Wimbledon 2024: Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray in draw after recent surgeries

Murray, a two-time grass-court trophy winner, made it clear on Thursday that he would wait until the last minute to decide whether or not to play, and that this would be more likely in doubles – where he and his older brother, Jamie, got a wildcard entry – then in singles. Last weekend he had a cyst removed from his spinal cord.

The unseeded Murray’s first-round singles match against Czech Republic’s Tomas Machac is scheduled for Tuesday, giving the Scot an extra day to try to be ready. It was in a match against Machac at the Miami Open in March that Murray tore ligaments in his left ankle, one of a number of injuries he has suffered in the latter stages of his career. Murray says he plans to retire after what he hopes will be Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics, which begin next month.

Djokovic will also start on Tuesday and will then face qualifier Vit Kopriva from the Czech Republic.

The men’s quarterfinals could feature first-seeded Jannik Sinner versus fifth-seeded Daniil Medvedev, and reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz versus eighth-seeded Casper Ruud in the top half of the tournament, with second-seeded Djokovic versus seventh-seeded Hubert Hurkacz, and fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev versus sixth-seeded Andrey Rublev in the bottom half.

That offers perspective for a semi-final between 22-year-old Sinner and 21-year-old Alcaraz. There is already quite a rivalry developing between them; Alcaraz defeated Sinner in the semi-finals at Roland Garros this month to take the title.

There was some confusion during the women’s draw – overseen by new tournament referee Denise Parnell – when several names were placed on the wrong lines and had to be reshuffled.

Top seed Iga Swiatek has never advanced beyond the quarter-finals of the All England Club and was given a path that could be filled with past Grand Slam champions.

Her opening opponent will be 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin, who knocked out Coco Gauff in the first round at Wimbledon a year ago – less than three months before Gauff would win the US Open. Swiatek could face 2018 Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber in the third round, Jelena Ostapenko against the 2017 French Open champion in the fourth, and Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the quarterfinals. Ostapenko is 4-0 against Swiatek during their career.

The other potential women’s quarterfinals are 2022 winner Elena Rybakina against fifth-seeded Jessica Pegula in the top half of the group with Swiatek-Vondrousova, and second-seeded Gauff against seventh-seeded Jasmine Paolini, and third-seeded Aryna Sabalenka against eighth-seeded Zheng Qinwen in the bottom half.

Gauff’s first opponent is another American, Caroline Dolehide. Other women’s first-round matches include 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu against 22nd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, four-time major champion Naomi Osaka against Diane Parry and two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka against the US Open champion of 2017 Sloane Stephens.

In the men’s event, Alcaraz will open his title defense against Mark Lajal, who will make his Grand Slam main-draw debut after qualifying to earn a spot. Sinner will start against Yannick Hanfmann, who is 0-2 in Slam matches, and could meet 2021 Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini in the second round.

AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis