NEW DELHI: As Wimbledon 2026 approaches, Indian doubles veteran Rohan Bopanna has picked defending champion Jannik Sinner and Elena Rybakina as his favourites to win the men’s and women’s singles titles. Despite calling the field highly competitive, the 46-year-old backed Sinner to retain his crown and believes former champion Rybakina has what it takes to come out on top in the women’s draw.“It’s such a tough question; the field is so open. But I have to go with defending champion Jannik Sinner for the men’s tournament. Among women, I would pick Elena Rybakina,” Bopanna told JioStar.Apart from sharing his predictions, Bopanna also opened up about his emotional connection with Wimbledon, saying the tournament had been a dream since childhood.“Wimbledon is a magical dream because I grew up watching only that. Back home, we only used to watch Wimbledon. In fact, television only broadcasts Wimbledon. So, for me to go there and not only be present but also play on those courts was absolutely amazing,” Bopanna added.“I also played in an era when the three greatest tennis players of our generation, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, were competing. Sharing locker rooms with them and simply being there was better than a dream, actually.”This year’s tournament promises plenty of intrigue. Novak Djokovic is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title and an eighth Wimbledon crown, while players like Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz and Jack Draper are among the contenders.The women’s competition also remains wide open after six different winners emerged across the last six Grand Slams. Iga Swiatek returns hoping to become the first woman since Serena Williams to successfully defend the Wimbledon title, while Serena, who has also gotten a wildcard in the signles following her return to competitive tennis, and Venus Williams are set to reunite in doubles.
