Wimbledon: Djokovic will fight “for the title”, Cazaux inherits a Belgian, the French are not spoiled, the der for Murray… This “Wimb” does not lack salt

Novak Djokovic, un temps incertain, a finalement décidé de s’aligner à Wimbledon, moins d’un mois avant les JO. MAXPPP – NEIL HALL

The first round is distinguished by a Franco-French clash: Monfils-Mannarino.

Operated on his right meniscus three weeks ago, Novak Djokovic will be present from Monday at Wimbledon where the draw has reserved for him a rather quiet first week before a theoretical semi-final against Alexander Zverev .

The two great rivals of the circuit Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, winner of the tournament last year, could face each other in the other semi-final.

Despite reassuring images from his last training sessions, including Thursday on Center Court against Jannik Sinner, Djokovic's presence in the picture was not assured. The 37-year-old Serbian, in search of an eighth trophy on the London turf to bring his record of Grand Slam titles to 25, was injured in the round of 16 at Roland-Garros at the beginning of June and had to withdraw before his shift.

He underwent surgery immediately in Paris on his right medial meniscus and his chances of playing in London were initially low. Last Tuesday he again affirmed that he would only participate in Wimbledon if he felt like "fighting for the title".

Will Djoko succeed ?

Its inclusion in the table on Friday as seed No.2 therefore makes it one of the main contenders for the title. Especially since fate has reserved for him a gradual warm-up, a priori without any major obstacle before the second week.

The theoretical quarter-finals

MEN

Jannik Sinner (ITA/series head N.1) – Daniil Medvedev (RUS/N.5)
Carlos Alcaraz (ESP/N.3) – Casper Ruud (NOR/N.8)
Andrey Rublev (RUS/N.6) – Alexander Zverev (GER/N.4)
Hubert Hurkacz (POL/N.7) – Novak Djokovic (SRB/N.2)

WOMEN

Iga Swiatek (POL/N.1) – Marketa Vondrousova (CZE/N.6)
Elena Rybakina (KAZ/N.4) – Jessica Pegula (USA/N.5)
Qinwen Zheng (CHN/N.8) – Aryna Sabalenka (BLR/N.3)
Jasmine Paolini (ITA/N.7) – Coco Gauff (USA/N.2)

He will thus start against the Czech Vit Kopriva, 123rd in the world and from the qualifications, and should only find a match from the 8th finals with in particular Holger Rune or Karen Khachanov. In the quarter-finals would then appear the Pole Hubert Hurkacz, the man who had beaten, at the same stage of the quarter-finals in 2021 for his last appearance, Roger Federer.

Before a possible half against Alexander Zverev. And a possible revenge in the final against Alcaraz who created a huge surprise last year by winning in five sets to put an end to a series of 34 consecutive victories for the Serb at the All England Club.< /p>

Another unexpected presence, that of Andy Murray who had surgery on a cyst in his spine last week. His warrior's mentality has once again taken over his body and the 37-year-old Scot will play well, one last time, in the Major on grass which he has won twice (2013, 2016). He will face the Czech Tomas Machac (38th in the world) in the first round.

Women's Tabealu, the games are open

In the women's draw, where only Serena Williams has registered her name twice in the last ten years (2015 and 2016), the games are once again very open.

Almost unbeatable on clay and always very dangerous on hard, world No.1 Iga Swiatek struggles to dominate on grass: she has never made it past the quarter-finals (reached last year for the first time) at Wimbledon in four appearances. This year, she will start against the American Sofia Kenin (48th in the world and winner of the 2020 Australian Open). The other semi-final of the women's draw could pit the winner of the last US Open Coco Gauff against the winner of the last Australian Open Aryna Sabalenka.

Monfils-Mannarino from the 1st round

The French were poorly served by fate on Friday during the draw of the Wimbledon singles tables, notably starting with the Franco-French clash between Gaël Monfils and Adrian Mannarino and at women the duel between Diane Parry and Naomi Osaka.

The Montpellier Arthur Cazaux is better off, with a first match which will pit him against the Belgian Zizou Bergs (N.79), from the qualifications.

The first round of the 18 French (es)

WOMEN (5)

Caroline Garcia (23rd) – Anna Blinkova (RUS/66th in the world)
Océane Dodin (80th) – Daria Snigur (UKR/131st and from qualifying)
Varvara Gracheva (68th) – Lesia Tsurenko (UKR/57th)
Dian Parry (53rd) – Naomi Osaka (JPN/111th and guest)
Clara Burel (43rd) – Eva Lys (GER/130th and from qualifying)

MEN (13)
Gaël Monfils (40th) – Adrian Mannarino (22nd)
Maxime Janvier (225th) – Zhizhen Zhang (CHN/33rd)
Alexandre Müller (103rd) – Hugo Gaston (70th)
Ugo Humbert (16th) – Alexander Shevchenko (KAZ/58th)
Arthur Cazaux (98th) – Zizou Bergs (BEL/79th and from qualifying)
Constant Lestienne (90th) – Lorenzo Musetti (ITA/25th)
Arthur Rinderknech (68th) – Kei Nishikori (JPN/399th)
Arthur Fils (34th) – Dominic Stricker (SUI/151st)
Lucas Pouille (213th) – Laslo Djere (SRB/52nd)
Corentin Moutet (55th) – Alex De Minaur (AUS/9th)
Quentin Halys (223rd) – Christopher Eubanks (USA/42nd)

The N.1 tricolor Caroline Garcia will start against the Russian Anna Blinkova (66th in the world). Another duel between French people will take place in the first round, between Alexandre Müller and Hugo Gaston.