Mixed fortunes for Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova and other takeaways from Wimbledon draw

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  • LONDON — The Wimbledon draw was revealed on Friday at the All England Club, featuring an unseeded Andy Murray, a 25th-seeded Serena Williams, and a slew of urgent topics to deliberate.

    Roger Federer is the defending champion and No. 1 seed – even though he is ranked No. 2 in the world – while recently-crowned French Open champion Simona Halep headlines the women’s field.

    Murray told reporters after practicing on Court 14 at Wimbledon on Friday that he is “likely” to play the tournament but will make a final decision on Tuesday ahead of his first round against Frenchman Benoit Paire.

    Two-time Wimbledon champion Nadal is the No. 2 seed and was seen practicing with France’s Nicolas Mahut on-site on Friday.

    Here are the main takeaways from an intriguing Wimbledon draw…

  • Eugenie Bouchard feels like she ‘earned’ her place at Wimbledon after qualifying

  • MIXED FORTUNES FOR SERENA AND MARIA

    Seeded 24 and 25 respectively, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams were handed different kinds of draws for this upcoming fortnight. Playing for the first time since winning a seventh title here in 2016, Serena was given a seed by the AELTC’s seeding committee and as No. 25, was always going to have a top-eight seed in her path in the third round.

    The draw revealed fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina as Serena’s potential third-round opponent, which is one of the better options for the American.

    Serena opens against Dutch world No. 107 Arantxa Rus then gets either Viktoriya Tomova or Tereza Smitkova in the second round. Madison Keys or grass-court specialist Magdalena Rybarikova possibly await Serena in the fourth round, while second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki is a projected quarter-final rival.

    The 23-time Grand Slam winner managed to avoid the likes of grass-court favourites Petra Kvitova and defending champion Garbine Muguruza, who are both on the other side of the draw.

    Sharapova on the other hand has landed in a loaded top quarter of the draw that could see her play 12-seeded Jelena Ostapenko in the third round, eighth-seeded Kvitova in the fourth and top-seeded Halep in the quarter-finals. Not to mention feisty Greek Maria Sakkari could stop her in the second round.

    Sharapova is appearing at Wimbledon for the first time since 2015, having missed the 2016 edition due to a doping suspension and skipped last year with an injury that forced her out of qualifying.

    TOUGH FOR UNSEEDED SLAM CHAMPS

    Two three-time Grand Slam winners were handed unkind draws as Murray faces tricky Paire in round one before a possible second round against an in-form Jeremy Chardy, or rising Canadian Denis Shapovalov. Stan Wawrinka has a brutal opener against former semi-finalist and No. 6 seed Grigor Dimitrov.

    SMOOTH PATHS FOR FEDERER AND NADAL

    Top two seeds Federer and Nadal can both be pleased with their draws. Federer’s first real obstacle can come in the fourth round against No. 16 seed Borna Coric, who beat the Swiss in the Halle final last Sunday. Nadal avoided most of the big-serving players who could blow him off the court and seems to have a clear path to the quarter-finals, where fifth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro possibly awaits.

    If Nadal wants to revive his former Wimbledon glory and add to the two titles he won in 2008 and 2010, this draw can only help his cause.

    MUST-SEE FIRST ROUNDS

    Stan Wawrinka (SUI) v Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x6)
    Gael Monfils (FRA) v Richard Gasquet (FRA x23)
    Andy Murray (GBR) v Benoit Paire (FRA)
    Caroline Garcia (FRA x6) v Belinda Bencic (SUI)
    Angelique Kerber (GER x11) v Vera Zvonareva (RUS)
    Barbora Strycova (CZE x23) v Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)
    Sloane Stephens (USA x4) v Donna Vekic (CRO)
    Madison Keys (USA x10) v Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS)

    DOMI DRAMA AVOIDED

    Bumped out of the seeding spots due to Serena getting elevated to No. 25 in the list, Dominika Cibulkova was under the threat of facing a seed in her opening round. That would have caused a stir considering the Slovak had already aired her grievances, saying it was unfair her seeding spot was taken away from her.

    Cibulkova ended up getting unseeded Frenchwoman Alize Cornet in the first round and could play either No. 22 seed Johanna Konta in round two or Natalia Nikhlyantseva. No. 15 seed Elise Mertens is her projected third-round opponent.

    LUCKY LOSERS

    Eight lucky losers made it into the Roland Garros men’s draw last month and the trend continues as five have already entered the Wimbledon men’s tournament.

    Lorenzo Sonego, Michael Mmoh, Hubert Hurkacz, Bernard Tomic, and serial lucky loser Peter Polansky all made it in as lucky losers thanks to the withdrawals of Roberto Bautista Agut, Chung Hyeon, Viktor Troicki, Andrey Rublev and Pablo Andujar. Will we hit a record number of lucky losers this tournament?

    Two more beneficiaries from these withdrawals are Leonardo Mayer and Stefanos Tsitsipas who both got seeding spots instead of Bautista Agut and Chung.

    GOOD DRAW FOR THE ARABS

    Tunisia Ons Jabeur, who was given a wildcard into the Wimbledon draw after winning the $100k Manchester title on grass earlier this month got Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic in the first round. The good news for Jabeur is that she has beaten Golubic twice in the last three weeks, in Manchester en route to the title and in Ilkley on her way to the quarters.

    Her compatriot Malek Jaziri drew American Jared Donaldson in the first round. They are 1-1 head-to-head and the winner goes to play Tsitspas or qualifier Gregoire Barrere.

    THE STACKED THIRD QUARTER

    Dominic Thiem, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Nick Kyrgios, Kei Nishikori and Kyle Edmund all landed in the same quarter of the draw. Throw in the mix the likes of Fernando Verdasco and Damir Dzumhur and we’ve got a real bloodbath on our hands.

    MEN’S PROJECTED QUARTER-FINALS BY SEED

    Roger Federer (SUI x1) v Kevin Anderson (RSA x8)
    Marin Cilic (CRO x3) v Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x6)
    Alexander Zverev (GER x4) v Dominic Thiem (AUT x7)
    Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) v Juan Martin del Potro (ARG x5)

    WOMEN’S PROJECTED QUARTER-FINALS BY SEED

    Simona Halep (ROU x1) v Petra Kvitova (CZE x8)
    Garbine Muguruza (ESP x3) v Caroline Garcia (FRA x6)
    Sloane Stephens (USA x4) v Karolina Pliskova (CZE x7)
    Elina Svitolina (UKR x5) v Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x2)

    30 06 TENNIS NEW - WOMEN

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