Brilliant Petra Kvitova to nail third grass-court tiara

Starts 11.30am Monday

Humphries's top tip
Petra Kvitova 5-1
Petra Kvitova was not ready to win a third Wimbledon title last year but 12 months on the Czech could hardly be better placed to do so.

After sustaining injuries to her playing hand trying to fend off a knife-wielding intruder in her home town of Prostejov in December 2016, Kvitova returned to competitive action in the 2017 French Open and then faced minimal opposition in taking the Edgbaston title in her next outing.

That was a much-needed gift for the popular Kvitova and it was no surprise when she fell in the second round at the All England Club a couple of weeks later.

However, Kvitova made a statement when retaining the Edgbaston title on her own terms in a proverbial hack canter a week ago and there looks little to stop her adding to her 2011 and 2014 Wimbledon crowns.

Kvitova has never been the most reliable of betting propositions but when she hits form she can be devastatingly good. She has the added advantage of being naturally adept on grass and will be able to count on huge support from the Wimbledon crowd.

Serena Williams, seeded 25th by tournament organisers even though she is ranked just 183rd in the world after taking 14 months off to have her first child, is the bookmakers' second favourite.

Williams is right to be respected by the oddsmakers, so good was the American when winning Wimbledon two years ago.

But it took a huge amount of practice, matchplay and fitness work to hit the heights that Williams achieved against Elena Vesnina in the semi-finals and Angelique Kerber in the final and it's almost unfair to expect the new mum to return in that sort of touch.

True, Williams posted some promising performances in the French Open which bode well for some decent displays on the London grass.

But the 36-year-old has had only seven matches since returning in March from spending time with her daughter Olympia and it will be an incredible performance if Williams pulls it off and claims an eighth Wimbledon singles title.

Other selection
Sloane Stephens 18-1
Of course, if anyone can pull a rabbit out of a hat it's Serena. She's that good. But rather than back the second favourite, preference is for an interest on Sloane Stephens.

With Serena having had so few outings and her sister Venus Williams possibly not the force she was after failing to hold a candle to Garbine Muguruza in last year's All England Club final, that could open the door for Stephens.

The US Open champion was never far behind the sisters anyway and it was always a question of self-belief with Stephens.

That arrived in bagfuls last year when, after a serious foot injury, she amazingly found a way to triumph in New York just a couple of months after returning to the court.

This year a title triumph in Miami meant she held the two US titles arguably closest to her heart, and with a much pressure taken off her shoulders Stephens went on to play a succession of blinding matches on clay to reach the final of the French Open last month.

It's a slight concern that Wimbledon may come a little too soon after her Paris heroics, but Stephens is a master at saving her best for the tournaments that matter and her run to the quarter-finals in the grass Slam in 2013 tells us she is good enough to go all the way in south-west London.

Others to note
Garbine Muguruza A deserving victor last year but may find one or two superior this time around.

Madison Keys The US Open finalist and French Open semi-finalist should have her day soon but others appeal more.

Naomi Osaka The Indian Wells champ has the game and power to beat anyone on her day but still has to prove she is as good on grass as on hard courts.

Ashleigh Barty The exciting Aussie was victorious in Nottingham a fortnight ago. Capable of ruffling feathers.

Simona Halep The world number one and French Open champion should not be underrated as she could be a different proposition having ditched her Grand Slam maiden tag in Paris.

Victoria Azarenka A sharp operator on grass and has a chance to prove that. Seldom easy to beat.

Recommendations
P Kvitova
3pts 5-1 Ladbrokes
S Stephens
1pt 18-1 general

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