The favorites: Djokovic and Alcaraz avoid each other
It is not out of the question that the Wimbledon final will be the same as last year. Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion, and Novak Djokovic, the finalist beaten in five sets, were each placed in a different part of the draw on Friday at the All England Club. In the upper part with Jannik Sinner (potential semi-final), the Spaniard will start his fortnight against the Estonian qualifier Mark Lajal. In the lower part with Alexander Zverev, the Serb, who had knee surgery on June 5, will also test himself against a qualifier, the Czech Vit Kopriva. A round of 16 against Holger Rune and then a quarter-final against Hubert Hurkacz could be on the programme for the seven-time winner of the London Major.
For his first Grand Slam as world number 1, Sinner has not been spared since, if he beats the German Hanfmann in his first match, he could find his compatriot Matteo Berrettini in the second round, a Wimbledon finalist in 2021 and back at a high level after several long injuries. Finally, the world number 4 Zverev will start his tournament against the Spaniard Carballes Baena before a potential third round against the dangerous local Jack Draper.
The French: Franco-French duels and heavy entry
The good news, if we see the glass half full, is that there will be at least two Frenchmen in the second round of Wimbledon since two posters for the first round will be Franco-French duels: Gaël Monfils against Adrian Mannarino and Hugo Gaston against Alexandre Müller. Monfils and Manna have already faced each other twice at Wimbledon (victory for the first in 2015, the second in 2017), while Gaston, from qualifying, and Müller have just competed for the title at the Lyon Challenger, finally won by the first. The winner could find Daniil Medvedev in the second round.
The only Frenchman seeded with Mannarino, Ugo Humbert was logically rather spared with a first round against Alexander Shevchenko and an affordable first week, before a possible clash against Alcaraz in the last 16. Corentin Moutet and Constant Lestienne will have to achieve a feat, respectively against Alex de Minaur and Lorenzo Musetti.
Despite his disenchantment with tennis, Maxime Janvier will try to surprise world number 33 Zhizhen Zhang. For Arthur Fils, after a first round against Dominic Stricker, the road could significantly improve in the process against Hubert Hurkacz. Same thing for Arthur Rinderknech, opposed to Kei Nishikori before potentially finding Taylor Fritz.
Having qualified without losing a set at Roehampton, Lucas Pouille will try to win his first match in the Wimbledon main draw since 2019 against Laslo Djere. Finally, Arthur Cazaux will face Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs in a Franco-Belgian duel that has a strong resemblance to the Euro football championship, and Quentin Halys will face American Chris Eubanks, the revelation of the last edition.
