World number one Iga Swiatek is set to make a significant impact at Wimbledon, a tournament that has traditionally been her weakest surface. After an impressive clay court season, which underscored her dominance in women's tennis, the Polish star faces a formidable challenge from competitors like Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina.

Swiatek, fresh from her third consecutive French Open title, has been unbeaten in 19 matches leading up to Wimbledon. Despite her prowess on clay, Swiatek has not yet played a grass-court warm-up event, having withdrawn from Berlin to rest. Her best Wimbledon performance was last year's quarter-final, and while she doesn't yet have the grass-court credentials of some rivals, her 2018 junior title at Wimbledon shows potential.

Swiatek acknowledges the difficulty in transitioning from clay to grass, saying, "The balls are different. Overall tennis is different on grass. I'll just see and I'll work hard to play better there." Despite the challenges, many believe it's only a matter of time before Swiatek masters grass courts.

Aryna Sabalenka, the world number three, is poised to challenge Swiatek on Wimbledon’s faster courts. Sabalenka showcased her powerful tennis by winning the Australian Open in January without dropping a set. Despite missing Wimbledon in 2022 due to the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, she reached the semi-finals in 2021 and last year. However, her recent retirement from the Berlin grass-court tournament due to shoulder and neck issues raises questions about her fitness.

Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, and Coco Gauff, last year’s US Open winner, are also strong contenders. Ons Jabeur, a two-time Wimbledon finalist, aims to finally clinch the title after reaching the final in the past two years. Reigning champion Marketa Vondrousova, the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon last year, now faces the pressure of defending her title.

This year's Wimbledon will feature four Grand Slam champions with wild cards: Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber, Emma Raducanu, and Caroline Wozniacki, three of whom are mothers. Osaka and Kerber returned from maternity leave at the start of the season. Osaka, who last played at Wimbledon in 2019, recently reached her first grass-court quarterfinal since 2018. Kerber, with a history of success at Wimbledon, is currently ranked 221st. Raducanu, who burst onto the scene in 2021, missed last year's tournament due to surgery. Wozniacki, a former world number one, has never gone beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon but brings valuable experience to the field.

As Wimbledon 2024 kicks off, these storylines and rivalries promise an exciting and competitive tournament.