This article is part of our Tennis Picks series.
A Wimbledon women's singles draw that started with 128 players is down to just two. Neither have been here before, though one is certainly a less surprising finalist than the other on paper. In practice, both have overcome every obstacle put before them up to this point, but only one will have her name etched in the history books as the 2022 Wimbledon women's singles champion. The listed odds for this championship match are taken from DraftKings Sportsbook, but you may be able to find more favorable odds on your player of choice by checking other mobile sportsbooks such as FanDuel, BetMGM or Caesars.
Ons Jabeur (-165) vs. Elena Rybakina (+135)
Prior to this tournament, neither of these women had been to a Grand Slam semifinal. They both overcame that hurdle on the first attempt and find themselves one match away from the Wimbledon title. Rybakina has dropped only one set all tournament and just overpowered Simona Halep 6-3, 6-3 in her previous match. Jabeur has also won rather comfortably in every match up to this point, following up four consecutive straight-sets victories with a pair of convincing 6-1 third sets, most recently beating Tatjana Maria 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. Jabeur is ranked No. 2 while Rybakina's 23rd in the world. While Jabeur will face more pressure as the favorite in this match, it's hard to predict how either player will react to playing in a Grand Slam final for the first time.
Rybakina is lucky to even be playing considering Wimbledon made the controversial decision to ban all players who represent Russia. The Russian tennis federation's lack of belief in the Moscow-born Rybakina has turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as she's among a handful of players who were instead offered better opportunities by Kazakhstan as teenagers in exchange for playing under the Kazakh flag as a pro. The 23-year-old leads the WTA Tour in aces this year and backs up her big serve with plenty of power off the ground. Rybakina will look to control rallies from her very first shot and run Jabeur from side to side.
This match will be a contrast in styles, as Rybakina has more power while Jabeur possesses exquisite touch and finesse. The 27-year-old Tunisian will use plenty of slices and drop shots keep the 6-foot Rybakina moving and bending. Jabeur has won 22 of her last 24 matches, including all 11 grass-court matches she's played in this terrific stretch. We have been waiting for a clear No. 2 player to emerge behind Iga Swiatek, and Jabeur has done just that. She'll look to put an exclamation point on her recent run of success by securing her first Grand Slam title. Rybakina won the first match between these two in 2019, while Jabeur took both subsequent encounters in 2021, though the latter victory was due to a Rybakina retirement.
Prediction:
Jabeur defeats Rybakina 7-5, 2-6, 6-4
