Serena Williams
If the recent French Open is anything to go by, the women's title could be anyone's for the taking, but few would bet against Serena Williams claiming her sixth Wimbledon singles crown. The American was convincingly beaten by Spain's Garbine Muguruza in the second round at Roland Garros, where the top three seeds were all eliminated before the quarter-finals. Despite that recent setback, it is difficult to argue against Williams' Wimbledon record - the 32-year-old has won three of the last five stagings. That said, last year's title defence was ended by Germany's Sabine Lisicki in the fourth round, with Marion Bartoli, who has since retired, eventually going on to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish.
Maria Sharapova
This year's queen of the clay has made a stunning return to form since struggling with a shoulder injury earlier in the season, proving her form with victory in Paris earlier this month. It has now been a decade since the Russian won her one and only Wimbledon crown, as a 17-year-old, but she has since gone on to complete a career Grand Slam. A second-round exit to qualifier Michelle Larcher de Brito at SW19 last year should only provide extra motivation for Sharapova, who has not made it beyond the fourth round since reaching the final in 2011. The five-time grand slam champion has proved she is still capable of performing on the biggest stage, the real challenge will be sustaining that form.
Simona Halep
Romania's Simona Halep has been the revelation of 2014 in women's tennis. Having broken into the world's top 10 earlier this year, the 22-year-old became her country's highest-ranked player of all time when she climbed to fifth in March. But there was more to follow for Halep, who turned in a string of impressive displays on her way to reaching the French Open final without conceding a set. Halep eventually lost the final to Sharapova, as she did at the Madrid Open in May, but she now sits third in the world rankings and looks set to be a force over the coming seasons. The Constanta native should be confident of bettering her previous best of reaching the second round at Wimbledon last year and in 2011.
Petra Kvitova
Since winning this title in 2011, Petra Kvitova has failed to make it to a grand slam final. The Czech defeated Sharapova on Centre Court to claim her one and only major trophy three years ago, being eliminated at the hands of eventual champion Williams at the quarter-final stage a year later. A quarter-final exit against Kirsten Flipkens followed in 2013, and Kvitova will be keen to bounce back from first- and third-round exits at this year's Australian and French Opens respectively. Despite her lack of form, Kvitova is one of just four women in this year's draw to have won Wimbledon, and that experience could just give her an edge.
Victoria Azarenka
Belarus' Victoria Azarenka has unfinished business at Wimbledon. Having put herself among the elite of the women's game and reached the semi-finals at the All England Club in 2011 and 2012, her campaign was cruelly cut short by a knee injury before the second round last year. And Azarenka's injury woes have returned to blight her build-up to the 2014 tournament, being forced to pull out of the French Open with a recurring foot problem. This year's problems have seen her drop out of the world's top three for the first time since 2011, but a fully rested and recovered Azarenka should undoubtedly be in the running.