Wimbledon Archives - US Sports News

Rafael Nadal to Miss Wimbledon, Will Focus on Paris Olympics

Rafael Nadal announced on Thursday that he will miss 2024 Wimbledon to instead focus on preparing for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

This news is huge as it could've been Nadal's final Wimbledon. He's a two-time Wimbledon champion, winning the tournament in 2008 and 2010. Although he hasn't officially made a retirement decision public, he's hinted over the last year that this year could be his final year on the tour.

His decision to miss Wimbledon boiled down to him wanting to solely train on clay courts for the Olympics, in which he will partner up with fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in doubles. He doesn't want to shift his training and play on grass courts in between.

"With this goal, we believe that the best for my body is not to change surface and keep playing on clay until then. It’s for this reason that I will miss playing at the Championships this year at Wimbledon," Nadal wrote on social media. "I am saddened not to be able to live this year the great atmosphere of that amazing event that will always be in my heart, and be with all the British fans that always gave me great support. I will miss you all."

With this goal, we believe that the best for my body is not to change surface and keep playing on clay until then. It’s for this reason that I will miss playing at the Championships this year at Wimbledon. I am saddened not to be able to live this year the great atmosphere of…
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) June 13, 2024

The 38-year-old has missed quite a bit of the season already because of abdominal injuries. He missed nearly the entire 2023 season because of a hip injury, meaning he also was absent for the 2023 Wimbledon tournament.

Nadal wrote that he will play in the Nordea Open in mid-July, which is played in Bastad, Sweden. It is a clay court tournament.

8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

2024 Women’s Wimbledon Odds: Aryna Sabalenka Favored to Win First Grass Grand Slam

Following the 2024 French Open, we turn our attention to the grass swing of the WTA season.

With Wimbledon fast approaching, Aryna Sabalenka, the No. 2 tennis player in the World, will start grass play as the favorite to win her first title at the All England Club, which begins on July 1st and runs through July 14th.

Sabalenka hasn't advanced past the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, but her potent first serve and ability to dictate quick points has oddsmakers installing her as the favorite early on, with surprising 2023 champion Markéta Vondroušová further down the board at +1600.

Here's the full odds for 2024 Wimbledon in the wake of the 2024 French Open.

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Sablenka is favored over No. 1 Iga Świątek, who also hasn't captured much glory at Wimbledon, also failing to make it past the quarterfinals in this Grand Slam.

While last year's champion Vondroušová enters as a credible threat this season, she was a longshot heading into the 2023 edition, and another longshot could take control again with grass proving to be difficult to navigate for some of the top women.

The name that has been most consistently at the top has been Ons Jabeur, who was the runner up in each of the past two Grand Slam's at the All England Club. She enters +1400. The woman she lost to in 2022, Elena Rybakina, is the third choice to win a second Grand Slam here after making the quarterfinals in the French Open.

Meanwhile, Coco Gauff will hope for a better run this year after losing in the first round in 2023.

Wimbledon has been as chaotic as any of the Grand Slams, and without a clear cut favorite, we may be in for more surprises in 2024.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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