Alcaraz Begins Wimbledon Treble Bid Against Fognini; Sabalenka Faces Qualifier
Carlos Alcaraz is set to kick off his quest for a third consecutive Wimbledon title against the unpredictable Fabio Fognini, while women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka will face Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine in her opening match. The stage is set for an exciting tournament as the draw at the All England Club revealed intriguing first-round matchups.
Alcaraz, the defending men’s champion, warmed up for Wimbledon by clinching the title at Queen’s Club, and he will need to stay sharp against Fognini, a player known for his flair and potential to upset top seeds. Meanwhile, Sabalenka, who is aiming for her first Wimbledon crown, has a promising start against Branstine, who recently defeated former US Open winner Bianca Andreescu in qualifying.
Men’s top seed Jannik Sinner, fresh off a runner-up finish to Alcaraz at the French Open, faces fellow Italian Luca Nardi. Additionally, sixth seed Novak Djokovic, looking to equal Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon titles, has a challenging opener against France’s Alexandre Muller, currently ranked 40 in the world.
Defending women’s champion Barbora Krejcikova, seeded 17th, will begin her title defense against Alexandra Eala from the Philippines. Second seed Coco Gauff is set to play Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska in her first match, while third seed Jessica Pegula takes on Italian qualifier Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
Jack Draper, the men’s fourth seed and Britain’s hopeful, faces a tough matchup against Argentina’s Sebastian Baez. The 23-year-old’s path is fraught with potential challenges, including a possible second-round encounter with former runner-up Marin Cilic and a rematch against Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik, whom he lost to at Roland Garros.
In the women’s draw, Britain’s Emma Raducanu faces a potential upset against compatriot Mingge (Mimi) Xu, one of three British teenaged wildcards. A win could set her up for a second-round clash with either 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova or 32nd seed McCartney Kessler.
Among the anticipated second-round matchups, Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, seeded five, could face four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka in a high-stakes encounter.
