Wimbledon preview roundtable
PHOTOS: Serena, Sharapova, more at WTA Wimbledon party
Wertheim: Um ... U.S. resident Maria Sharapova? San Diego's Jelena Jankovic? The rankings say No. 17 Stephens. Momentum might suggest Mattek-Sands, who has done a convincing impersonation of a top-20 player in 2013. I'm curious, though, to see what Keys can do. She's clearly the future and while, like most teens, she lacks experience on grass, her game ought to translate well. It will be interesting to see if the U.S. success in Paris sustains, or whether there will be a regression to the mean.
Wertheim: How do you pick against Serena? The last time she played Wimbledon, she won. The last time she played on grass (the 2012 Olympics), other players were struggling to win games. Yes, Venus isn't there. Yes, she can have an off day. Yes, she can self-sabotage. Yes, a magazine article quoting her making impertinent remarks about a topic du jour (Brazil's class divide? Drones? The Voice?) can provide a distraction. But, realistically, it's her title to lose.