Novak Djokovic launches his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam crown at Wimbledon on Tuesday as Barbora Krejcikova begins her title defence with major questions over her fitness on another sizzling day in London.
Top men’s seed Jannik Sinner makes his bow against fellow Italian Luca Nardi on Court One, eager to put the pain of his French Open final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz behind him.
The All England Club experienced record temperatures for an opening day on Monday of over 32 degrees Celsius and they are expected to climb even higher on Tuesday.
Krejcikova opens the action on Centre Court, with seven-time champion Djokovic playing later against France’s Alexandre Muller, ranked 41st in the world.
The sixth-seeded Serb, who has been in every Wimbledon final since 2018, has only played Muller once, dropping just five games during his march to the 2023 US Open title.
But at 38 he knows time is running out as Alcaraz and Sinner establish a stranglehold at the top of the men’s game.
Djokovic has been tied with long-retired Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam singles titles since 2023 but he believes his most realistic hope of a historic 25th win lies at the All England Club.
“I would probably agree that Wimbledon could be the best chance because of the results I had, because of how I feel, how I play in Wimbledon, just getting that extra push mentally and motivation to perform the best tennis at the highest level,” he said.
The veteran, who has lost the past two Wimbledon finals to Alcaraz, has the added incentive of pulling level with the retired Roger Federer, who won a record eight men’s titles at the All England Club.
Defending women’s champion Krejcikova is feeling her way back to fitness after pulling out of the Eastbourne Open with a thigh problem.
The world number 16 has endured a difficult time since defeating Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the Wimbledon final last year, playing just six matches in 2025.
She was out of action until May after suffering a back injury and lost in the second round of the recent French Open.
“I had to have couple days off where I didn’t really play any tennis, but I did some off-court stuff,” said the 29-year-old Czech.
“I’ve been feeling every day a little bit better, so I’m really happy with that.”
Alexandra Eala, ranked 56th in the world, could be a dangerous opponent after becoming the first Filipina to reach a WTA final with her run to the Eastbourne title match last week.
Women’s second seed Coco Gauff, fresh from her French Open triumph, takes on Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska while five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek is in action against Russia’s Polina Kudermetova.
In early action on Tuesday, third seed Jessica Pegula suffered a shock defeat by Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto, losing 6-2, 6-3 in just 58 minutes.
Sinner will be desperate to state his credentials at Wimbledon with his great rival Alcaraz gunning for a third straight title.
The 23-year-old has impressed since returning from a three-month doping ban, reaching the finals of the Italian Open and the French Open, both of which he lost to his Spanish rival.
Sinner, who has never gone beyond the Wimbledon semi-finals, said: “I feel like that I’m playing great, great tennis on grass.
“Hopefully I can show this also in the match court.”
British hope Jack Draper, the fourth seed, takes on Argentina’s Sebastian Baez.
The matches between third seed Alexander Zverev and Arthur Rinderknech and fifth seed Taylor Fritz and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard will resume after they were suspended on Monday due to Wimbledon’s curfew of 2300 local time.
AFP
