Top five women's singles players to watch out for at Wimbledon

Current Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the tournament.

Wimbledon is probably the most anticipated event for Tennis lovers in 2021. Returning after almost a two year's gap, the tournament has created quite a buzz with ongoing speculation and controversy, even more so in the women's division.

Reigning Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the tournament citing personal reasons. On the other hand, defending champion Simona Halep will also not be part of the Grand Slam due to a calf injury. Even though Halep is out of the tournament, there are still a number of top contenders for the trophy.

Let's take a look at some of the best women's singles players at the Wimbledon in 2021.

5. Garbine Muguruza

Garbine Muguruza could be a surprise package at the Wimbledon this year. The 11th seed did not have successful runs in her last two exploits at the tournament. However, that does not nullify her expertise on grass in any way.

The Spaniard is a two-time finalist and a one-time winner at Wimbledon. On top of that, she has had a great start to the year before a thigh problem affected her during her clay court run. However, she looked strong in her recent performance at Berlin. Muguruza's prior familiarity with the big stage makes her a compelling candidate for the championship.

4. Petra Kvitova

Former two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova also has the opportunity of winning her third Wimbledon trophy. The Czech star has the best win ratio on grass (77%) compared to other surfaces. So it is no surprise that she would try to make the most of it at the All England Club.

Kvitova has the experience and the mindset to get the job done. She went to the fourth round in the 2019 edition of the Championships. Kvitova is currently battling an ankle injury but she is definitely a formidable foe on grass.

3. Elina Svitolina

Elina Svitolina could also make a dominant claim to the title. The Ukrainian was a semifinalist in the 2019 edition of the tournament. She lost her battle to the eventual champion Simona Halep in straight sets, ending her run that year.

Third seeded Elina has had a turbulent season so far in 2021. She reached the third round of the Roland Garros recently but was beaten by eventual champion Barbora Krejcikova. However, Elina's experience and performance on grass makes her a contender for the Wimbledon title.

2. Ashleigh Barty

The list would be incomplete without the inclusion of Ashleigh Barty. The top seed has openly confessed that she craves the Wimbledon title. She won her first Grand Slam title on clay.

The 25-year-old has been in good touch this year. Having made it to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, she also won the Miami Open and finished as a runner-up in this year's Madrid Open. Now let's hope the hip injury she faced during Roland Garros does not resurface during the upcoming tournament.

1. Serena Williams

The modern day queen of Tennis has to be the best bet to win the trophy. Serena Williams has done it all in her glorious career. The career Grand Slam winner and Olympic Gold medalist was also a finalist in the 2019 edition.

Moreover, Wimbledon is deemed to Serena's best hope to win a Grand Slam title. The 39-year-old is currently going through a four year drought in titles. Her last success came at the Australian Open in 2017. Despite that, Serena is a fierce competitor at Wimbledon. Her accomplishments speak for themselves. She is a staggering seven time Wimbledon champion.

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With an 89% success rate, Serena is definitely the best pick to win the title. She has already made a good start to the year. The American made it to the semi-finals in the Australian Open in 2021 and the fourth round of the French Open respectively. She will definitely look to make a mark after missing out in two successive years at Wimbledon.

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