Wimbledon 2025: Carlos Alcaraz starts title defence against Fabio Fognini; Jannik Sinner set for potential semi-final clash with Novak Djokovic
Carlos Alcaraz (AP Photo)
Carlos Alcaraz will start his Wimbledon defence against Fabio Fognini while world number one Jannik Sinner faces a potential semi-final clash against
Novak Djokovic
following Friday's draw.
On the women's side, reigning champion Barbora Krejcikova will begin her campaign against rising star Alexandra Eala on Centre Court if she can recover from injury.
Spain's Alcaraz, who has beaten Djokovic in the past two finals at the All England Club, returns to Wimbledon, which starts on Monday, on a career-best 18-match winning streak.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
He is aiming to become just the fifth man to win at least three straight Wimbledon titles in the Open Era after Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Djokovic.
The Spaniard, 22, has a 2-0 head-to-head record against Italian Fognini, who is 38.
Sinner's pursuit of a maiden Wimbledon crown could hinge on a heavyweight semi-final clash with seven-time champion Djokovic.
The Italian, who lost to Alcaraz in the recent French Open final, opens against compatriot Luca Nardi at the grass-court major.
Djokovic, competing at his lowest seeding (sixth) since 2018, will begin his campaign for a record-tying eighth Wimbledon men's title against Frenchman Alexandre Muller.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Join the Movement for Change
Scmp
Read Now
Undo
The Serb, who has been in every final since 2018, is seeded for a quarter-final meeting with British fourth seed Jack Draper, who meets Argentina's Sebastian Baez in the first round.
Djokovic is aiming to win a record 25th Grand Slam, which would take him clear of his tie with the long-retired Margaret Court, and has the added incentive of matching Roger Federer's record tally of Wimbledon men's titles.
World number three Alexander Zverev, who starts against France's Arthur Rinderknech, is seeded to meet Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals.
Fifth-seeded American Fritz faces big-serving Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard from France.
Krejcikova injury woes
Krejcikova missed the first five months of 2025 with a back injury and was forced to withdraw from this week's Eastbourne quarter-finals due to a thigh injury.
Her first-round opponent, Eala, a 20-year-old from the Philippines, is ranked a lowly 74.
But Eala captured the tennis world's attention in March by defeating three Grand Slam champions -- Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek -- to reach the Miami semi-finals.
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka, hoping to progress beyond the semi-finals at Wimbledon for the first time, opens against fast-rising Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine.
The Belarusian has won three Grand Slams but lost in the Australian Open final and the French Open final this year.
Her potential third-round opponents include 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, Nottingham winner McCartney Kessler and 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
Home favourite Raducanu takes on British qualifier Mingge Xu in the first round.
Second seed Coco Gauff, who beat Sabalenka at Roland Garros, starts against Nottingham finalist Dayana Yastremska.
Potentially intriguing second-round matchups include third seed Jessica Pegula against Queen's champion and 2022 Wimbledon semi-finalist Tatjana Maria.
Former French Open champion Ostapenko could play two-time Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur in round two, while Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen may face former world number one Naomi Osaka at the same stage.
Five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek faces a potential fourth-round clash against former champion Elena Rybakina and a quarter-final with Gauff, having dropped to eighth in the rankings.
Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
23 minutes ago
- Time of India
Cues from Birmingham nets: Uncertainty over Bumrah, Arshdeep vs captain Gill, batting coach sweats it out with tailenders
Team India during the net session in Birmingham. (Pic credit: Sahil Malhotra/ in Birmingham: The Indian cricket team had their first training session in Birmingham on Friday and the side sweated it out for over three hours on a very pleasant morning. The sun was out but wasn't harsh as the steady breeze kept the conditions comfortable for training. Shubman Gill & Co. reached the venue around 9:15 am local time and all players were in attendance for the first taste of Birmingham conditions. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Jasprit Bumrah travelled with the side but both him and Prasidh Krishna were absent from the net area. They did travel back with the side in the team bus but didn't make an appearance while the rest of their teammates were doing their share of batting and bowling. Bumrah and Prasidh didn't leave the stadium premises either. India Sweat it out at the Nets in Birmingham Ahead of the 2nd Test vs England Mohammed Siraj's outing was restricted only with the bat only as the seamer worked a lot on the skill with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak. There were plenty of drills for leaving, ducking and playing deliveries and he spent close to 30 minutes before leaving the nets and joining his fellow seamers inside. Poll What is your expectation for the Indian team's performance in the second Test? Win Draw Loss All three featured in the Headingley Test and their absence from the bowling run-up could well be because of workload management for the long tour. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo It has now become the most trending keyword in the Indian camp and will be repeated often in the build-up to the second Test as there is no clarity yet on ace pacer Bumrah's participation in the fixture. It's a call which will be taken by the bowler, in consultation with the medical team, and could well open or shut doors for the few waiting in the wings. Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh had long spells, both with bat and ball, and were closely watched by the support staff led by head coach Gautam Gambhir. Gill & Agarkar Strategise at the Nets | India's Batting Plan for 2nd Test vs England? Arshdeep has been spending a lot of time with the bowling coach Morne Morkel in the nets and the duo had worked overtime in Leeds to fine-tune left-arm seamer's run-up, back-foot landing and overall alignment. After almost every delivery, they exchange notes and remain constantly in each other's ears. From Leeds to Birmingham, it has been a similar story for Arshdeep in the nets as he continues to be chatty with Morkel and is always up for a battle with his Punjab teammate Gill in the nets. Gill turns to his old friend whenever he has to work on something specific and Arshdeep runs in full steam to test the right-hander in the nets. He maintains that intensity even during the long hit and is matched there by fellow seamer Akash Deep. If the Bumrah call is taken soon, one between Arshdeep and Akash will be drafted in the Playing XI as India would be in desperate need of a new ball bowler and the two have the required skill set to both control the shining red cherry, and make it talk. Still early days and a lot of time before the Test gets underway on July 2 but both seamers are hitting the right notes in the training and could make that decision very hard for the Indian team management. The answers to their will they, won't they lie in the outcome of Bumrah's will he or won't he? Akash in full flow can trouble the best in the business and Arshdeep could well be the surprise card up India's sleeve at the moment. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
Wimbledon's draw puts Alcaraz against Fognini in the first round. Coco Gauff faces Yastremska
LONDON: Carlos Alcaraz will begin his bid for a third consecutive Wimbledon championship and put his career-best 18-match winning streak on the line by facing the volatile Fabio Fognini in the first round at Centre Court when the tournament begins Monday. The singles brackets for the grass-court Grand Slam tournament were set in Friday's draw, including potential men's quarterfinals of No. 1 Jannik Sinner against No. 7 Lorenzo Musetti, No. 4 Jack Draper against No. 6 Novak Djokovic — who has won seven of his 24 major trophies at the All England Club — No. 2 Alcaraz against No. 8 Holger Rune, and No. 3 Alexander Zverev against No. 5 Taylor Fritz. The possible women's quarterfinals are No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka vs. No. 6 Madison Keys, and No. 4 Jasmine Paolini vs. No. 5 Zheng Qinwen in the top half, and No. 2 Coco Gauff vs. No. 8 Iga Swiatek or 2022 champion Elena Rybakina, and No. 3 Jessica Pegula vs. No. 7 Mirra Andreeva in the bottom half. In addition to Sinner, Djokovic, Draper and 2024 semifinalist Musetti, the top half has No. 10 Ben Shelton and No. 13 Tommy Paul of the United States, along with Alexander Bublik, an unpredictable and underarm-serving player from Kazakhstan. He reached his first major quarterfinal at the French Open by defeating Draper — his potential third-round opponent next week — and then won a grass-court title at Halle, Germany, for the second time, beating Sinner along the way. Alcaraz and Sinner could only meet at Wimbledon in the July 13 final, which would be rematch of their epic showdown for the French Open title won by the 22-year-old Alcaraz for his fifth major trophy. In Fognini, Alcaraz faces a 38-year-old veteran who has been ranked as high as No. 9 and was a French Open quarterfinalist in 2011 but is currently No. 130 and never has been past the third round in 14 previous appearances at Wimbledon.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
‘A new chapter begins …': India pacer blessed with baby boy; wishes pour in
Mukesh Kumar blessed with baby boy (Instagram Photo) Indian fast bowler Mukesh Kumar and his wife Divya Singh have been blessed with a baby boy, marking a joyous milestone in the cricketer's personal life. The Bengal pacer, who has steadily grown into a reliable name in India's bowling unit, took to social media on Friday to share the heartwarming news with fans. "A new chapter begins... with the tiniest heartbeat," Mukesh Kumar wrote on his Instagram. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Mukesh Kumar tied the knot with Divya Singh in November 2023 in a private ceremony attended by close friends and family in his hometown of Gopalganj, Bihar. The couple has largely kept their relationship out of the public eye, maintaining a low profile while supporting each other through their respective journeys. Mukesh's rise in Indian cricket has been a story of perseverance and dedication. After consistent performances for Bengal in domestic cricket, particularly in the Ranji Trophy , he earned a call-up to the Indian ODI squad in September 2022 for the series against South Africa. Since then, he has featured across formats, contributing in all, and earning a spot in India's wider pool of fast bowlers ahead of major tournaments. Known for his disciplined line and length, Mukesh has been praised for his work ethic and calm temperament on the field. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Knee pain prices might surprise you Knee pain | search ads Find Now Undo Now, with the arrival of his first child, Mukesh enters a new phase of life. Who'll Make it to the Playing XI for 2nd Test? | India's Nets Session in Birmingham Teammates and fans flooded his post with congratulations and blessings for the newborn. As he celebrates fatherhood, the 31-year-old cricketer is expected to return to the field soon, bringing with him renewed joy and motivation. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
