Djokovic, Kyrgios could meet in quarter-finals at Wimbledon, Alcaraz in same half as Rune; Everything you need to know about the men’s draw
The draw for this year’s Championships has thrown up some intriguing prospects in the men’s draw
AI / Reuters / Panoramic
Novak Djokovic could face Nick Kyrgios, the man he beat in last year’s final, again at this year’s Wimbledon after the draw for the Championships threw up some intriguing battles and potential clashes.
While seven-time champion Djokovic and top seed Carlos Alcaraz were always going to be kept apart as the top two seeds (Alcaraz is No 1 at Wimbledon for the first time), both men face tricky encounters.
The full draw can be seen here
Djokovic could play Kyrgios, the Australian he beat to win the title 12 months ago, in the quarters, if Nick “King” Kyrgios, who has played just one event this year because of a knee injury, makes it that far. The Serb is in the same half of the draw as Casper Ruud, whom he beat to win the Roland-Garros title earlier this month, while Jannik Sinner and Taylor Fritz are also potential dangers. Alcaraz is in the same half of the draw as Holger Rune and Frances Tiafoe.
Djokovic-Kyrgios a quarter-final possibility
It’s asking an awful lot for Kyrgios to rock up and make his way through to the quarter-finals, but it’s an intriguing prospect that he could face Djokovic again, nevertheless.
The Australian was a revelation last year as he reached his first Grand Slam final and if his knee holds up, his serve makes him threat on grass, perhaps his best surface. Djokovic, though, is going for the third leg of the calendar-year Grand Slam so he’s not going to take anything lightly, injury or no injury.
Novak Djokovic’s projected path to the title
The world No 2 begins against Pedro Cachin of Argentina but will need to find top form fairly quickly, with the likes of Jordan Thompson, Lorenzo Musetti, Alexander Bublik and John Isner in his section of the draw.
Here’s Djokovic’s projected path to the title:
R1: Cachin
R2: Thompson/Nakashima
R3: Etcheverry
R4: Bublik/Auger-Aliassime/Musetti
QF: Rublev/Kyrgios
SF: Ruud/Sinner
F: Alcaraz/Rune
Carlos Alcaraz’s projected path to the title
Alcaraz will take on veteran Frenchman Jeremy Chardy in the opening round but though he’s avoided some big threats in his half, danger still lurks, with the likes of Frances Tiafoe, Alex De Minaur, Seb Korda, Cam Norrie and most of all, Denmark’s Holger Rune, in the same section.
Here’s the Queen’s champion’s projected path to the title:
R1: Chardy
R2: Muller/Rinderknech
R3: Jarry
R4: De Minaur/Zverev
QF: Rune
SF: Tsitsipas/Medvedev/Norrie
F: Djokovic
1st round matches we can’t wait to see
Nick Kyrgios v David Goffin
Everything depends on the state of Kyrgios’ knee, the Aussie having had an operation during the Australian Open which kept him off the Tour until Stuttgart. Goffin is a good, solid player who at his best would cause Kyrgios problems, although the 3-1 head to head record is in Kyrgios’ favour. This is their first meeting on grass.
Stefanos Tsitsipas v Dominic Thiem
A few years ago this would probably have been a semi-final of a slam but with Thiem still working his way back after wrist surgery, it’s a first-round encounter instead. Tsitsipas has lost in round one three times in five visits to Wimbledon and looks vulnerable again.
Corentin Moutet v Richard Gasquet
Somehow, it is 16 years since Gasquet reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon but the evergreen Frenchman is still going and still capable of producing some great tennis. Up against his fellow Frenchman, the excitable but talented Moutet, this is one for the purists.
Matches we’d like to see in the first week
Andy Murray v Stefanos Tsitsipas
Two-time champion Andy Murray will need to get past a talented Briton, Ryan Peniston, while Tsitsipas will have to get the better of Dominic Thiem to make this happen in round two. But if it does, Murray will fancy his chances, thanks to a vastly superior grass-court record. Even with a metal hip, he beat Tsitsipas on grass in Stuttgart last year and he’ll have the full support of the home crowd.
Seb Korda v Cam Norrie
The third quarter of the draw looks to be the best chance for someone outside of the big guns to come through to the semi-finals and both Seb Korda and Cam Norrie will believe they can do it. Norrie made the semis last year but Korda is a superb player, well-suited to grass, and beat Norrie at Queen’s
Novak Djokovic v Jordan Thompson
If the seven-time champion is going to face a tricky test in week one it could well be against Jordan Thompson, an Australian perfectly suited to grass. The two men have never played but Djokovic will need to be on his game early to avoid a potential slip-up in round two.
