Wimbledon: women's outright betting preview, tips & TV details

Serena Williams looks ready to equal Court's record at her favourite major

Serena Williams has reached the final on her last three visits to Wimbledon, winning two of those title matchesCredit: Michael Steele

Starts 11am Monday BBC1, BBC2 & BBC red button

Humphries' top tip
Serena Williams 8-1

Women's tennis has become wide open in recent times with eight different players being ranking world number one since May 2017, but it's just possible that the best of the best Serena Williams could work another miracle at Wimbledon this season.

Williams needs one more major singles win to equal Margaret Court's record of 24 and while the veteran American has not won a Grand Slam since the 2017 Australian Open, the last big tournament she played before a break to have her daughter, normal service could be resumed in London this summer.

The case for backing Williams becomes stronger when you look at her recent record at the All England Club – winner in 2015 and 2016, missed the event due to pregnancy in 2017 and runner-up to her good friend Angelique Kerber last year.

Punters should remember too that Williams has produced some of her finest tennis in the later rounds of Wimbledon in those years. And it didn't stop last year, in her comeback season after giving birth, until coming up against Kerber in the final. Observers couldn't understand how she Williams could perform so flatly in a title match, but that was just one match, a blip, and it could be wise to write it off.

Kerber, who has come in for good support to retain the title, is in the same eighth of the draw as Williams and the pair could clash in the last 16, but Maria Sharapova may have something to say to Kerber before then should they meet in round three.

Top seed and new world number one Ashleigh Barty has become a winning machine, replacing Naomi Osaka in that role, and the Australian's chance of backing up her French Open triumph should be taken most seriously.

However, nobody can win everything and with Barty scheduled to meet Garbine Muguruza in round three, Belinda Bencic in the last 16 and Williams in the quarter-finals, she can be taken on at the odds available.

It could well take something special to knock Barty off her stride, but Williams has that should they meet. The seven-time Wimbledon champion is probably also the finest match-player in the history of women's tennis and the chance to back her at not far from double figures makes considerable appeal.

The sport's top young talents are more suited to and getting clued up quicker on the faster courts. But grass, with it's less reliable bounce knocking a lot of players off their stride, is a different story and the hugely experienced Williams may still have an edge over her opponents on the terrain in London.

Next best
Amanda Anisimova to win
second quarter 8-1

Kiki Bertens and Petra Kvitova are the top-billed performers in the second quarter, but by the sound of it Kvitova's decision to compete at Wimbledon this year is in the balance after sustaining a wrist injury on her left playing arm.

If the situation is as serious as it sounds, that could seriously affect the two-time champion's title chances, although the Czech, who started the season magnificently and reached the Australian Open final, has overcome bigger battles in her career.

Bertens has done wonders under the tutelage of coach Raemon Sluiter and the fourth seed is no pretty much a threat on any terrain.

However, with Kvitova's wellbeing in some doubt and ninth seed Sloane Stephens and 19th seed Johanna Konta in the same 16th of the draw, it could pay to take a chance on Amanda Anisimova continuing to produce magic, this time on grass.

Anisimova cannot usurp Sharapova as the youngest open-era winner of Wimbledon but the American, who turns 18 in August, is already breaking records of her own.

The New Jersey ace is the youngest female ever to break into the top 100 in the WTA rankings and after reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open, where she was denied by Kvitova, and the semi-finals of the French Open this year, who's to say she won't be ready to go all the way at Wimbledon.

She's only 33-1 to lift the Venus Rosewater dish, so considering she may have to stop Serena in the semis the best way of backing Anisimova could be to win her quarter.

Other selection
Cori Gauff to win fourth quarter 200-1

Since tennis heralded in its open era in 1968, Cori Gauff became the youngest player to qualify for Wimbledon's main draw aged 15 years and 122 days when thrashing Greet Minnen 6-1 6-1 in Roehampton on Thursday.

That was a terrific feat from the American starlet, but there are seven more matches to win if Gauff wants to usurp Martina Hingis, who won the 1997 Australian Open aged 16 years and 177 days, as the youngest player to win a major.

Gauff is ranked just 301st in the world but she's clearly way better than her standing suggests. And judging by the way she ousted Aliona Bolsova, the top seed in qualifying, and Valentyna Ivakhnenko prior to meeting Minnen, there could be more to come from a young player whose role models have been Serena and Venus Williams.

A meeting with Serena may have to wait, but first up for Gauff in round one is a date with Venus. This is a baptism of fire for Gauff, but if she can upset Venus, which is a definite possibility, and go on to pass a similarly difficult test in round two against either tenth seed Aryna Sabalenka or Magdalena Rybarikova, then the draw could open up for the qualifier with seeds such as Simona Halep and even Naomi Osaka and Madison Keys possibly slightly more vulnerable than they may appear.

Betfair and Paddy Power didn't hold their 250-1 about Gauff winning the fourth quarter long, but Sky Bet's 200-1 is still worth a small interest.

Others to note

Marketa Vondrousova

French Open runner-up is looking the real deal after some promising performances – and it's just possible that grass could suit her game even more than clay.

Monica Puig

The Puerto Rican is capable of winning a big tournament as she showed in the 2016 Rio Olympics, but she faces a tough start against Anna Schmiedlova and then possibly Karolina Pliskova.

Katerina Siniakova

The Czech is showing signs of maturing on court this year, so it may not be long before she breaks through at the top level.

Petra Martic

The Croat is good enough to go all the way, but her temperament still looks a little questionable as the majors draw on.

Recommendations
S Williams
4pts 8-1 general
A Anisimova to win second quarter
1pt 8-1 general
C Gauff to win fourth quarter
0.5pt 200-1 Sky Bet