Nick Kyrgios, Milos Raonic, Matteo Berrettini in race to be ready for Wimbledon, but can they challenge?

For Nick Kyrgios, Matteo Berrettini and Milos Raonic, Wimbledon has been the closest they have got to winning a Grand Slam singles title.

Kyrgios made the final last summer, losing to Novak Djokovic in four sets. Berrettini was beaten by the same opponent, and over the same number of sets, the previous year. Raonic was unable to prevent Andy Murray winning a second Wimbledon title in 2016.

All three have booming serves and big groundstrokes that can take opponents out of the equation on grass. The presence of all three will make the Wimbledon draw look stronger.

But combined they have played just 12 tour-level matches this season and all only made their return after long-term injuries at the start of the grass swing.

From once being among the Wimbledon favourites, they now approach the Grand Slam in uncertain circumstances.

Kyrgios said last summer that he felt like he was “right there” at the top after pushing Djokovic close in the Wimbledon final.

But then injury hit and before returning in Stuttgart last week he hadn’t played singles since October. His comeback match was not all that encouraging as he looked below his best physically and was beaten by World No. 66 Wu Yibing.

“It’s a process to get back to where I was,” he wrote on Twitter. “I know it’s hard for you to see me perform like today, but I need more time and hopefully can get back to where I was.”

“As you all know, that tournament means a lot to me and I just want to do everything right by my body,” said the Australian.

Berrettini could have been a Wimbledon contender like Kyrgios last year if a positive Covid-19 test hadn’t cruelly ruled him out on the morning of his first-round match. A few weeks earlier Berrettini had returned on the grass from three months out and won nine matches in a row at Stuttgart and Queen’s.

But his comeback this summer – having missed most of the clay swing – did not go as well as he was beaten 6-1 6-2 by fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego in Stuttgart. Berrettini, for whom it was only a second loss on grass in his last 22 matches, appeared to be in tears as he left the court after the match.

It looks like Wimbledon might come too soon for him to mount another challenge.

Raonic has been away from the tour for far longer than Kyrgios or Berrettini.

After nearly two years out due to injuries, the 32-year-old made an impressive return to the tour against fifth seed Miomir Kecmanovic at the Libema Open, winning 92 per cent (34/37) of points behind his first serve and looking in good shape.

But he also spoke about wanting to return and be a player he would be “proud of” – and that showed in his display against Kecmanovic. Although he lost his next match and pulled out of Queen’s this week due to injury, Raonic looks set to play for Wimbledon, possibly for the final time.

“Wimbledon means the most to me, and I haven’t played it since 2019. I’ll play it one more time. I don’t know what will happen after that, but I’ll play it one more time. It’s also Toronto this year. I grew up 10 minutes from the stadium, that’s another one that’s important to me. I like the idea that I’ll play those at least one more time.”

Raonic has had some of his best career moments on grass, which suits his hard-hitting game. In 2014 he made the Wimbledon semi-finals, losing to Roger Federer, and two years later he beat Federer on his way to making the final, where he lost to Murray. He also made the Queen’s final in 2016 and Stuttgart final in 2018.

He will be hoping to make an impact this summer, as will Kyrgios and Berrettini, but right now it looks a race against time to be ready to go.