HOW THE LEADING MEN’S CONTENDERS SHAPE UP FOR WIMBLEDON
NOVAK DJOKOVIC (SRB)
Age: 28
Ranking: 1
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US79,387,662 ($A102.62 million)
Career titles: 53
Grand slam titles: 8 (Australian Open 2008, 2011-2013, 2015; Wimbledon 2011, 2014; US Open 2011)
Wimbledon win-loss record: 45-8
Best Wimbledon performances: champion 2011, 2014
The world No.1 will be hoping his shattering French Open finals loss to Stan Wawrinka was merely a blip in an otherwise dominant season as he looks to defend his crown and collect a third title at the All England Club.
ROGER FEDERER (SUI)
Age: 33
Ranking: 2
Plays: right-handed
Career prize money: $US90,936,295 ($A117.55 million)
Career titles: 86
Grand slam titles: 17 (Australian Open 2004, 2006-07, 2010; French Open 2009; Wimbledon 2003-07, 2009, 2012; US Open 2004-2008)
Wimbledon win-loss record: 73-9
Best Wimbledon performances: champion 2003-07, 2009, 2012
The seven-times champion continues to believe he can eclipse Pete Sampras’s modern-day record haul with an eighth success at SW19. The grasscourt maestro has been targeting this as his season priority after losing last year’s final in five sets.
ANDY MURRAY (SCO)
Age: 28
Ranking: 3
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US38,186,311 ($A49.36 million)
Career titles: 34
Grand slam titles: 2 (US Open 2012; Wimbledon 2013)
Wimbledon win-loss record: 23-7
Best Wimbledon performance: champion 2013
The Scot is many experts’ title favourite after completing a superb claycourt campaign featuring just one five-set defeat in 16 matches before making a seamless transition to his preferred grass with a record-equalling fourth Queen’s Club crown.
STAN WAWRINKA (SUI)
Age: 30
Ranking: 4
Plays: right-handed
Career prize money: $US17,797,753 ($A23.01 million)
Career titles: 10
Grand slam titles: 2 (Australian Open 2014; French Open 2015)
Wimbledon win-loss record: 13-10
Best Wimbledon performance: quarter-finalist 2014
The late-blooming Swiss reached the quarter-finals for the first time in 10 attempts last year and will be armed with fresh confidence following his stunning march to the title at Roland Garros.
RAFAEL NADAL (ESP)
Age: 29
Ranking: 10
Plays: left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US73,158,490 ($A94.57 million)
Career titles: 66
Grand slam titles: 14 (Australian Open 2009; French Open 2005-08, 2010-14; Wimbledon 2008, 2010; US Open 2010, 2013)
Wimbledon win-loss record: 39-8
Best Wimbledon performances: champion 2008, 2010
The former world No.1 has been seeded 10th after failing to win a claycourt title in Europe for the first time in a decade. But the Spaniard is growing in confidence after making a triumphant transition to grass in Stuttgart.
BEST OUTSIDER
MILOS RAONIC (CAN)
Age: 24
Ranking: 8
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US8,261,899 ($A10.68 million)
Career titles: 6
Grand slam titles: 0
Wimbledon win-loss record: 8-4
Best Wimbledon performance: semi-finalist 2014
Unusual for a top-10 star to be tagged a dark horse but that is what the power-serving Canadian is, such is the strength of the so-called Big Four and Wawrinka’s emergence as a grand slam force.
BEST AUSTRALIAN HOPES
BERNARD TOMIC
Age: 22
Ranking: 26
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US2,969,486 ($A3.84 million)
Career titles: 2
Grand slam titles: 0
Wimbledon win-loss record: 8-5
Best Wimbledon performance: quarter-finalist 2011
Embroiled in controversy on tournament eve but has been eyeing this one all year and will enjoy a seeding for the first since 2011 following his most consistent season yet. Capable of another deep run if the stars align.
NICK KYRGIOS
Age: 20
Ranking: 29
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US1,355,908 ($A1.75 million)
Career titles: 0
Grand slam titles: 0
Wimbledon win-loss record: 4-1
Best Wimbledon performance: quarter-finalist 2014
Complained of an elbow injury after his French Open exit and then claimed to be feeling mentally spent following his first-round exit at Queen’s but showed he’s capable of anything with his win over Nadal last year and then another grand slam quarter-final run in Melbourne.
