Wimbledon 2022: Women's draw analysis, preview and prediction

Serena Williams' long-awaited comeback is only one of several stories developing in the lead up to the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, which is scheduled to be played at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club between June 27 – July 10.

Iga Swiatek will be the top seed at this year's tournament, which will feature four former champions, in addition to Serena Williams — Petra Kvitova, Simona Halep, Garbine Muguruza and Angelique Kerber.

The likes of Coco Gauff and Emma Raducanu will also look to make their presence felt on the big stage, as will last year's Wimbledon finalist Karolina Pliskova. With main draw action set to begin on Monday, here is a look at the prospects of the top names in the fray.

1st quarter: Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula on a collision course

Iga Swiatek will look to continue her unbeaten run at Wimbledon.

Top seeded players: (1) Iga Swiatek, (8) Jessica Pegula, (9) Garbiñe Muguruza and (13) Barbora Krejcikova and Elena Rybakina (17)

Dark horse: Bianca Andreescu

The Wimbledon draw has awarded plenty of breathing room to top seed Iga Swiatek, who will play her first grasscourt match of the season against qualifier Jana Fett. A potential second-round clash against Danka Kovinic remains a winnable match-up on paper, despite the Montenegrin having asked the Pole a few questions in Paris.

The first real test for Siwatek could come in the third round, with seasoned campaigners Alize Cornet or Yuali Putinseva looming. The two have staged a fair few upsets at SW19 over the years, and with Cornet having struck form in Bad Homburg, things could get interesting.

For Barbora Krejcikova, Swiatek's projected fourth-round opponent, the path is extremely precarious. If she was to come through her opener against Maryna Zanevska, she could find herself in a rematch from last year against the ever-dangerous Andrea Petkovic. Things do not get any easier for Krejickova with the versatile Jil Teichmann potentially awaiting in the next round.

Garbine Muguruza is one of the five former Wimbledon champions in the draw.

Ninth seed Garbine Muguruza is also set to be tested at just about every stage of the tournament. One of the five former champions in the draw, she faces Greet Minnen in the opening round and could run into fellow Major winner Sloane Stephens in her second match.

The winner of a likely second-round contest between the big-serving Elena Rybakina and another Grand Slam champion, Bianca Andreescu, awaits the Spaniard in the third round. The Canadian, who made her first grass semifinal at Bad Homburg in the lead-up, could stage a surprise or two in the section.

Jessica Pegula, the other top seed in the quarter, has a relatively straightforward path leading up to the last 16. She could use some of the early matches to fine-tune her game.

Prediction: Iga Swiatek def. Jessica Pegula

2nd quarter: Former champions Serena Williams, Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep land in the quarter of death

Petra Kvitova has lifted the Wimbledon trophy twice before.

Top seeded players: (4) Paula Badosa, (6) Karolina Pliskova, (11) Coco Gauff and (16) Simona Halep

Dark horse: Serena Williams

Fourth seed Paula Badosa has an uphill task to come through a quarter of death, which features three former champions — Petra Kvitova, Simona Halep and Serena Williams.

The Spaniard does have an easy path until the third round, where she could face the two-time former winner Kvitova. Having struggled for match wins for most of the season, the Czech caught lightning in a bottle to make the last four at Eastbourne and will come into the tournament high on confidence.

Kvitova opens against a dogged Jasmine Paolini and will take on either the big-hitting Dayana Yastremska or the tenacious Ana Bogdan in the second. Solid wins in the early rounds could boost the southpaw's chances of making it deep at her favorite Slam.

Elsewhere in the section, Camila Giorgi, Simona Halep and Karolina Muchova will slug it out for the other fourth-round spot. The latter two are locked in a marquee first-round encounter and the winner there will fancy their chances of a strong run.

Williams will be looking to make a successful comeback at Wimbledon.

The second quarter will also see Serena Williams make her long-awaited comeback. The American opens against Harmony Tan and the first projected seed in Williams' path is Sara Sorribes Tomro, who possesses one of the most consistent games on the tour.

If Williams comes through the test, she will face Karolina Pliskova in the third round. The Czech, who reached the final at Wimbledon last year, will first have a shot at avenging her loss to an in-form Katie Boulter in a likely second-round meeting.

Another player who will have the spotlight firmly on her is Coco Gauff, who seems destined for a third-round encore against fellow American Amanda Anisimova. The two youngsters employ similarly power-packed games and are more than capable of wreaking havoc in the draw.

Prediction: Petra Kvitova def. Coco Gauff

3rd quarter: Ons Jabeur eyes Wimbledon success, Emma Raducanu leads British charge

Emma Raducanu returns to Wimbledon as a top-10 seed.

Top seeded players: (3) Ons Jabeur, (10) Emma Raducanu, (7) Danielle Collins and (15) Angelique Kerber

Dark horse: Kaia Kanepi

Twelve months after being catapulted to worldwide attention during her fourth-round run at Wimbledon, Emma Raducanu returns home as a Grand Slam champion and top-10 seed.

Raducanu is surrounded by a host of Brits, but, if fully fit, should hold an edge over Alison van Uytvanck and potentially Carlone Garcia. The flat-hitting Madison Keys could pose a few problems for the home favorite in the third round.

Speaking of flat-hitting Americans, seventh seed Danielle Collins and Alison Riske find themselves on a collision course in the section.

Ons Jabeur will be eyeing Grand Slam success as one of highest seeds at Wimbledon.

Ons Jabeur, who will be looking to move past her disappointing French Open exit, has been handed a fairly easy draw with only a potential third-round match-up against the big-hitting Kaia Kanepi standing in her path to the second week.

Former champion Angelique Kerber opens up against an out-of-sorts Kristina Mladenovic but could face a test against Magda Linette in the second.

A win in the second round would potentially book her a meeting against Elise Mertens, who has a straightforward path leading up to that stage.

Prediction: Ons Jabeur def. Emma Raducanu

4th quarter: Anett Kontaveit, Jelena Ostapenko, Maria Sakkari & Belinda Bencic crowd an open quarter

Maria Sakkari will look to rediscover her form at Wimbledon.

Top seeded players: (2) Anett Kontaveit, (5) Maria Sakkari, (12) Jelena Ostapenko and (14) Belinda Bencic

Dark horse: Beatriz Haddad Maia

Maria Sakkari has struggled for match wins since reaching the final at Indian Wells. Her grasscourt campaigns have also come to an abrupt end, but she has a few easy rounds to fine-tune her game.

If the Greek was to win against Zoe Hives, she would play the winner of a resurgent Daria Saville or Viktoriya Tomova — who recently reached the quarterfinals at Eastbourne.

A potential third-round match against Sorana Cirstea could prove tricky, but the biggest threat looming in her section has to be Jelena Ostapenko. The Latvian will enter the tournament high on confidence and could build momentum over the early rounds.

Anett Kontaveit is the second seed at Wimbledon.

Anett Kontaveit will also look to get the form going against Bernada Pera and potentially Wang Xinyu early. She will need to find her stride as an increasingly confident-looking Amhelina Kalinina — who has wins over the likes of Maria Sakkari and Sorana Cirstea to show for — looms in the third round.

Another major threat in the section is Belinda Bencic, the projected fourth-round opponent for Kontaveit.

Bencic possesses incredible grasscourt acumen and could pose a serious threat to any opponent on her day. She will, however, need to be wary of a red-hot Beatriz Haddad Maia — a player who has more grasscourt wins than any other player this season.

Prediction: Belinda Bencic def. Jelena Ostapenko

Predidction for semifinals

Iga Swiatek def. Petra Kvitova

Ons Jabeur def. Belinda Bencic

Prediction for the final

Ons Jabeur def. Iga Swiatek