Wimbledon 2014: Five big-priced fancies for the women's tournament at SW19

Can in-form Ana Ivanovic go deep at Wimbledon this year?

There is nothing Gary Boswell likes more than a huge-priced grand slam winner and he's passed the obsession on to his son James. With Wimbledon beginning next Monday the younger Boswell has scoured the markets to make his value plays ahead of the action at SW19...

It's that time of year again. The birds are tweeting, the flowers are blooming and the racquets are pinging. The pinnacle of the tennis calendar is almost upon us, and with the Aegon Classic at Edgbaston last week Aegon International at Eastbourne in full flow, the ladies are getting some grass practice in before the gates open at SW19. ***Here's a look at who could go far in the 128th Wimbledon Championships.***

Ana Ivanovic (38.037/1 to win Wimbledon) couldn't have begun the grass season with a better result than last week's win at the Aegon Classic. Notably her first WTA grass court championship win, she was in imperious form, losing only 21 games during a tournament run in which she looked back to her world-beating best. Her form this season has been massively improved, winning three singles titles for the first time in seven years, and she looks in good shape to mount a dangerous charge at this year's third major.

Dominika Cibulkova (160.0159/1) is a player whose star is rising. Beaten finalist in Melbourne, she has an 8-2 record at slams this year and has impressive victories over both Roland Garros finalists, Simona Halep and Maria Sharapova, under her belt, the latter from a set down. An aggressive and mobile player, she shows style and verve when she can, but also knows how to grind out a victory when she's not playing well. On the back of three WTA finals this year, she's a good bet to go deep into the second week and represents a very decent back-to-lay prospect.

Klara Koukalova (who was Zakopalova until very recently) is a player enjoying a renaissance year, having won her first WTA tournament since 2005 in Brazil in April. She's also reached three finals in a year for the first time since 2005. Koukalova loves the grass, reaching the third round of Wimbledon for the last four years, despite patchy performance at the other majors in this time. She is not without a temper, but for the most part this fuels her fire and she will be an interesting proposition for any opponent this year. At 1000.0n/a to back on Betfair there is very little downside to even the most modest of bets. 

Camilla Giorgi (110.0109/1) and Caroline Garcia (150.0149/1) are two young prospects to keep an eye on for this years' Championships. Giorgi will come in on the back of a massive first round win at Eastbourne against Victoria Azarenka, battling back from a set down to best the former Aussie Open champion. She also made her first WTA final in April, beating Sharapova on the way to the BNP final in Katowice. Garcia is a big hitting 21-year-old who won her maiden WTA title in April. With style to match her power, she looks a natural grass court player and both have a good chance of making the second week.

With Laura Robson missing, British hopes lie with Heather Watson (610.0609/1)and Johanna Konta. Watson has had a tough time since her bout of glandular fever, but she looks to be enjoying her game again, beating Tsvetana Pironkova in round one of Eastbourne, so don't dismiss a decent run at SW19 this year. Konta is in good form, but is inexperienced and not a natural grass court player, so the wait for a British winner looks set to continue.

At the top of the betting, 2.6413/8 favourite Serena Williams is obviously no value to win and, after her biggest defeat in grand slams in the first round of Roland Garros, she's never looked more vulnerable. Azarenka, 25.024/1 to win Wimbledon, has played only a handful of tournaments this year due to injury, and looked to be fighting for form against Giorgi. The Belarusian seems unlikely to be fighting fit for a proper run at this year's title. Maria Sharapova (7.26/1) and Simona Halep (17.016/1) both looked magnificent in a wonderful Roland Garros final and both should be hanging around until the end of this tournament. Li Na, (25.024/1), on the other hand, had a stinker at the French and is a good bet to flop at the Championships, after not playing a warm-up tournament in the transition period onto her least successful surface.

Recommended Bets
Ana Ivanovic @ 38.037/1
Camilla Giorgi  @ 110.0109/1
Caroline Garcia @ 150.0149/1
Dominika Cibulkova @ 160.0159/1
Klara Koukalova @ 1000.0n/a