As top seed Novak Djokovic contemplates a Wimbledon draw shorn of Russian and Belarusian players, he will do so in the knowledge that only two other men in the 128-strong field know what it is to go the distance at the All England Club.
One is Rafael Nadal, winner of the season’s first two grand slams and twice the champion in SW19, who will begin his first Wimbledon campaign for three years against Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo.
The other is Andy Murray, the champion in 2013 and 2016, who goes into his opener against Australia’s James Duckworth with doubts surrounding his fitness after suffering an abdominal injury against Matteo Berrettini in Stuttgart 12 days ago.
Nadal, at least, is a problem for another day, given that Djokovic cannot meet his perennial rival until the final. A potentially more pressing concern, as he embarks on his quest for a seventh title, will be a projected quarter-final against Carlos Alcaraz, the fifth seed, who won their first and only meeting at the Madrid Open last month.
Like Murray, however, whom he could face in the last 16, Alcaraz goes into the fortnight nursing an injury. The 19-year-old has won titles in Rio, Barcelona and Madrid this season, but withdrew from Queen’s last week with an elbow problem, and played with his arm heavily strapped in an exhibition event at the Hurlingham Club on Thursday. Alcaraz has played down his prospects of a deep run at Wimbledon.
“I don’t think this year it’s going to be my surface,” he said following a 6-4, 6-2 defeat to Frances Tiafoe. “For sure in the future I can play pretty good on this surface. If I play tournaments before Wimbledon, I think I will feel comfortable playing on this surface.”
Djokovic, who faces South Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon in the opening round, will nonetheless be wary should the pair meet. Seeded first in the absence of both Daniil Medvedev, the banned Russian world No 1, and Alexander Zverev, who is convalescing after tearing ankle ligaments in the French Open semi-finals, the Serb will be eager to narrow the gap between himself and Nadal at the top of the all-time grand slam leaderboard ahead of the US Open. Djokovic, who was beaten by Nadal in the French Open quarter-finals earlier this month, will be unable to compete in New York under current US entry requirements, which stipulate that all foreign arrivals must be vaccinated against Covid.
Nadal’s path to a record-extending 23rd major is far from clear-cut. In round two he could face the big-serving American Sam Querrey, who memorably defeated Djokovic in the third round six years ago, while former finalist Marin Cilic will potentially be laying in wait in the last 16. Nadal is seeded to meet Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarter-finals, with last year’s finalist Berrettini, seeded 10th, a possible opponent in the last four. The Spaniard has lost two of his three meetings with Djokovic at Wimbledon, most recently when he was edged out 10-8 in the final set in the semi-finals four years ago.
In the women’s draw, top seed Iga Swiatek will open her challenge against Croatian qualifier Jana Fett. Swiatek, who won her second grand slam title at Roland Garros earlier this month, will be seeking to extend a 35-match winning streak that dates back to February. Victory over Fett, who will be making just her second appearance in the main draw, would give the Polish world No 1 the longest unbeaten run this century, a record she currently shares with Venus Williams.
Swiatek is projected to face Barbora Krejcikova, the 13th seed and former French Open champion, in the last 16, while the quarter-finals could bring a meeting with eighth seed Jessica Pegula, whom Swiatek defeated in straight sets in Miami and Paris.
Swiatek is scheduled to play Paula Badosa, the fourth seed, in the last four – although, with former champions Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep lurking in her quarter, the Spaniard will have her work cut out to keep that appointment.
The great unknown in this section is seven-time champion Serena Williams, who returned to competitive action in Eastbourne this week, partnering Ons Jabeur in the ladies’ doubles before the Tunisian was forced to withdraw with a knee injury.
In her first singles match since limping out in the first round last summer with a torn hamstring, Williams, 40, will play 113th-ranked Frenchwoman Harmony Tan. Next up would probably be Sara Sorribes Tormo, the Spanish 32nd seed, whom she overcame alongside Jabeur at Devonshire Park, with last year’s finalist Karolina Pliskova, seeded sixth, potentially waiting in the third round.
In the bottom half, second seed Anett Kontaveit will open against Bernarda Pera, while Jabeur, seeded third, will play Swedish qualifier Mirjam Bjorklund. Jabeur could face former champion Angelique Kerber in the last 16, with Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins, seeded seventh, potentially awaiting in the last eight.
Emma Raducanu, the US Open champion and 10th seed, has been handed a tricky opener against Alison Van Uytvanck, the Belgian world No 46. Van Uytvanck, a quarter-finalist in ‘s-Hertogenbosch earlier this month, has form for a Wimbledon upset, having deposed defending champion Garbiñe Muguruza in the second round four years ago.
The British 19-year-old has been sidelined since suffering an abdominal strain in Nottingham at the start of the month, and has been racing against time to make the starting line at the All England Club. She reached the fourth round on her debut last summer before breathing difficulties forced her to retire while trailing Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic.