As the action gets under way at the All England Club this week, let us profile five women who have the potential to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish:
Lucie Safarova
A semi-finalist a year ago, Safarova reached the French Open final, toppling Maria Sharapova, Garbine Muguruza and Ana Ivanovic along the way. She pushed Serena Williams in the final and that performance should give her plenty of confidence.
Madison Keys
The American, 20, was picked as Williams’ natural successor by Chris Evert and John McEnroe. An Australian Open semi-finalist, Keys can prove them right with a favourable draw.
Karolina Pliskova
Her draw is not easy with a third-round tie against Samantha Stosur then Lucie Safarova, Maria Sharapova and Williams if the seeds hold. But the Czech, 23, has the weapons to down any player, including a rocket serve, which is invaluable on grass.
Timea Bacsinszky
The Swiss, 26, one of the most creative players on tour, reached the semis of the French Open. If she beats big-serving Sabine Lisicki in the third round, she could go far.
Angelique Kerber
One of a trio of players to win three titles this year, with Williams and Simona Halep, the German’s confidence this season was evident in the Birmingham final against Pliskova, who hit 52 winners.
More Wimbledon preview news:
– ‘Serena Slam’ firmly in sight for dominant Williams despite recent Wimbledon struggles
– Will latest crop of female players follow in the footsteps of past Wimbledon teenage stars?
– Poll: Who will win the 2015 Ladies’ Wimbledon singles title?
arizvi@thenational.ae
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
match info
Chelsea 2
Willian (13'), Ross Barkley (64')
Liverpool 0
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Fanney Khan
Producer: T-Series, Anil Kapoor Productions, ROMP, Prerna Arora
Director: Atul Manjrekar
Cast: Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, Rajkummar Rao, Pihu Sand
Rating: 2/5
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
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