-court season.

Murray, who is priced at 13/2 with Stan James to go all the way, made such a bright start to the year, getting to the final of the Australian Open and despite his defeat to Roger Federer - he looked destined to have a big year. But it has simply not worked out for the British No. 1 so far this year. He lurched from one disappointing performance to another during the spring hard-court season and it got no better on the clay. A return to the grass was expected to spark an upturn in his fortunes, but he looked out of sorts in his defeat to Mardy Fish at Queen's. It has been a far from ideal preparation, but ESPN.co.uk columnist Chris Wilkinson feels Murray is only one of three players - the other two being Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal - who can win the title.

The claims of Federer (5/4f) and Nadal (5/2) are copper-bottomed. The Fed is bidding for his seventh Wimbledon crown and will be primed to the second, despite his surprise defeat to Lleyton Hewitt at Halle.

The bookmakers and seedings panel make Nadal the biggest threat to Federer. There were fears for the Spaniard's future when he retired injured during the Australian Open, but a spell on the sidelines followed by a more sensible schedule has seen him rediscover his best form. The king of clay regained his French Open crown with his fifth win at Roland Garros. Like Federer, he suffered a surprise defeat on his first taste of the grass at Queen's but it may prove to be a blessing as it hands him a break ahead of the big event. The mown stuff is kinder to Nadal's suspect knees and provided the courts continue to play on the slow side, as has been the case in recent years, there is little doubt he will be a force.

Andy Murray will need to lift his game this year © Getty Images

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Outside the big three
Opposition is thin on the ground. Andy Roddick (10/1) went so close to winning last year only to lose to Federer in an epic final, but he is not in any sort of form this time around. His big serve will keep him in the hunt, but you get the impression he will again be found wanting.

Hewitt (25/1) will take confidence into Wimbledon following his victory in Halle and the 2002 winner operates well on grass which is easier on his hip, but in recent years he has found the likes of Federer and Nadal too strong when it has come to the grand slams.

If there is to be a shock, Marin Cilic (33/1) could be the man to provide it. The big-serving Croat has long looked like having the ideal game for grass. His record has not demonstrated this, but he is starting to mature as a player and a kind run could see him get deep into the second week.

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Eyes on the ladies
Whereas the men's singles looks between two or three, any number of players in the women's draw could be put forward as live contenders.

Serena Williams has been the dominant force in women's tennis © Getty Images

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The Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, dominate the betting and the seedings and rightly so given their records in the event. Between them, they have won eight of the last ten titles - Venus five and Serena three. The last two finals have been all-Williams affairs and the bookmakers are expecting a repeat.

But they have not been as dominant this year as in previous years and there will be a host of players who will fancy their chances of Wimbledon glory. The return of Belgian girls Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin has added spice to the women's game and as a two-time beaten finalist, Henin will have her eyes on completing her career grand slam.

Sam Stosur (14/1) has taken her career to a different level this year and was beaten in the final of the French Open. A former world No. 1 doubles player, Stosur has the game to succeed on grass but was surprisingly beaten at the semi-final stage on the grass of Eastbourne.

Her conqueror in the Paris final, Francesca Schiavone, became the first Italian winner of a grand slam but has been totally dismissed by the bookmakers for a follow-up success. She made the quarter finals 12 months ago and could prove some value at 80/1, while a player looking to find her way back to the top of the tree and has proven form at Wimbledon is Maria Sharapova.

The 2004 winner has found life tough since returning from a serious shoulder injury but her excellent serve will win her untold cheap points and she showed signs of a revival last week at Edgbaston. Sharapova is due to meet Serena Williams in round four and the 9/1 on offer would look huge, were she to topple the No. 1 seed.

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