- Title: Alcaraz and Swiatek set to be top seeds at Wimbledon
- Date: 26th June 2023
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (JUNE 27, 2022) (REUTERS) CENTRE COURT SIGN ENTRANCE TO CENTRE COURT MAN MARKING LINES ON COURT WIDE SHOT OF COURT VARIOUS OF WORKER MOPPING GRASS CENTRE COURT GRASS BEING MOWN SEATS EMPTY STANDS LINES BEING MARKED SHOT OF GROUNDS VARIOUS OF SEATS BEING CLEANED ORDER OF PLAY BOARD LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (APRIL 25, 2023) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CE
- Embargoed: 10th July 2023 10:52
- Keywords: Alcaraz Djokovic Garcia Gauff Jabeur Kyrgios Medvedev Rublev Rune Ruud Rybakina Sabalenka Swiatek Tsitsipas
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: UK
- Topics: Europe,Sport,Tennis
- Reuters ID: LVA00Q162321062023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Novak Djokovic will bid to win a men's record-extending 24th Grand Slam crown when Wimbledon gets underway next month but while the Serb has won the last four titles at the All England Club he will be seeded second behind Carlos Alcaraz.
Djokovic drew level with Rafa Nadal on 22 majors by winning the Australian Open and moved ahead of the injured Spaniard when he claimed the French Open.
Victory in London would see Djokovic match Roger Federer's record of eight Wimbledon titles but he faces a strong challenge from Alcaraz, who reclaimed the world number one ranking from the Serb by winning the Queen's Club title on Sunday.
The Spaniard had ceded top spot to Djokovic after the French Open, where he lost to the 36-year-old in the semi-finals after suffering from severe cramp.
The duo will look to take their rivalry to another level after largely being kept apart earlier in the year due to injuries and with Djokovic unable to play in the U.S. hardcourt swing due to his COVID vaccination stance.
Russian Daniil Medvedev will be the third seed and compatriot Andrey Rublev seventh, as both players return to Wimbledon after organisers lifted a ban on players from Russia and Belarus.
Players from the two countries were barred from last year's Championships after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special military operation".
In the women's draw Iga Swiatek will be the top seed but the Pole's unease on grass means defending champion Elena Rybakina will be the one to beat at the Grand Slam while big-hitting Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka will also fancy her chances.
Swiatek inherited the world number one ranking when Ash Barty retired in April 2022 and while she has proved a worthy successor to the Australian the majority of her success has come on hardcourts and clay.
The 22-year-old has won three French Open titles, a U.S. Open crown and reached the Australian Open semi-finals but has failed to progress beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon.
World number two Sabalenka, a 2021 semi-finalist, returns to the All England Club after organisers lifted a ban on Russian and Belarusian players.
The trio, dubbed the new 'Big Three', will have to fight off a challenge from Tunisian trailblazer Ons Jabeur, who will bid to become the first African woman and Arab player to win a Grand Slam singles title after reaching last year's Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals.
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