In her final Wimbledon Championship, Kim Clijsters has been handed a tough opening assignment, with a first round clash with former world number one, Jelena Jankovic. Four-time Grand Slam winner, Clijsters, is due to retire at the end of the 2012 season, and she will go in search of her first title at SW19.
Surprisingly, the Belgian star has never reached the final at Wimbledon, having twice been knocked out at the semi-final stage, in 2003 and 2006. Clijsters will need to hit the ground running at this year’s championships, against Jankovic, who is a mixed-doubles title winner at Wimbledon.
The two players have met on eight previous occasions, with Clijsters having the upper hand, seven wins to one. Their only meeting on grass came back in 2009, when Clijsters won in straight sets at Eastbourne.
Top seed and 2004 champion, Maria Sharapova, will start her bid to win the women’s singles title against Australia’s Anastasia Rodionova. The tennis betting offers on Bet365 indicate that Sharapova could walk away with the title, once again, this summer.
Defending champion, Petra Kvitova, starts with an opening round clash with Akgul Amanmuradova, of Uzbekistan. The Czech star could face a quarter final clash with Serena Williams, who will play Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in the first round.
Five-time Wimbledon champion, Venus Williams, will be a dangerous floater in the draw, with the American unseeded. Venus will play Elena Vesnina, of Russia, in round one.
The home fans will be looking forward to a real test for the talented Laura Robson, who will come up against former French Open champion, Francesca Schiavone. Fans of live tennis will note that Robson is currently a 1000/1 shot in the bookies’ window.