18 hours ago 2

Wimbledon draw: Novak Djokovic’s path to tennis history and players to watch on the grass

Wimbledon begins June 30 in London, and the draws for the men’s and women’s singles are intriguing, while also throwing up some blockbuster first-round matches.

Novak Djokovic goes in pursuit of his 25th Grand Slam title, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz seeks the French Open, Queen’s and Wimbledon treble that has not been done since 2008.

On the women’s side, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka enters as favorite after missing two recent editions, while 2023 champion Markéta Vondroušová is in form and ready to rekindle her fire at SW19.

’s tennis writers, Matthew Futterman and Charlie Eccleshare, analyze the match-ups and offer some of their picks for the best matches of the opening days.

Novak Djokovic’s path to tennis history?

The key to the men’s draw? What kind of path it would pave for seven-time champion Novak Djokovic’s pursuit of tennis history. His seeding, at No. 6, meant that he could have faced one of world No. 1 Jannik Sinner or defending champion Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.

Everyone wanted him as far away from them as possible. In the end it was Alcaraz who got lucky, with Djokovic drawn in the top half and given a projected quarterfinal against Jack Draper. His semifinal path sets him up to face Sinner, who beat him during the same stage at Roland Garros a few weeks ago, as well as at last year’s Australian Open. Alcaraz has lost his last two matches against Djokovic and four of his previous six, but the two victories both brought him Wimbledon titles.

For Djokovic, looking for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam, the sharp end of any Grand Slam draw looks tough when seeded No. 6. But at Wimbledon, where he is looking for an eighth title, and where he last year reached the final last year a few weeks out from knee surgery, he knows he holds a major fear factor over the rest of the draw.

If he gets to the quarters, even as he approaches 40 and even with Sinner and Alcaraz in his way, he will fancy his chances of Grand Slam title No. 25.

A tale of two defending champions — and one favorite?

Another good day for Alcaraz. He’s had a lot of them lately.

The defending champion and world No. 2 should have plenty more good days in the coming week. There are some dangerous lower seeds in the men’s draw, who are decent grass-court players: Jakub Menšík or Ugo Humbert. Alcaraz ended up with Stefanos Tsitsipas, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Andrey Rublev in his quarter.

That could have meant tough times in 2021 or 2022. In 2025, not so much. Auger-Aliassime and Tsitsipas are now in the mid-20s in the rankings, far removed from the time when they looked like they might threaten to be big forces. Rublev rarely shows up in a Grand Slam against a player of Alcaraz’s caliber.

Alcaraz will start off with Italian showman Fabio Fognini at 1:30 p.m. Monday on Centre Court. Fognini is at the tail end of his career, and then Alcaraz will play the winner of Oliver Tarvet and Leandro Reidl, both of them qualifiers.

Defending women’s champion Barbora Krejčíková comes in at the other end of the spectrum, seeded No. 17. She withdrew from the Eastbourne warmup event with a thigh injury and faces a matchup with a dangerous newcomer in Alexandra Eala, a lefty from the Philippines who beat Iga Świątek in Miami and has been winning matches on grass this month.

As for the women’s favorite, Sabalenka could have some early trouble in the shape of Vondroušová, the 2023 Wimbledon champion who has recovered from a shoulder injury to find her form and who beat Sabalenka in Berlin a week or so ago. Emma Raducanu, who knows her way around a grass court and would relish a Centre Court matchup in the third round, is there too.

Matt Futterman’s first-round matches to watch

Sofia Kenin (28) vs. Taylor Townsend (Q)

Kenin is on a steady climb back and is into the top 30. Townsend, who qualified here this week, is a lefty on grass who brings the vibes.

Tatjana Maria vs. Katie Volynets

It’s grass. A grass court specialist like Maria against a scrambler with speed like Volynets is good fun.

Dayana Yastremska vs. Coco Gauff (2)

If it’s anything like their three-setter in Madrid, it could be a whale of a first-round test for Gauff.

Learner Tien vs. Nishesh Basavareddy

These two are super-close and have been playing each other since they were about 12 years old. Now they are on the Wimbledon grass in the main draw for the first time. How cool is that?

Jakub Menšík (16) vs. Hugo Gaston

Menšík’s serve means he should have a great career on grass, but the Gaston drop shots and craft could seriously scramble his brain early.

Dan Evans (WC) vs. Jay Clarke (WC)

A good old battle of Britain. Bring the Pimm’s!

The power of the floaters — and one who has ascended to a higher plane

In a tennis world of homogenised surfaces and playing styles, there’s something refreshing about the fact that there are still dangerous grass-court floaters. Over 20 years ago, when the Wimbledon courts were quicker, pretty much anyone with a big serve could be considered a factor in the draw.

Nowadays, dangerous floaters are much more of a rarity, but there were some standout names across the two draws that everyone wanted to avoid — and one in particular who has ascended from floater to seed on the back of his recent form.

Alexander Bublik, who bamboozled Draper out of the French Open before beating Sinner en route to the Halle title in Germany, is slated to face Draper again in the third ground. Bublik’s devastating touch game and cannon of a serve become most dangerous on grass, and the Brit will hope for some misfires.

In the women’s draw, Tatjana Maria was the player all the favorites wanted to avoid: unseeded and fresh from winning the HSBC Championships at the Queen’s Club a couple of weeks ago, where she bewitched her opponents and the spectators with her slice-heavy, throwback game. Maria’s run to the title there included wins against Leylah Fernandez, Karolina Muchová, Elena Rybakina, Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova, all seeded players at Wimbledon and two of them Grand Slam champions.

The seeds all managed to avoid a first round against Maria, but she has a possible second round against the No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula. It’s the kind of matchup that Pegula, a line-and-length baseliner really wouldn’t relish.

How grass slants matchups across the draw

Yes, the Wimbledon grass isn’t what it used to be, just as the red clay at Roland Garros is faster than it was before the era of surface homogenization.

But it can still tilt matchups in dangerous ways, which go beyond the floater issue.

In terms of first-round matchups, Taylor Fritz probably did not want to see Giovanni Mpetshi Perrcard of France below his name. Mpetshi Perricard can serve the ball 150 miles per hour. He caused all kinds of trouble at Wimbledon last year and rumbled into the round of 16, where Lorenzo Musetti finally solved him.

Reilly Opelka, who is nearly seven-feet tall, can have the same effect on a match, though the grass has given him some trouble in the past because of the low bounce. But he’s not around a major seed until he potentially faces Musetti in the third round, which feels very far away.

Jessica Pegula isn’t the type to look past her first round, but if she did she’d see the potential for a match with Maria. She isn’t the only one right to be looking askance. Hugo Gaston could cause Menšík more problems than usual. Dayana Yastremska, who can take the felt off the ball, is a tougher matchup for Coco Gauff than she might be elsewhere: just look at their three-setter in Madrid earlier this year, which is faster than typical clay conditions.

No. 10 seed Ben Shelton has the serve to solve the grass, but less so the movement — qualifier Alex Bolt of Australia is not to be sniffed at on the surface. Same goes for Tommy Paul, who needs to find his health after abdominal and leg injuries on the clay. He should manage wild card Johannus Monday of Britain – if he can walk and do a sit-up.

Tiafoe loves Wimbledon and the grass. He played one match at Queen’s — and lost it. Elmer Møller of Denmark and his ridiculous backhand await, while Emma Navarro might fear the returning Petra Kvitová, a two-time champion on this grass, more than she might at other tour stops.

Charlie Eccleshare’s first-round matches to watch:

Yulia Putintseva vs. Amanda Anisimova (13)

The American No. 13 seed is one of the biggest hitters in the game, and is up against one of its most mercurial and provocative talents, who can be extremely dangerous on grass and loves causing an upset. Just ask Naomi Osaka and Świątek, both of whom have lost to her here.

Paula Badosa (9) vs. Katie Boulter

Badosa has struggled with injury recently and has a tough first assignment against a home player who loves playing on grass. This will surely be on a big court with a lively atmosphere.

Barbora Krejčíková (17) vs. Alexandra Eala

The defending champion Krejcikova has had rotten luck with injuries since winning here last year. Her opponent, Eala, is one of the most exciting young talents on the tour.

Taylor Fritz (5) vs. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard

Two huge servers so granted this may not be one for the purists. But watching players, especially on grass, try and work out a way to neutralise Mpetshi Perricard’s lightning-quick serve is oddly compelling.

Gaël Monfils vs. Ugo Humbert (22)

Two hugely talented Frenchmen who like to put on a show, this should be a lot of fun. Monfils is a star turn wherever he goes, while Humbert pushed Alcaraz for a couple of sets in the fourth round here last year.

Jacob Fearnley vs. João Fonseca

The hugely-hyped 18-year-old Brazilian up against an in-form Brit will surely get a big court and plenty of attention. This is Fonseca’s main-draw debut at Wimbledon and he will be determined to put on a show.