STORY: Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and world number one Jannik Sinner will take their simmering rivalry at the top of the men’s game to Wimbledon, where the two young guns will look to prolong seven-times winner Novak Djokovic’s trophy drought in 2024.
Even before the tournament begins, however, Djokovic’s quest for a record 25th Grand Slam title is under a cloud with the Serb building match fitness after undergoing knee surgery three weeks ago for an injury that prematurely ended his French Open.
Fellow 37-year-old and former champion Andy Murray is also in a race to be ready for what is likely his Wimbledon swansong after the injury-plagued Briton went under the knife last week for a back issue that was exacerbated during his Queen’s Club run.
With Roger Federer retired and Rafa Nadal skipping Wimbledon to focus on next month’s Paris Olympics, the potential pullout of Djokovic would ensure the first Wimbledon without any of the Big Three since 1998.
All eyes would then be on Alcaraz and Sinner as they usher in a new era at Wimbledon.
Alcaraz has been drawn against Estonian qualifier Mark Lajal in the first round and finds himself in the same half of the draw as Sinner.
Italy’s Sinner opens his tournament against German Yannick Hanfmann.
(Production: Ben Makori, Henry Rounce)
