The Wimbledon draw has drawn a gradual path for heavy favorite Novak Djokovic, who is trying to equal the all-time record of 24 grand slam titles, while in women’s title holder Elena Rybakina could find Aryna Sabalenka in half. If everyone dreams of seeing a clash between Djoko and world number one Carlos Alcaraz again, after the physical collapse of the Spaniard in the semi-finals at Roland-Garros, the two champions will have to fight.
Winner of the first two grand slam tournaments of the season and seven times crowned in London, the Serb is a clear favorite for his own succession. At the bottom of the table, he will still have a few customers, but the level of difficulty should gradually increase.
The first “size” opponent (1.96m) could be the Pole and seeded number 17, Hubert Hurkacz, semi-finalist two years ago after beating Roger Federer, in the round of 16. In the quarters, a remake of last year’s final against Nick Kyrgios would be possible but probably unrealistic, given that the Australian has only played one game this season, losing in June in Stuttgart against China’s Yibing Wu.
Alcaraz will have a lot to do
Kyrgios does not already have an easy first round because, even if the Belgian David Goffin benefited from a wild card, he remains a cunning player on grass. To challenge Djokovic again, Kyrgios will also have to beat Andrey Rublev, recent finalist in Halle, in the third round, before possibly facing in the eighth the Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime or the Kazakh Alexander Bublik, titled in Halle.
The top half of Djokovic’s table also offers some names to be wary of like Taylor Fritz and Jannik Sinner, quarter-finalists last year or Casper Ruud. At the top of the table, despite his recent first victory on grass, at the Queen’s tournament, Carlos Alcaraz will have a lot to do to maintain the rank of world number one that he has recovered. Faced with the French Jérémy Chardy in the first round, he could find Alex de Minaur, whom he beat in the final at Queen’s or Alexander Zverev in the round of 16.
In the next round, the American Frances Tiafoe, recently titled in Stuttgart, where Holger Rune would face him, before rubbing shoulders with Daniil Medvedev or the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semis, even if the latter are not more great surface specialists.
Dense table bottom in women
Among the women, the draw seems less balanced, with world number one Iga Swiatek’s half of the draw looking a bit looser than the other. She still has on her theoretical route to the final the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, semi-finalist on the London lawn in 2019 and who will play against Venus Williams, five-time Wimbledon champion in the first round.
In the semi-finals, Swiatek could face the French Caroline Garciaworld number 5, but the uncertainty is great after her retirement in the round of 16 at Eastbourne on Thursday, and when she never crossed the eighth at Wimbledon.
The bottom of the table is denser. In addition to Rybakina and Sabalenka, we note the presence of last year’s finalist, the Tunisian Ons Jabeur, but also the Czech Petra Kvitova, twice titled at Wimbledon and recently crowned in Berlin, or the Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, in form on grass after their victory in Birmingham.