Wimbledon’s Russian, Belarusian Bans Impact Odds

Wimbledon’s decision to not allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at the All-England Tennis Club this summer has had a major impact on the Wimbledon betting odds.

No. 2 Daniil Medvedev was previously the second-favorite on the men’s side behind Novak Djokovic, while No. 4 Aryna Sabalenka was tied as the third-favorite on the women’s side behind Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka.

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CURRENT MEN’S WIMBLEDON ODDS

• NOVAK DJOKOVIC +110
• MATTEO BERRETTINI +800
• RAFAEL NADAL +800
• STEFANOS TSITSIPAS +1000
• ALEXANDER ZVEREV +1000
• CARLOS ALCARAZ +1000
• DENIS SHAPOVALOV +1200

The absence of Daniil Medvedev hasn’t affected Novak Djokovic’s odds to win Wimbledon. Djokovic was +110 to win the major before the ban was announced on Wednesday, but the oddsmakers did not shift him into even money territory.

Instead, the odds for the other contenders to win Wimbledon have fallen. Matteo Berrettini and Rafael Nadal were both 10-1 to win Wimbledon prior to the announcement, and they have seen their odds drop. The player that might benefit the most though is Alexander Zverev.

Zverev was 14-1 to win the third major of the season, but he is now down to 10-1. He has never advanced further than the fourth round at Wimbledon, yet he has reached the semifinals of the other three majors over the last two years. Zverev is currently ranked No. 3 in the world.

CURRENT WOMEN’S WIMBLEDON ODDS

• IGA SWIATEK +350
• NAOMI OSAKA +600
• ANETT KONTAVEIT +1000
• EMMA RADUCANU +1000
• SIMONA HALEP +1200
• KAROLINA PLISKOVA +1200
• PETRA KVITOVA +1400

This could have been the year that Aryna Sabalenka won her first major. Sabalenka made it to the semifinals of Wimbledon and the US Open last year, and she seemed poised for a breakthrough. However, the 23-year-old from Belarus will not be in England for the strawberries and cream this summer.

That has led to the odds for Iga Swiatek to win Wimbledon dropping significantly. Swiatek was +550 to win this event prior to the expulsion of Sabalenka, but she is now down to +350. The 2020 French Open champion is only 20 and made the semifinals of the Australian Open, and she seems set to be the next superstar in women’s tennis.