Wimbledon is upon us. Day 1 of the third Grand Slam of the year has arrived and the globe’s biggest tennis stars are set to do battle at the All England Club for the 137th time.
Top seed and Australian Open winner Jannik Sinner is also in action, as is Daniil Medvedev, both looking to better their career-best semi-final exits from 2023.
Bidding for the women’s singles title, won by a different player in each of the last seven editions, Aryna Sabalenka will be hoping her shoulder injury does not hamper her chances on Day 1.
Elsewhere, top-10 seeds Grigor Dimitrov, Casper Ruud and Jasmine Paolini get their tournaments underway, Naomi Osaka makes her long-awaited return, while British debutant Charles Broom takes on 39-year-old Stan Wawrinka.
Top Men’s Match – Jannik Sinner (1) v Yannick Hanfmann
It will be interesting to see how Italy’s Jannik Sinner deals with the weight of expectation, climbing to world No. 1 in June and made top seed at a major for the first time.
Hanfmann was defeated by Sinner in straight sets in the first round of last year’s US Open, but the world No. 95 will look to put his powerful serving to good use and win at Wimbledon for the first time.
Top Women’s Match – Ekaterina Alexandrova (22) v Emma Raducanu (WC)
But a tough opener against world No. 22 Ekaterina Alexandrova will undoubtedly stretch the 2021 US Open champion, who recorded her first career win against a top-10 ranked opponent, Jessica Pegula, last Wednesday.
Brit Watch
Aside from Raducanu’s return, 26-year-old Charles Broom will make his Wimbledon debut as the only other Brit in action on the four main courts on Monday.
The world No. 245 takes to Court No. 2 to play the biggest match of his career against veteran three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka.
Entering the main draw as a wild card, Broom reached the final of the Nottingham Challenger earlier this year and said his match with Wawrinka is “something I’ll remember forever”.
Also getting up and running are Liam Broady, Heather Watson, Sonay Kartal, Arthur Fery and Yuriko Lily Miyazaki who will look to draw on the power of a home crowd.
Show courts order of play, singles – Monday, July 1 (All UK times)
Centre Court – from 13:30
Carlos Alcaraz (3) v Mark Lajal (Q)
Ekaterina Alexandrova (22) v Emma Raducanu (WC)
Caroline Dolehide v Coco Gauff (2)
No. 1 Court – from 13:00
Aleksandar Kovacevic v Daniil Medvedev (5)
Emina Bektas v Aryna Sabalenka (3)
Jannik Sinner (1) v Yannick Hanfmann
No. 2 Court – from 11:00
Grigor Dimitrov (10) v Dusan Lajovic
Stan Wawrinka v Charles Broom (WC)
Naomi Osaka (WC) v Diane Parry
Victoria Azarenka (16) v Sloane Stephens
No. 3 Court – from 11:00
Alex Bolt (Q) v Casper Ruud (8)
Jasmine Paolini (7) v Sara Sorribes Tormo
Martina Trevisan v Madison Keys (12)
Tommy Paul (12) v Pedro Martinez