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Fresh off his 19th Grand Slam title at the 2021 French Open, Novak Djokovic will now look to win his 20th major title at Wimbledon. After overtaking the king of clay Rafael Nadal and coming back from two sets down against fifth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas to win the French Open, Djokovic has shown there isn't a challenge he's incapable of overcoming.
With a deep talent pool at Wimbledon, this tournament won't be a cake walk for him by any means. If he wants to earn his 20th major title, then he'll have to battle through some of toughest competition in the world on his way to a record-setting tournament win. With all this said, let's take an in-depth look at three dark-horse contenders who could upset Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon this year.
3 dark-horse contenders at Wimbledon
3. Diego Schwartzman
With a 184-154 singles record, Diego Schwartzman has really climbed up the tennis ranks over the past few years. Currently ranked as the No. 9 seed at Wimbledon, Schwartzman definitely has a puncher's chance to knock off Djokovic. With his nimble movement, baseline forehand, and smooth serve, he brings a style of play that makes for a great counter to Djokovic's speed and power.
Having already competed in multiple majors, this definitely wouldn't be Schwartzman's first rodeo. So if he and Djokovic are to cross paths at Wimbledon, he could be able to take him five sets and pull off a historic upset.
2. Denis Shapovalov
Having already played in three championship matches, Denis Shapovalov has proven himself as a fierce competitor who can roll with the best of them. As a crafty southpaw with a strong net game and a powerful backhand, Shapovolav has the ability to create a strong mismatch with Djokovic.
Previous matchups throughout the course of history have shown that lefties can create the ultimate mismatch for righties, and with Shapovalov's craftiness, he'd be able to wear out Djokovic and take him out of his game. If Novak Djokvoic and Denis Shapovalov do wind up playing each other, then it would come as no surprise to see Shapovalov come out on top.
1. Andy Murray
A two-time Wimbledon champion and former world No. 1, Andy Murray is never to be counted out in any major, but that's especially true at Wimbledon. A place where the game has witnessed his most dominant performances and seen him make history on one of tennis' grandest stages. Murray and Djokovic have faced off in 19 finals (36 times overall), with Djokovic having an 11-8 edge over Murray in finals and 25-11 record overall. However, Murray is 2-0 against Djokovic on grass.
This could give him the edge if they come face-to-face once again at Wimbledon. Winner of three Grand Slams, 14 Masters, two gold medals, and an ATP title, Andy Murray has the experience, power, and endurance to match Djokovic inch for inch and pull off a huge upset. After all, he has done it before and has had the upper hand against him on grass.
If there's anybody in this tournament who can overtake world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, then it's definitely former world No. 1 and two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray. His prior achievements and perseverance on some of tennis' biggest stages are make what make him the biggest threat to dethroning Djokovic. If one thing is certain, it's that Murray is capable of overachieving and defying the odds.
