The third Grand Slam of the year is waiting, and it arguably is the one that feels the most special and prestigious. Wimbledon brings nostalgic vibes and a very exclusive feeling to everybody, but especially to the British tennis fans and their hopes for the next home champion after Sir Andy Murray. From Tim Henman to Emma Raducanu, the hopes of an entire nation have been heavy on the shoulders of players for decades – could we see a British surprise this year?
Victory at home – did this ever work?
The British are a very proud nation with a long history in tennis, so it is only normal that they are pushing their home players for the most important tournament on home soil. But unfortunately, their luck hasn’t quite been up to the expectations in the Open Era. Before Andy Murray, no male player had won the Wimbledon title since Fred Perry in the 1930s. And with each year of title drought, the thirst for a new champion got bigger and bigger. That surely played a role in the results of Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski, who both had the ideal game to excel on grass but could never get past semis (Henman) or quarters (Rusedski).
On the women’s side the last British champion was Virginia Wade, who won the Wimbledon title in 1977. While it has been a long time since this last victory, the women had more champions in the years leading up to this and therefor weren’t as much in the focal point of fans. However, between 1984 and 2019, the female players from Britain did never get past the fourth round, before Johanna Konta surprised with a quarterfinal visit.
Andy Murray, the first Scottish Englishman
Of course, the memories of the last British Wimbledon champion are still fresh, as Sir Andy Murray won the tournament in 2013 and 2016. He had tried several years before and made the final in 2012, where he lost to the dominant grass player of our time, Roger Federer. Finally, he made his and his compatriots’ dream true in 2013, where he was able to fend off Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
There is only one slight issue with Murray as the savior: he is of course Scottish and if you are familiar with the relationship between the British nations you know that this was heavily discussed. But with his continuous success at Wimbledon and the Olympics for Great Britain made him a crowd favorite, nevertheless. As we all know, he was even named to honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II for his continued success for the country.
Who might carry on this legacy?
Unfortunately, it seems that after multiple hip surgeries, injuries and his advanced age for a tennis professional, Andy Murray will no longer be able to carry the weight at Wimbledon alone. That leaves us with the question, who is next up in the ranks to realize the hopes of the British fans?
In the men’s field it seems easy to say, as Jack Draper (image on top) is having an enormous season, especially on the grass. He recently won his first ATP title in Stuttgart, will be seeded at Wimbledon for the first time and is playing some inspired tennis. It seems a bit too early for him to win the whole tournament, but he can surely make a run to the second week and start a bit of excitement amongst home fans.
Cam Norrie seems to be out of form currently and unfortunately has some work to do rather than worrying about titles, but wildcard Billy Harris seems like he can at least deliver some early round surprises.
The women’s field has a few more options, but ultimately doesn’t provide a viable winning option. Katie Boulter is the top player currently, just inside the top 30 and with an astonishing record on grass. It remains to be seen however, if she can perform at the Grand Slam level, where she never pushed past the third round so far. With Harriet Dart, Emma Raducanu and Heather Watson the British lineup has some grass court options, but again no real second week threat.
So, for the foreseeable future, British tennis fans will have to be patient once again and hope for surprises or Jack Draper to gain further success at Wimbledon. As a neutral fan, we hope that the British players can see past the expectations and have a great tournament in any case! Who is your bet for the best British performance at this year’s Wimbledon?
