For all her achievements over the last few seasons, Iga Swiatek remains largely unproven on grass courts.
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But the world No.1 will have a golden opportunity to claim a maiden Wimbledon title with her rivals hampered by injuries and illness.
The five-times major champion has been an unstoppable force since inheriting the top ranking following Ash Barty's retirement in 2022, but none of the 22 titles in her cabinet have come on the sport's slickest surface.
Fresh from her fourth French Open title, and amid a 19-match winning streak stretching back to May, the 23-year-old will head to the All England Club primed to go past the quarter-finals for the first time.
Swiatek will have to adapt quickly to her least-favourite surface after choosing to skip tune-up events and stay fresh for the year's third grand slam.
The fate of several fancied players appears to have justified her decision.
Defending Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova sustained an injury after slipping during a match at last week's Berlin Open, while Australian Open winner and world No.3 Aryna Sabalenka retired from the same tournament with a shoulder problem.
Ons Jabeur's campaign in Germany was cut short due to illness, and last year's Wimbledon runner-up was joined in the sick bay by 2022 champion Elena Rybakina - leaving Coco Gauff as the only other top contender enjoying an incident-free run.
"I had these ideas, like doing a pre-season on grass so I can learn how to play there," Swiatek said shortly after her Roland Garros triumph.
"Last year's result was pretty nice. I feel like every year it's easier for me to adapt to grass.
"The biggest progress I can make on grass now is using my serves that were better but also I don't expect a lot.
"The balls are different. Overall tennis is different on grass. I'll just see and I'll work hard to play better there."
Sabalenka had reached at least the semi-finals of six grand slams going back to 2022 before the ailing Belarusian was beaten in the last eight at Roland Garros.
She will represent a huge threat to Swiatek if fully fit.
One of the few players on the WTA tour who can match Sabalenka's big hitting is Rybakina, and the Moscow-born Kazakh will welcome a return to the venue of her greatest triumph as she bids for a second grand slam title.
Jabeur will continue her quest to become the first Arab and African woman to claim a maiden major but conceded in Paris that US Open champion Gauff was emerging as the most likely to join Swiatek, Sabalenka and Rybakina in a women's 'big four'.
Gauff, who has not crossed the fourth round at Wimbledon, is another player eyeing a breakthrough at the July 1-14 major.
She warmed up with a run to the Berlin semis, where she lost to fellow American and eventual champion Jessica Pegula.
Local favourite and 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu has been handed a wildcard, with British hopes also resting on the shoulders of Katie Boulter - the partner of Ausasie favourite Alex de Minaur - who successfully defended her Nottingham title this month.
Australian Associated Press
