London, June 26 (IANS) Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic and defending champion Jannik Sinner were drawn in the same half of the men’s singles draw, while Serena Williams’ long-awaited Grand Slam comeback and a potential third-round clash with Iga Swiatek headlined the women’s draw for Wimbledon 2026, announced on Friday.

Djokovic, on the hunt for a record eighth Wimbledon title, starts with China’s Wu Yibing and is predicted to face Stefanos Tsitsipas or Hugo Gaston in the second round. The Serbian then could take on Arthur Rinderknech in the third round, before coming up against either Andrey Rublev or Brazilian young prospect Joao Fonseca in round four, leading to a projected quarter-final clash against third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.

World number one and defending champion Jannik Sinner opens his tournament against Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic and is projected to come up against Nuno Borges or Tristan Boyer in the second round. The Italian could then come up against Peruvian Ignacio Buse in round three before a potential clash with Spaniard Rafael Jodar or fellow Italian Luciano Darderi in the fourth round.

A blockbuster semifinal clash awaits between Sinner and Djokovic should both players make it through, with former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev projected to be the Russian’s quarterfinal opponent. Medvedev gets his tournament underway against 2017 finalist Marin Cilic.

In the other half of the men’s draw, French Open champion Alexander Zverev begins against Belgian Alexander Blockx. The German is seeded to face Matteo Arnaldi in the third round, Jiri Lehecka or Francisco Cerundolo in round four, before a likely quarter-final match-up with sixth seed Taylor Fritz.

However, the sixth seed has one of the toughest opening-round draws, having been drawn against Britain’s Jack Draper, who is returning to the ATP Tour this week at Eastbourne. The two-time Slam winner has a commanding 10-5 record over Zverev and has won the last seven matches between the two, including at Wimbledon in 2024 and Halle last month.

Elsewhere in the women’s draw, Serena Williams makes a return to Grand Slam singles action for the first time since the 2022 US Open after being handed a wildcard, her first since then. The 23-time Grand Slam champion opens against Australia’s emerging prospect Maya Jantchene, who is expected to shine in 2025 after winning WTA titles in Morocco and Eastbourne in 2025.

If Williams does advance, then a mouthwatering first-time meeting against defending champion Iga Swiatek awaits in the third round, with Philippines international Alexandra Eala being the second round match-up, according to the projection.

Swiatek opens her title defence against American Taylor Townsend, whilst world number one Aryna Sabalenka begins against qualifier Teodora Kostovic, and second seed Elena Rybakina faces Lois Boisson of France. Fourth seed Jessica Pegula opens against Czech qualifier Darja Vidmanova.

Elsewhere in the draw is home favourite Emma Raducanu, who opens her Wimbledon defence against Antonia Ruzic, and Naomi Osaka faces Elsa Jacquemot, Coco Gauff opens against Tamara Korpatsch, and Mirra Andreeva meets Magda Linette.

The projected women’s quarter-finals are: Sabalenka vs Andreeva, Pegula vs Gauff, Swiatek vs Elina Svitolina, and Rybakina vs Amanda Anisimova.

–IANS

hs/bsk/