Rafael Nadal avoids Novak Djokovic’s side of Wimbledon draw

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Rafael Nadal avoids Novak Djokovic but could face Andy Murray in the quarters.

    Two-time champion Rafael Nadal avoided landing in Novak Djokovic’s side of the draw but could face Andy Murray in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon this fortnight.

    The Spaniard, seeded a lowly 10 at the All England Club this year, opens his campaign against Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci and could run into his compatriot No8 seed David Ferrer in the fourth round.

    Murray has a date with Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin in round one and could get Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the fourth round.

    No2 seed and seven-time champion Roger Federer has been drawn to potentially face Murray or Nadal in the semi-finals and takes on Bosnian Damir Dzumhur in the first round. Federer had beaten Dzumhur last month at Roland Garros.

    Defending champion Novak Djokovic, targeting a third Wimbledon crown, was given a daunting opener against Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber, who was two points away from dismissing Federer in Halle three weeks ago and is a former quarter-finalist at Wimbledon.

    World No4 Stan Wawrinka, who beat Djokovic to win the French Open earlier this month, is in the same half as the Serb and could meet him in the semi-finals. Wawrinka will play Portugal’s Joao Sousa in the opening round and could have a tough quarter-final against Canadian No7 seed Milos Raonic, who is returning from foot surgery but was a semi-finalist here last year.

    Fifth-seeded Kei Nishikori is a last eight prospect for Djokovic but the Japanese must first get past Simone Bolelli in round one.

    2002 champion, Lleyton Hewitt, will play his final Wimbledon and will face Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen on opening day.

    On the women’s side, Serena Williams could meet her sister Venus in the fourth round and will begin her assault on a sixth Wimbledon crown against Russian qualifier Margarita Gasparyan.

    Serena was drawn in the same half as fourth-seeded Maria Sharapova, who is looking to win a first Wimbledon since her sole triumph here back in 2004.

    Serena’s quarter of the draw is full of minefields including ex-world No1s Victoria Azarenka and Ana Ivanovic.

    Sharapova could get a rematch with her French Open conqueror Lucie Safarova in the quarter-finals. Safarova, the Roland Garros runner-up opens against American Alison Riske while Sharapova will take on the British crowd who will be behind their home player Johanna Konta.

    Defending champion and two-time winner Petra Kvitova plays Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens in round one and has eighth-seeded Ekaterina Makarova as a possible last eight test.

    Caroline Wozniacki, who pulled out of her semi-final in Eastbourne with a hip problem yesterday, begins her fortnight with a meeting with China’s Zheng Saisai and is seeded No5.

    Wozniacki has a potential quarter-final date with world No3 Simona Halep, who has Jana Cepelova as a first round rival. Both Wozniacki and Halep are possible semi-final opponents for Kvitova.

    Djokovic, as the title holder, will kick-off Monday’s Centre Court action, while Kvitova opens proceedings on Tuesday. Which means the top half of both the men’s and women’s draws will play on Monday, while the bottom halves will take to the courts on Tuesday. 

    Recommended