Is that strawberries I see in the shops? Why, it must be time for Wimbledon; that ever-so English sporting event, where the local gentry are none too pleased with all of the grunting that the women get up to. And that’s just on the court. It’s just not cricket. Thank god.

This year, centre court has an ace new roof, a Brit may win the men’s and it looks like the rain may stay away. At least the women’s (sorry Wimbledon still calls them ladies) is pretty predictable as it looks like those Williams sisters will be courting the trophy.

There are a few ladies, whose names all end in ‘ova’ (is this a female reproductive thing or just an Eastern European thing?) who could rock the boat, but let’s have a look at the contenders.

Venus Williams – She’s long, she’s leggy and she’s one hell of an athlete. It goes against type that a woman (sorry lady) so tall should be so good on fast, grass courts where the ball can hang so low, but Venus is like a cow – she thrives on grass. She has five Wimbledon titles (including last year) and it looks like this year could be number six.

Ranked third in the world, Venus is one of the court’s biggest hitters – she holds the record for fastest serve in all four Grand Slam tournaments and at Wimbledon in 2008, her average first serve speed was 115 mph in the quarterfinal, 116 mph in the semifinal, and 111 mph in the final.

Serena Williams - It looks like little sister could be the only one to clip Venus’ wings. Currently ranked 2 in the world, this just might be the year Serena steps up to the plate and serve up a cracker. It’s not like she doesn’t know what winning feels like. Serena is the most recent player, male or female, to hold all four Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously. She is also the only active female player to have won all four Grand Slam tournaments during her career (one French Open, two Wimbledon, four Australian and three US Opens).  She also has won more Grand Slams than any active player.

Serena’s game is good for grass. She’s a baseline player who knows how to volley and her overhead has to be seen to be believed. In recent times, she’s been accused of letting her off-court business take over from work on the court, but not this year. Watch your back big sis.

Dinara Safina - Top seed and last year’s French Open champion, Dinara has been runner up in this year’s French and Australian Opens and is chomping at the bit to win in London. She has a lot to prove as she is ranked 1 in the world without having won a major title, much to the chagrin of some of the players.

Dinara is another aggressive baseline-player with a big and heavy forehand, but she also has a flat and heavy backhand which can kill on grass.  Dinara is a bit of a conundrum as her main weakness is her mental toughness, particularly in Grand Slam finals when she can be flaky. However, she is the queen of the come-back, managing to drag games back from the brink. She’ll be exciting to watch.
Svetlana Kuznetsova – Winner of the French Open, she has been runner up in Slam events over the past couple of years. Svetlana has been bubbling under the surface for a while but, with the French win under her belt, could be ready to press forward.

She has a very strong serve and a Steffi-esque forehand. Plus Svetlana is one of the physically strongest players on the tour. Her weakness, though, is her nerve. She has all of the physical ability but the voices in her head can, and have, lost her matches.

Maria Sharapova – Maria is seen on the circuit as the nearly-woman. She has all of the talent of her co-players but never really reached her potential. Which is a bit unfair when you consider she has won three Grand Slam titles, including Wimbledon. Over the past couple of years though, injuries have plagued her. In 2007, Sharapova began to suffer from a right shoulder injury and underwent surgery, not playing a professional singles match from August 2008 to May 2009.

If she’s fit and injury free, Maria could be out to prove herself. She is a power baseline player, with power, depth, and angles on her forehand and backhand. What she’s most famous for, though, is her grunt. But, hey, if it wins you titles, why not?

Victoria Azarenka – Seeded 8 at Wimbledon, Victoria (right) is another pretender to the throne who could turn a few heads in London. She’s not known for fantastic grass play, but has won at  Eastbourne so she has it in her.

Sam Stosur -  Sam is a doubles specialist but has been coming along well in singles tournaments. As the delectable Sue Barker puts it, “I think she has one of the best serves in women’s tennis, she’s an attacker, a great doubles player and getting to the semis of the French was a major breakthrough for her. One everyone will want to avoid.”

Caroline Wozniack -Another ousider, this Dane might just be great. Caroline (left) is seeded 9 at this event, but I have a feeling she could get into the semis. Wozniak is one for the future, and unless injury strikes will definitely be a champion in the in years to come.

For more information visit www.wimbledon.org.