Wimbledon 2024 WTA draw analysis: Review and predictions

Last year, an unseeded Marketa Vondrousova stunned the tennis world by romping to the Wimbledon title.

Vondrousova came into Wimbledon with a losing record on grass throughout her career, but used her clever spins and drop shots to outfox the field.

Wimbledon has been the most unpredictable of the majors on the women's side in the last decade, with only Serena Williams and Petra Kvitova winning multiple titles since 2010.

Breaking down the WTA draw at Wimbledon 2024

First Quarter: Iga to navigate major champions and finalists

Iga Swiatek was dealt a mouthwatering first-round match-up against former major winner Sofia Kenin. Last year, Kenin shocked Coco Gauff in the first round and has still shown signs of her 2020 world-beating form. Should Swiatek defeat Kenin, she could potentially face former champion Angelique Kerber in the third round and former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the fourth round, an opponent that Swiatek has never beaten.

Defending champion Vondrousova also landed in Swiatek's quarter, as did Danielle Collins. Collins has slowed down since her scintillating 15-match win streak earlier this year, but her powerful game could prove lethal on the grass. Former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova and former top ten players Veronika Kudermetova, Caroline Garcia, and Beatriz Haddad Maia also loom in this section.

Predicted Quarterfinalists: Swiatek, Collins

Second Quarter: Rybakina seeks to reclaim Wimbledon throne

Fourth seed Elena Rybakina leads the second quarter of the women's singles draw. Rybakina, the 2022 champion, has a game that is well-suited to the grass and has excelled at tour-level events this year when she has been healthy. Rybakina's section is highlighted by a resurgent Leylah Fernandez and a vastly improving Anna Kalinskaya. However, Rybakina's grass court class should see her through to the quarterfinals.

Ons Jabeur and Jessica Pegula, two of the top players in the game without a singles major to their name, are also in this section. Jabeur has lost in the finals of the last two editions of the tournament and is always a threat on the grass. Jabeur and Pegula have struggled with injuries this year, but both seem to be improving of late. Pegula won a lead-up title on the grass and Jabeur made it to the quarters of the French Open earlier this month.

Predicted Quarterfinalists: Rybakina, Pegula

Third Quarter: Sabalenka leads a mystifying section of the draw

Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka finds herself in a section filled with some of the biggest question marks of the tournament. Sabalenka, who opens against American Emina Bektas in the first round, hinted that she may not even be healthy enough to remain in the draw.

Other top seeds in this section like Maria Sakkari and Zheng Qinwen have had inconsistent results over the year. Karolina Muchova is set to play just her second tournament of the year, Emma Raducanu just scored her first-ever top-ten victory, and Mirra Andreeva will enter her first major as a seeded player. If she's playing her best tennis, Sabalenka is the best player in the section. If she is not, this section could be full of surprises.

Predicted Quarterfinalists: Zheng, Kasatkina

Fourth Quarter: Coco Gauff leads a section of big-hitting veterans

World number two Coco Gauff has landed in a relatively safe portion of the draw. Gauff has never managed to advance beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon, even though Wimbledon is where she first made her name in the tennis world by upsetting the legendary Venus Williams.

Gauff's fourth-round opponent could be a former world number one and/or major champion, as Victoria Azarenka, Sloane Stephens, Naomi Osaka, and Karolina Pliskova land in this section. Also present in this quarter are the ever-dangerous Madison Keys, French Open finalist Jasmine Paolini, former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, and the big-hitting Marta Kosytuk.

Predicted quarterfinalists: Keys, Pliskova

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