British hopefuls that could shine at Wimbledon

• Wimbledon brings renewed hope for British tennis fans.
• Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie lead the men’s hopes.
• Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter stand out in the women’s draw.
• Grass courts could suit several British players.
• Betting markets may offer value beyond the main favourites.

Having reached a career-high of fourth last year, Jack Draper’s season has been blighted by injury, and he has tumbled down the world rankings (112th at the time of writing).

That said, he has some grass court credentials. Among his most seminal career moments was a victory over Carlos Alcaraz at Queen’s Club in 2024, denoting the Spaniard’s only defeat at the venue, and winning the Stuttgart Open the same year.

Having brought Andy Murray into his coaching set-up for the grass court campaign, this feels like a natural union between the master and apprentice of British tennis. Draper can tap into the knowledge and experience of three-time Slam champion Murray, but he also has the ingredients required to be a success on grass.

A blistering serve combined with a devastating baseline game means he can take care of most of the draw when at his imperious best. Across grass court tournaments, Draper held a 67.9% win rate (19-9) at the time of writing, suggesting he’s most comfortable on this surface. 

Ultimately, it’s a case of whether his body can hold up to the rigours of a Slam when put under strain, but he’s garnering plenty of attention with many of the top UK betting sites. 10bet, for example, has priced Draper at 25/1 in the outright market, suggesting he is capable of making serious inroads, and it will be fascinating to see how he gets on.

While his technique might seem unconventional at times, Cameron Norrie relishes Wimbledon. He bowed out to Alcaraz in the quarter-final last year, but he will be eager to surpass his semi-final showing in 2022.

Currently, the sole British male residing inside the world’s top 100 (29th at the time of writing), Norrie will inevitably be under the spotlight as the leading home hope, and he has been trying to string a sequence of results together.

Equipped with a low, skidding backhand, Norrie’s stamina is impressive, and he never knows when he’s beaten. Reaching the Final will be a tall order, given it will be uncharted territory for him. The 150/1 odds advertised by crypto bookie BetOSpin would indicate he’s a rank outsider, but his game is more than good enough to ease him into the second week of the tournament.

We’re all waiting for Emma Raducanu to kick on in her career. Since her stunning Grand Slam triumph at the US Open in 2021, there have been a lot of unanswered questions and criticism levelled in the direction of the 23-year-old.

A combination of injuries and constantly churning through coaches has put Raducanu under further scrutiny, but she has performed well at Wimbledon in the past. 

Two Round of 16 berths from four visits to SW19 would suggest Raducanu has it in her to take things to the next level. She gave an excellent account of herself against Aryna Sabalenka last year in the third round, putting the World No.1 on the back foot before falling to a 7-6, 6-4 defeat.

Raudcanu’s game is highly versatile, and when she’s firing on all cylinders, she’s very tough to break down. She can transition from defence into attack quickly, and her forehand is often rock solid. 

Odds of around 40/1 with most betting platforms appear quite enticing, and you wouldn’t put it past her to ruffle a few feathers among those in the upper echelons of the women’s game.

Arguably one of the most dangerous players on the surface, it seems puzzling that Katie Boulter hasn’t progressed beyond the third round at Wimbledon. She thrives playing with heavy topspin, and her flat first serve enables her to win some free points. However, she often comes up short in clutch moments.

Although Boulter struggled en route to a second-round French Open exit to Anastasia Potapova, grass is the surface she feels most at ease with. Boulter flourishes when feeding off the energy of the crowd, and she could well sneak under the radar.

Most platforms don’t appear to be confident about Boulter’s chances, given she’s trading at around the 150/1 mark. However, if she can dig deep and raise her intensity levels, she could well be a dark horse.

As far as the Grand Slams go, the British players have gone through a bit of a rough spell. Indeed, the French Open denoted the third event in a row where a single Brit failed to make it to the second week of a Major, and this will have only reinforced doubts of a lack of depth in British tennis.

Wimbledon, however, offers renewed hope, and there should still be cause for optimism. Draper and Norrie will lead the charge on the men’s front, and they shouldn’t be discounted, even though they will be faced with serious obstacles along the way, namely Jannik Sinner.

In the women’s draw, Raducanu and Boulter appear to be the standout picks, and it’s a case of whether the duo have enough belief in their respective games to shake things up and make deep runs. Either way, Wimbledon is always ripe with plenty of betting opportunities to latch on to, so punters should keep abreast of market shifts at our preferred sportsbooks, so they don’t miss out.