Wimbledon Preview 2026

It is Wimbledon time! Dan is Joined by the ever present Freddie Nielsen, Denmark Davis Cup Captain and 2012 Wimbledon doubles champion, and Kieran Vorster, S&C coach and one of the sharpest minds in the game, currently working with Henry Searle and Dan Evans among others.There is plenty to get into before a ball has even been struck, from retirements and comebacks to doping bans and prize money rows.You will have to listen to find out who they are backing, and there are a couple of calls in there that might surprise you!Key talking points:Dan Evans retires from singles and misses out on a Wimbledon singles wild card, with Kieran and Freddie paying tribute to his career and discussing what he brings to coaching, and whether the communication around the wild card decision was handled well.Vondrousova was banned for four years after refusing a doping test outside her guaranteed whereabouts window, with the panel breaking down the rules, the context and whether the punishment fits the circumstances.Wimbledon prize money is up twenty percent but Kieran has the actual numbers to show it still only represents around twelve percent of turnover, and why the players may be pushing for change in the wrong place.Serena Williams gets a wild card into the singles draw and faces Maya Joint in the first round, with the panel debating whether she can win a match and what her return means for the sport.Women's dark horses and winner picks across both draws, with some bold calls and a couple of genuine outside shouts you will not want to miss.Men's draw highlights including Fritz versus Draper, Fonseca versus Felix Auger-Aliassime, Kyrgios and Bublik paired together in the doubles, and a fascinating and heated debate on whether Djokovic can go deep again.The introduction of video review on the show courts at Wimbledon and what difference it will actually make.Chapters00:00 Welcome and introduction03:00 Dan Evans, his retirement and the wild card debate10:00 Vondrousova and the four year doping ban16:00 Wimbledon prize money and the twenty percent increase24:00 Serena Williams wild card and first round draw32:00 Women's dark horses and winner picks42:00 Men's draw, dark horses and first round highlights52:00 The Djokovic debate56:00 Video review at Wimbledon and storylines to watchAlso, CTC Wimbledon Live Shows ARE BACK!. Live on YouTube and uploaded on all podcast platforms!THE backstage pass to Wimbledon 2026, through the eyes of the coaches and insiders living it from the inside.Each evening at 9 pm UK time throughout the fortnight!Watch Live here: CTC YouTube Segments include:Wimbledon Stories - Where Wimbledon icons join as guests each episode to tell their most memorable championship stories!The “Major” Moments - Talking about all the big talking points of the day's Wimbledon action! Brought to you by SotoTennis Academy.Tennis Athlete’s Player Of The Day - Deciding the best player with the best performance of the day! Brought to you by Tennis Athlete.Quick Fire Round - A Wimbledon-themed set of rapid questions!Dear Dan - Where Dan answers your questions! Any questions, including the experience at Wimbledon, coaching advice, behind-the-scenes questions, anything you want!Send in your questions for Dan via our live comment section or our Instagram DM:CTC Instagram here 🔗Train Smarter Anywhere: Strength & Conditioning for Tennis Players On the Go 🎾For players who don’t always have access to in-person coaching, progress doesn’t have to stop. TennisAthlete is an online Strength & Conditioning platform, designed specifically for tennis players who want structured, affordable and flexible training. Wherever they are in the world. TennisAthlete helps you stay consistent, improve performance, and train with purpose. Train smarter. Anywhere.TennisAthleteThank you everyone for listening!Never miss a Wimbledon live show this fortnight!