We are on the doorstep of the 2023 edition of the Wimbledon championships. Preparations from players and their teams are finished. It’s time to see who will rise and fall to the occasion.
The team here at Lob and Smash put our superb tennis minds to work as we predict how both the men’s and women’s events will go. It was surprising just how many different thoughts we had on what might happen. But that’s the great thing about tennis, right?
We tried to predict a little bit of everything. Check back and see how we did at the end. But without further ado, here we go.
Wimbledon predictions for 2023
Women’s Wimbledon dark horse
Joseph Copeland: I’m going to cheat a little bit because I have two names. Elina Svitolina is a former world No. 3 and a Semifinalist at Wimbledon in 2019. Motherhood and other events have seen her ranking drop, but she is back and can make a run. The other dark horse is the 9-seed veteran, Petra Kvitova. I predict she goes deep.
Prediction: Elina Svitolina/Petra Kvitova
Myre Aberdan: Ana Potapova. She’s a former Wimbledon juniors Champion. I think she has a shot to go deep. If it’s not this year, it’s sometime in the near future.
Prediction: Ana Potapova
Nicky Nathanson: Nice and easy. (I hope!)
Prediction: Coco Gauff
Lee Vowell: I seriously have doubts Williams will even win a match at Wimbledon, but her real-life story could kind of mirror that of Paul Bettany in the movie “Wimbledon” and that would be fantastic!
Prediction: Venus Williams
Men’s Wimbledon dark horse
Copeland: I think there are few players that can make runs deep at this event. Seb Korda and Alexander Bublik both come into this event in good form and have the games for this surface. But, looking at the 19th Seed, Sasha Zverev, I get excited. His big match experience with his big game could carry him deep into Week 2.
Prediction: Alexander Zverev
Aberdan: I can definitely see a new Grand Slam Quarterfinalist/Semifinalist at Wimbledon on the Men’s side. It will be a real toss-up, given there is no Nadal or Federer blocking the latter stages. Let’s just say I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mannarino, Griekspoor or Bublik go really deep.
Prediction: Alexander Bublik/Tallon Griekspoor
Nathanson: If Kyrgios is healthy, I’m taking him. The Aussie has a knack for grass.
Prediction: Nick Kyrgios
Vowell: I think Korda is a bit too egotistical for his own good sometimes, but at least he believes in himself. He has the serve and athleticism to surprise people at Wimbledon.
Prediction: Sebastian Korda
Wimbledon upset alerts!
Wimbledon men’s upset alert
Copeland: A handful of names come to mind when I think of this. However, this player has struggled leading into Wimbledon and does not inspire any confidence in me. Throw in that he could face Thiem and Andy Murray early, nope.
Prediction: Stefanos Tsitsipas
Aberdan: The upset of the tournament will definitely be one of the very top seeds. I can see Alcaraz being knocked out way earlier than most anticipate. Many believe he has a chance to win another Slam, but I’m going to blow that idea out of the water and say Alcaraz has no chance to win Wimbledon this year.
Prediction: Carlos Alcaraz
Nathanson: This is easy.
Prediction: Lloyd Harris
Vowell: Daniil Medvedev goes out by the second round. He’s great on the hard court but anything else, not so much currently.
Prediction: Daniil Medvedev
Wimbledon women’s upset alert
Copeland: Imagine being the 7-seed at Wimbledon and your 1st round match is a 24-year-old Grand Slam champion. That’s exactly what awaits Coco Gauff as she gets Sofia Kenin.
Prediction: Coco Gauff
Aberdan: Again, one of the very top seeds will go down to the surprise of everyone but myself.
Prediction: Elena Rybakina/Iga Swiatek/Aryna Sabalenka
Nathanson: Another American that needs to be on the lookout.
Prediction: Madison Keys
Vowell: I think Sabalenka is a very good player but she’s been a bit hit-and-miss recently. She’s better on a hard court anyway, so I think she crashes out by the third round.
Prediction: Aryna Sabalenka
Wimbledon finals predictions
Dream final matchups
Copeland: Alexander Zverev versus Stefanos Tsitsipas. These are two players that are supposed to be key figures in the current and next-gen of tennis. Both have tasted defeat in Grand Slam Finals. Get them together and let them battle for supremacy of the new age.
Aberdan: Novak Djokovic versus Nick Kyrgios. My dream Final on the Women’s side would be Rybakina-Swiatek. On the men’s side, I really want Djokovic to win the calendar slam, but I also want to see Nick Kyrgios win a major here.
Nathanson: Carlos Alcaraz versus Nick Kyrgios.
Vowell: Novak Djokovic versus Carlos Alcaraz. We could see a complete changing of the guard if Alcaraz wins.
Women’s Wimbledon winner predictions
Copeland: The Women’s singles draw is so difficult to predict. Upsets are usually the norm. However, I’m going against that narrative a bit as I predict a repeat champion at the All England Club.
Prediction: Elena Rybakina
Aberdan: I want Iga to do well, but I also want some chaos. This one is hard to predict because the women’s game is often more interesting and less predictable so I will leave it at that. Anybody can win a major on the women’s side, and every player is capable.
Prediction: The field
Nathanson: Going with the best bet in the field.
Prediction: Iga Swiatek
Vowell: I literally have zero faith she can win as she has never even made it into the quarters at Wimbledon, but she’s still so young and, like Alcaraz, figuring out what works.
Prediction: Iga Swiatek
Men’s Wimbledon winner predictions
Copeland: It would be safe to say Djokovic, but I’m feeling something extra special about this event. Outside the top 2, it’s an open draw and tough to predict. I think the Italian Jannik Sinner announces himself to the world and gets it done.
Prediction: Jannik Sinner
Aberdan: Nick Kyrgios winning a major is seriously something tennis needs to witness. What better way to do that than to win arguably the biggest tournament in the world? However, the calendar year Grand Slam is very much the main storyline of this year. Novak Djokovic is aiming to do something no man has ever managed to do. It would be difficult to not be rooting for Djokovic to pull off the calendar slam. The last man to do it was Rod Laver in the late 1960s. What an incredible achievement it would be for Djokovic to ever pull off the calendar Slam, especially at his advanced age.
Prediction: Novak Djokovic
Nathanson: He’s won four straight years for a reason.
Prediction: Novak Djokovic
Vowell: I really want to choose Novak Djokovic here but I am actually a fan of Djokovic and don’t want to jinx him. I also think Alcaraz is just learning how good he can be and it wouldn’t surprise me if he wins the tournament.
Prediction: Carlos Alcaraz