Experts preview Wimbledon women’s draw

“In essence it’s a great time to be playing on the women’s tour, because you need a little opening sometimes.”

That’s Alicia Molik’s view on the current state of the women’s game – and it’s set the stage for a Wimbledon championships at which several players are a genuine shot for the title.

We spoke to the former world No.8, who is now Australia’s Fed Cup captain, about how she sees the women’s tournament unfolding at SW19 over the next two weeks, and asked the same questions of Nicole Pratt, a former world No.35 and now head of Australian women’s tennis.

Defending champion Serena Williams is missing. Who is the favourite in her absence?

In another wide-open women’s Grand Slam field, several players can genuinely stake a claim for title favouritism.

But a couple of players have appeared at the top of the list in the eyes of tennis’s bookies, fans, media and former players.

“The player who knows how to win at Wimbledon is Petra Kvitova,” says Pratt.

“She showed very good form in Birmingham – when challenged she was able to shift into a different gear. She is eager as this is only her third tournament after the attack late last year. She is a champion who has extra motivation and desire to take a third title at Wimbledon.”

Yet many believe another Czech – Karolina Pliskova – is likely to storm to her first Grand Slam title at the All England Club.

RELATED: Pliskova confirms favouritism with Eastbourne title

Molik is among them.

“It’s really tough but I immediately start to think of someone like a Pliskova, who’s a great ball-striker and timer of the ball, plus with that incredible service they she possesses,” she says.

“Wimbledon can be tough too with the variance in conditions over two weeks, with things like rain delays – and that’s where Pliskova has a great amount of quality. She’s pretty level, not too much distracts her, emotionally she’s pretty level.

“I think that’s the type of character it takes to win Wimbledon.”

Which players’ games best suit the grass courts at the All England Club?

With just five weeks of tournaments on grass each year, it’s a niche surface.

Players can adjust to grass’s unique demands and tweak their games accordingly, yet some have games which simply gel well with lawn tennis from the get-go.

“It’s the players who can play big and finish points – someone like Garbine Muguruza has been there before,” Molik says. “(Yet) I don’t think you can discount the retrievers either though. Caroline Wozniacki has really stepped up I feel this year.”

WOMEN’S PREVIEW: top seed Kerber lands in stacked quarter

For Pratt, it’s about more than simply technique and tactics that contribute to success at SW19.

“It’s not so much about their games in my opinion – it comes down to their belief and mentality on the grass,” she says.

“The grass favours the brave and if I had to say which type of player the grass suits, it’s the heavy hitters, those who like to take the first strike and who can serve their way out of tough situations.”

Jelena Ostapenko was a truly surprise winner in Paris. Will there be a similar shock at Wimbledon, or will the tournament revert more to ranking and form?

Both Pratt and Molik believe the entire field will be sensing a golden opportunity to go deep at Wimbledon and be in with a genuine shot at the title.

“Ostapenko proved that it’s possible,” Pratt says.

Molik thinks Ostapenko is in with a shot of claiming the trophy at her second straight Slam.

“It can absolutely happen again at Wimbledon. Ostapenko was a surprise winner but I think the biggest surprise for me was at such a young age handling the occasion and the obstacles with such maturity,” she says.

“There were so many matches (in Paris) where she was down and out completely … yet she did something not many young players can do, and that’s keep believing.”

Is the wide-open field is a good thing for the women’s game because of the uncertainty and intrigue at every tournament, or does it hurt the game because of a lack of rivalries, consistency and dominance?

The flip-side of the draw’s openness is the possibility that the form and results of the French Open will count for naught when the players arrive in London.

Few things have frustrated fans more than the apparent inability of many promising players to fail to produce consistently good results – their form has resembled flashes of brilliance, rather than steady excellence.

Yet it does offer a layer of mystery – one genuinely doesn’t know how a tournament will unfold.

And both Molik and Pratt say this is a good thing.

WOODBRIDGE: Where is the next WTA champion?

“The crowds always have their favourites … and typically those in the past have been Serena and Sharapova and the press gallery follow them like no tomorrow,” Molik says.

“But I think the intrigue is important in women’s tennis because the level is still there – and you make a point of the rivalries, they aren’t there – but that’s not always what makes women’s tennis exciting.

“I think everyone loves a dark horse, everyone loves a new winner, everyone’s intrigued by someone like Ostapenko – she will get a big following at Wimbledon because people will want to know exactly what she’s like, on court and off court.”

Adds Pratt: “It’s an exciting time in women’s tennis. There are vibrant, charismatic players; the next generation of champions in the making.

“There are so many storylines to be written and I can’t wait to see what is inked this year in the history books of Wimbledon.”