Only two women playing in the Wimbledon singles tournament this year have won the singles title.
Neither of them is Serena Williams, which makes for quite a career opportunity.
“When Serena is not around, the field is definitely wide open,” said Martina Navratilova, the nine-time Wimbledon singles champion who once was even more dominant than the seven-time champion Williams at the All England Club.
With Williams pregnant and out until at least next season, the two former champions in the draw are Petra Kvitova and Williams’s older sister, Venus.
Both Venus Williams and Kvitova, for different reasons, will be sentimental favorites.