We asked our panel – our team from the French Open, plus new contributor Nick Nemeroff and site consultant Anand Mamidipudi – to render verdicts on 10 questions for the women’s tournament at Wimbledon.
SUSIE REID
Women’s Champion: Petra Kvitova
Runner-up: Sloane Stephens
Dark Horse: Serena Williams
First-week upset victim: Elina Svitolina
Most to gain: Maria Sharapova
Most at stake: Serena
Best first-round matchup: Sabalenka-Buzarnescu
Best potential first-week matchup: Sharapova-Ostapenko
How far will Karolina Pliskova go? Quarterfinals
How far will Serena go? Fourth round
BRIANA FOUST
Champion: Serena
Runner-up: Kvitova
Dark Horse: Naomi Osaka
First-week upset: Sharapova
Most to gain: Serena
Most at stake: Venus
Best first round: Stephens-Vekic
Best first week: Sharapova-Ostapenko
Pliskova: fourth round
Serena: finalist
MERT ERTUNGA
Champion: Simona Halep
Runner-up: Madison Keys
Dark Horse: Antonia Lottner
First-week upset: Magdalena Rybarikova
Most to gain: Jelena Ostapenko
Most at stake: Caroline Garcia
Best first round: Siniakova-Vandeweghe
Best first week: Venus-Bertens
Pliskova: Quarters
Serena: Quarters
NICK NEMEROFF
Champion: Kvitova
Runner-up: Pliskova
Dark Horse: Osaka
First-week upset: Wozniacki (to Radwanska)
Most to gain and most at stake: Bouchard
Best first round: Stephens-Vekic
Best first week: Serena-Svitolina
Pliskova: finalist
Serena: semifinals
MATT ZEMEK
Champion: Stephens
Runner-up: Garbine Muguruza
Dark Horse: CoCo Vandeweghe
First-week upset: Garcia
Most to gain: Osaka
Most at stake: Pliskova
Best first round: Hsieh-Pavlyuchenkova
Best first week: Sharapova-Ostapenko
Pliskova: fourth round
Serena: fourth round
ANAND MAMIDIPUDI
Champion: Kvitova
Runner-up: Serena
Dark Horse: Venus
First-week upset: Wozniacki
Most to gain: Bouchard
Most at stake: Muguruza
Best first round: Garcia-Bencic
Best first week: Wozniacki-Radwanska
Pliskova: third round
Serena: finalist
JANE VOIGT
Champion: Kvitova
Runner-up: Keys
Dark Horse: Vandeweghe
First-week upset: Osaka
Most to gain: Svitolina
Most at stake: Muguruza
Best first round: Kerber-Zvonareva
Best first week: Barty-Kasatkina
Pliskova: fourth round
Serena: third round
SAQIB ALI
Champion: Serena
Runner-up: Kvitova
Dark Horse: Barty
First-week upset: Bencic – Garcia
Most to gain: Serena
Most at stake: Konta
Best first round: Rybarikova – Cirstea
Best first week: Pliskova – Azarenka
Pliskova: third round
Serena: Champion
Tennis with an Accent 