In Professional Golf, The Masters is the gold standard. In horse racing, the Crown Jewel is the Kentucky Derby. The World Series, the Super Bowl, the National Championship Game in College Football, the Final Four in College Basketball, the NBA Championship, New York, New York, and the Stanley Cup, all of these define true excellence in sports. You’d have to add the World Cup in there as this year has been electric with superstar after superstar; Messi, Mbappe, Ronaldo, and the riveting U.S. team that has advanced to the Round of 32, the knockout round, where it will face Bosnia-Herzegovina this coming Wednesday, 7/1, at 7 P.M. CT/8 ET on FOX.

The 139th Championships, Wimbledon, which begin this Monday, is right in the thick of that elite company of championships. This year’s storylines are superb. Can the premier player in the sport outside the injured Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, defend his Wimbledon title successfully, and win his fifth Grand Slam title with the French Open the only major missing from his resume. Sinner had a disappointing French Open, losing in the round of 64 to Juan Manuel Cerundolo of Argentina after suffering from the heat. Will he be able to handle the unusual heat in London this week will be a question mark for Sinner, though it won’t be as hot in week one, but week 2 it gets hotter.

Novak Djokovic takes another swing at winning Slam number 25 and breaking the all time record over Margaret Court in men’s and women’s tennis. The 39 year old still has a lot of game, but Father time catches up to all athletes, and he’s playing on borrowed time right now. However, he’s been spectacular at Wimbledon with seven titles. His Wimbledon victory came in 2022, four years ago. Alexander Zverev is coming off his first Slam title at Roland Garros. It helped him that he didn’t have to face Sinner or the injured Alcaraz, so we’ll see how he fares with a more competitive field in the third Grand Slam of the season.

How can Americans Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul, among others perform in what has been a vastly improved American contingent in professional tennis over the past two or three years. That should be a riveting storyline.

On the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka goes for major number 5, but has never won at Wimbledon.

After suffering an insufferable heat wave in Europe over the past two weeks that caused several fatalities throughout the continent, it’s going to neutralize weather wise with temperatures in the mid to high 70’s at least in week 1. But it will get hotter in week two.

TV

Coverage on ESPN starts this Monday at 5 A.M. CT/6 ET for the early rounds and continues until usually 3 CT/ 4 ET every day for the next two weeks. The Women’s Semis on ESPN are Thursday, July 9th, starting at 7 A.M. CT/8 ET. The Men’s Semis are Friday, 7/10, on ESPN, commencing at 7 A.M. CT/8 ET.

The Women’s Final Saturday, 7/11, on ESPN is at 10 A.M. CT/11 ET, with Breakfast at Wimbledon an hour before, 9 A.M. CT/10 ET.

The Men’s Final Sunday, 7/12, on ESPN, begins at 10 A.M. CT/11 ET, with Breakfast at Wimbledon at 9 A.M. CT/10 ET. John McEnroe may still be hungover from the Knicks winning the NBA Championship. I was in New York the night the Knicks won it. It was historically electrifying. One of the better fraternity parties I’ve ever been to.

Predictions

Men’s Semifinals

Ben Shelton over Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3

Like both of these aspiring American players very much. Even if Ben wins in three sets, it’ll be competitive.

Sinner over Novak, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2

Jannik outlasts the great one.

Championship Sunday

Ben looks primed to win a Slam very soon, but I like the 24 year old Italian to get the job done, but in a highly competitive match.

Sinner over Shelton, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3

Champion

Jannik Sinner

Women’s Final

Elena Rybakina over Aryna Sabalenka, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (12-10, 10 point tiebreaker in third set of women, 5th set of men.)

I’m going to go with the 27 year old from Kazakhstan who has won Wimbledon in 2022, and won the Australian Open this past January. She’ll deny the 28 year old Belarus native another chance at winning at The Championships.

Champion: Elena Rybakina