Wimbledon 2026 Men’s and Women’s Dark Horses

• Wimbledon is the main focus of the grass-court season.
• Jodar, Fonseca and Cobolli are men’s dark horses.
• Svitolina, Paolini and Chwalinska stand out in the women’s draw.
• Outsiders could offer strong betting value at SW19.

Following in the footsteps of your idol is no easy feat, especially when your inspiration is Rafael Nadal. Nevertheless, it’s hard not to admire Rafael Jodar’s meteoric rise on the ATP circuit.

Just over a year ago, Jodar languished outside the top 500, but now he’s catapulted himself into the 23rd in the rankings. With that in mind, Jodar is in line to be seeded at Wimbledon on debut, and at 19, his career is on the right trajectory.

Although his breakout season has been defined by his clay exploits, which included a victory at a 250 event in Marrakech back in March, Jodar can etch his name into Wimbledon folklore. A big serve combined with a huge forehand makes his game style conducive for grass, while Jodar’s calm demeanour suggests he will be unfazed in a pressure cooker environment.

A price of 33/1 has been supplied by many leading crypto betting operators, which seems reasonable. Jodar will be fascinating to watch, and he could go very deep.

Boasting plenty of flair, Joao Fonseca is an integral part of the next-gen cohort of players lighting things up on the Tour. Long touted as a potential Grand Slam winner, the Brazilian will be eager to build upon a third-round appearance at Wimbledon last year.

Fonseca’s powerful ball-striking makes him well suited to grass, and he has already claimed some big scalps this season, including Novak Djokovic en route to a French Open quarter-final appearance earlier this month.

The 19-year-old is garnering odds of around 33/1 with respected UK betting sites, such as 10bet, and he leaves everything out on court. His game aligns nicely with grass, and he could seriously take off at SW19! 

Flying into the top 10 is Flavio Cobolli. The 24-year-old is helping spearhead the Italian revolution in the men’s game, and although he came up just short in an engrossing French Open Final against Alexander Zverev, he’s going places.

Cobolli, let’s not forget, reached the last eight of Wimbledon last year, taking the opening set against Djokovic before succumbing in four. Precise shot making and executing in clutch moments has singled out Cobolli as a potential Slam champion in the making. His game translates well to grass, and while his 60/1 price seems bemusing given his quality, he is one we’re keeping close tabs on.

Elina Svitolina’s resurgence has been hard to ignore. Although she’s primarily known as a clay court specialist, Svitolina has plenty of assets. Apart from supreme baseline control, she’s great at counterpunching, and at the time of writing, she has won two titles on the WTA Tour this season.

The Ukrainian is a two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist, and she will be extra motivated to claim a maiden piece of Grand Slam silverware. Svitolina may be priced at 33/1 with some sportsbooks, such as BetOSpin, but we think, given her undeniable skill on both wings, Svitolina could outperform her odds and present a strong case to triumph at SW19.

Although her singles career has fluctuated over the past couple of years, Jasmine Paolini merits being included in the Wimbledon dark horse conversation.

The Italian is a ferocious competitor, and while her doubles results have yielded more rewards lately, she can be hot to handle when in top form. A low centre of gravity combined with explosive ball-hitting has turned Paolini from a clay court specialist into a proficient grass-court player.

Let’s not forget Paolini reached the Wimbledon Final in 2024, so she has some credentials. Despite being a late bloomer, the 30-year-old boasts exceptional footwork, and if she’s in the mood, she could make serious inroads at SW19. Although Paolini is garnering odds of around 60/1 with respected sportsbooks, such as Vave, dismiss her at your peril!

Before the French Open, few would have heard of Maja Chwalinska. However, the Pole snuck under the radar en route to the Final, defying belief and expectations.

Chwalinska’s stunning run encompassed 10 matches, breezing through three qualifying rounds before eventually falling at the hands of Mirra Andreeva. More impressively, she became just the second qualifier in WTA history after Emma Raducanu at the US Open in 2021 to reach a Slam Final.

While it remains to be seen whether the 24-year-old will be handed a main draw wildcard entry due to the cut-off in ranking points, Chwalinska has the X-factor, and she is an excellent touch player. Moreover, she has plenty of variety in terms of mixing up the angles of her shots, and she can frustrate many a top player. 

Although she appears to be a bit of a longshot at 80/1 with many bookies, we think Chwalinska has reshaped the attitudes of tennis aficionados. She could launch a strong assault at Wimbledon, with the usual suspects likely to come under greater scrutiny.

Wimbledon, as always, never fails to disappoint. The men’s draw has thrown up some interesting angles given Carlos Alcaraz’s absence, and there is a healthy crop of youngsters who could make significant inroads at this coveted Slam event. Cobolli, Fonseca, and Jodar are all considered highly dynamic players, and they could potentially upset the applecart.

In contrast, the women’s tournament, if it mirrors the French Open, could see many shocks in the early rounds. Svitolina and Paolini, for example, have plenty of experience on grass and have reached the latter stages at Wimbledon before, while Chwalinska has made more people sit up and take notice after her exploits at Roland Garros.

Fans can leaf through the plethora of outright and special markets available at our trusted betting platforms, but our insights should also give you more confidence in executing your picks.