Five women's Wimbledon hopefuls: Past winners and future stars

Ostapenko, Mladenovic, Kvitova, Azarenka or Venus Williams?

By Michael Hincks

From former champions to rising stars, we profile five women outside the world's top 10 that will be chasing Wimbledon glory this July.

The field is wide open in the women's singles at Wimbledon. In Serena Williams' absence, Karolina Pliskova has been installed as 5/1 favourite with Sky Bet.

But there are worthy contenders as you continue to go down the list, with both lesser-known names and past winners perfectly capable of knocking out the higher seeds.

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Jelena Ostapenko - 16/1 with Sky Bet

Can the French Open champion upset the odds once more at Wimbledon?

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Having exited all four Grand Slams at the first-round stage last year, Ostapenko followed up a run to the third round in Australia by winning at Roland Garros at the age of just 20.

Who is Jelena Ostapenko?

Who is French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko?

The eyes of the tennis world will be on the big-hitting youngster when she graces the All England Club lawns in July, and the Latvian has previous in London, having won the girls' singles title here three years ago.

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Her cards are marked this time, but her composed performance against Simona Halep in Paris proved she can play at a level beyond her years.

Ostapenko factfile

Age: 20

Nationality: Latvian

Current Ranking: 13

Best Wimbledon: 2R (2015)

Sky Bet odds to win: 16/1

Kristina Mladenovic - 33/1 with Sky Bet

Mladenovic is a player on the rise. The 24-year-old is on the verge of breaking into the world's top 10, having picked up her first WTA title in St Petersburg back in February.

The Frenchwoman will be disappointed to have lost three finals since, but she knocked out defending champion Garbine Muguruza at Roland Garros and has also enjoyed wins over Pliskova, Halep and Angelique Kerber this season.

A former Wimbledon winner in the mixed doubles (2013), Mladenovic will be hoping to follow up her impressive stint on clay with a trophy to show for on grass.

Mladenovic enjoyed a run to the quarters at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham, where she lost to the next woman on our list, which is nothing to be ashamed of...

Mladenovic factfile

Age: 24

Nationality: French

Current Ranking: 12

Best Wimbledon: 3R (2015)

Sky Bet odds to win: 25/1

Petra Kvitova - 9/2 with Sky Bet

Kvitova showed great courage and resolve when returning to Grand Slam action at the French Open, having been stabbed in the hand by a knife-wielding intruder at her home back in December.

She required surgery on her playing hand following the attack, but she recovered in time to feature at Roland Garros - where she was knocked out in the second round by Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

Kvitova wins Birmingham title

Petra Kvitova beats Ashleigh Barty to secure first title since return from knife attack

The Czech will not be deterred by that early exit, and the two-time Wimbledon champion heads to London in buoyant mood having won the Aegon Classic in Birmingham which will further boost her hopes of victory at the grass-court Grand Slam.

"I really am looking forward to being there," Kvitova said. "It's a really great tournament for me. I have the best memories which I can have.

"I think that my game still suits on the grass, and I will do my best to be there. I will really enjoy the time to be there."

Kvitova factfile

Age: 27

Nationality: Czech

Current Ranking: 16

Best Wimbledon: Champion (2011, 2014)

Sky Bet odds to win: 9/1

Victoria Azarenka - 33/1 with Sky Bet

Azarenka has not played a grass court major since 2015, having been forced to withdraw from Wimbledon last year due to injury.

The two-time Australian Open champion then took a pregnancy hiatus from July 2016, but the 27-year-old is back in action following the birth of son Leo in December.

Azarenka's first tournament on the WTA Tour this year was at the Mallorca Open, where she was eventually beaten by Ana Konjuh, but the former world No 1 - who is back on a protected ranking - believes the enforced 12-month break can help her become an even better player than before.

"I'm managing my time better now," she said. "I get better quality time now. When it comes to practice I used to get there and talk and laugh, and waste some time. I have a limited time and I need to make the best of it."

Azarenka factfile

Age: 27

Nationality: Belarusian

Current Ranking: N/A

Best Wimbledon: SF (2011, 2012)

Sky Bet odds to win: 12/1

Venus Williams - 14/1 with Sky Bet

At 37, yes, thirty seven­, Williams remains in the hunt for Wimbledon having already reached a Grand Slam final this year.

She was denied a fairy-tale ending by sister Serena on that occasion in Australia, but the veteran certainly has the weapons to threaten at Wimbledon.

Venus is a five-time champion at the All England club, and though the last of those victories came in 2008, there's nothing to say she won't claim a sixth title nine years on.

It would also make her the oldest champion at Wimbledon in more than a century - a fitting end, perhaps, to a glittering career.

Williams factfile

Age: 37

Nationality: American

Current Ranking: 11

Best Wimbledon: Champion (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008)

Sky Bet odds to win: 14/1

For those on the move, we will have Wimbledon covered via our website skysports.com/tennis, our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkySportsTennis to join in the conversation. Who will win The All England Club women's title this summer? Have your say...

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