LONDON – Carlos Alcaraz begins his quest for the third straight Wimbledon title against dangerous Italian Fabio Fognini, while women’s top Seedalina Sabalenka opens a campaign with Canadian qualifier Carson Bransteen.
Friday’s draw at the All England Club created a normal plot in an eye-catching first-round clash.
Janik Sinner, the top seed of the boys who was beaten by Alcaraz in the French Open Finals, meets Italian Luka Nardi peers, while sixth seed Novak Djokovic is trying to tie the record for the titles of Roger Federer’s eight Wimbledon singles, with a tricky opener against Alexandre Marau, the 40th world.
Women’s champion Barbora Klezikova, the 17th seed drawn from the Eastbourne tournament with thigh tension on Thursday, faces Alexandra Eerra from the Philippines.
The second Koko Gov’s first round opponent is Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, with the third seed Jessica Pegra, the potential semi-final opponent for Gaff, playing Italian qualifier Elisabetta Kokkiarett.
Fourth seed Jasmine Paolini, who was runner-up at Wimbledon last year, faces Latvian Anastasiyasevatova and is seeded to meet Sabalenka in the semi-finals.
The UK has 23 players in the singles event, the most for home nations since 1984, with the male fourth seed jack draper carrying a weight of anticipation on the shoulder after a rapid rise. However, the draper faces a tough road when emulating two-time champion Andy Murray.
The 23-year-old Draper has a tricky opener against 38th-placed Sebastian Baez and could face former runner-up Marin Sirik in Roland Garros in Round 2 and in Kazakhstan’s Alexander Baez.
To win the title, the Draper could have to beat Djokovic in the quarter-finals. Sinner in Samis, Alcaraz in the final.
UK No. 1 in the women’s UK Emma Radukanu opens against compatriot Mingge Xu, one of three British teen wildcards in the women’s draw. When 2021 US Open Champion Radukanu won, she played 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova or 32nd McCartney Kessler in the second round.
A potential outstanding second round match could feature Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen against four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.
Alcaraz, who has warmed up to Wimbledon by winning the Queen’s Club title, will be wary of the threat posed by the mysterious Fognini, although the 38-year-old Italian isn’t the strength he had when he reached ninth place in 2019.
Alcaraz could then face British qualifier Oliver Turbett. Oliver Turbet could face World No. 719, the reward to reach the main draw, his first match against Swiss qualifier Leandro Reidi. Alkaraz’s potential semi-final opponent is Alexander Zverev, No. 3, who plays France’s Arthur Linderneck in the opening match.
As the defending men’s champion, Alcaraz will open his play on centre court on Monday. This features the lower half of the male draw and the upper half of the female draw.
Krejcikova will begin playing on the centre court on Tuesday.