Wimbledon 2026 begins on Monday, and the build-up has thrown up a genuinely unusual cast of storylines. Francisco Cerundolo won Queen's Club with a 6-7 6-4 6-3 victory over Tommy Paul in the longest final in championship history at three hours and three minutes, per Sky Sports. Serena Williams, 44, has been handed the final women's singles wild card for her Grand Slam comeback, having won seven Wimbledon titles before stepping away from the game. And Jack Draper - who had not played a match since retiring in Barcelona in mid-April with a knee problem and whose ranking dropped from No. 4 to 160 in the live rankings - reached the Eastbourne semi-finals under new coach Andy Murray, who is a two-time Wimbledon champion.
Three different stories. One common thread for anyone buying or selling a tennis racket right now.
Why an open draw shifts the second-hand market#
When a Grand Slam feels predictable, fans follow one or two favourites and gear interest tends to cluster. When the draw is genuinely open - a wildcard comeback queen, a clay-court Argentine who just proved he can grind three hours on grass, and a British hope who is effectively playing his first matches after months on the sideline - more players capture attention. More players capturing attention means more people wondering what those players hit with, which filters directly into search behaviour on platforms like EpicRackets.
Cerundolo is a Babolat player. His Queen's win is the clearest grass-court signal his game has sent yet, and it will nudge buyers who were already looking at Babolat Pure Aero or Pure Drive frames to pull the trigger. Draper plays with a Wilson Blade - and with Murray coaching him, the Wilson connection feels even more visible. Murray famously used the Head Radical family for most of his career, but his presence in Draper's corner keeps both Wilson and Head in the conversation for English-speaking and Iberian audiences watching Wimbledon.
For Williams, the racket story is the Wilson Blade SW 104 Autograph - the frame she has used throughout her career's later chapter. Expect searches for that model to spike the moment she steps on court.
What this means if you are buying or selling right now#
Grass-court season is the shortest window in tennis, and it moves fast. A few practical observations:
| Player | Frame associated | Pre-owned angle |
|---|---|---|
| Francisco Cerundolo | Babolat Pure Aero / Pure Drive | Queen's win makes grass-spec versions more desirable |
| Jack Draper | Wilson Blade 98 | Injury comeback narrative adds profile; supply is reasonable |
| Serena Williams | Wilson Blade SW 104 | Wildcard comeback = nostalgia demand spike, limited pre-owned supply |
If you have one of these frames sitting in a cupboard, this is probably the best two-week window of the year to list it. Buyers are engaged, they have a reason to care, and the Wimbledon broadcast will keep that attention alive through the fortnight.
If you are buying, the window works in your favour on less glamorous models. While attention concentrates on a handful of names, solid all-court frames - heavier players' rackets, older Head Prestige or Babolat Pure Strike models - often sit quietly and represent genuine value.
The Portugal and Spain angle#
Wimbledon does not have the same cultural weight here as Roland Garros, but it is growing. The grass-court aesthetic resonates with club players who want something different after a full clay season, and both Portugal and Spain have been adding indoor and artificial-grass courts steadily. Draper's profile in particular has risen sharply among younger players in Lisbon and Madrid who watched his US Open run last year.
If you are in that group - curious about a Wilson Blade, a Babolat Pure Aero, or just want to try something new before the hard-court season arrives - the pre-owned tennis section has frames available at a fraction of retail right now. Or if you have gear you are no longer using, listing it takes minutes and the timing could not be better.
The grass is cut. The players are ready. It is worth paying attention to this one.
