The draws for Wimbledon have been announced, setting up potentially challenging paths for several players, including Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper. Meanwhile, Serena Williams is set to make her return to the tournament after a four-year absence.
Emma Raducanu, the 30th seed, faces a difficult opening match against Antonia Ružić of Croatia. Should she advance, a potential third-round encounter with world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka looms. Raducanu and Sabalenka previously met in a third-round match at last year’s All England Championships, where Sabalenka defeated the Briton 7-6 (8-6) 6-4. Concerns about Raducanu’s fitness have been noted, as she missed a practice session and was seen with a protective boot on her right foot earlier in the week.
Another potential all-British match could occur if Raducanu progresses and Harriet Dart defeats Jelena Ostapenko in her first-round match. Sabalenka, who is aiming for her first Wimbledon title, will begin her campaign against Teodora Kostovic of Serbia.
Challenging draws for British players
Jack Draper has also received a tough draw, with his first match scheduled against the No 6 seed Taylor Fritz. The two players have met five times on the ATP Tour, with Draper holding a slight edge in their head-to-head record. Other British players also learned their first-round opponents.
Katie Boulter will face Tyra Grant, while Fran Jones is set to play against Dianne Parry. Wild card Mika Stojsavljevic, at seventeen years old, has a challenging opening match against world No 12 Belinda Bencic. Cameron Norrie will compete against 17-year-old qualifier Michael Zheng. Zheng reached the second round of the Australian Open earlier this year, indicating he could be a formidable opponent for Norrie, who was eliminated in the opening round of Queen’s last week by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Arthur Fery, who was defeated at Eastbourne by Juan Manuel Cerundolo, will play against world No 104 Damir Dzumhur. Toby Samuel has also been handed a difficult first-round match against the No 15 seed Jakub Mensik.
Williams’ return and other key matchups
Serena Williams is making her return to Wimbledon after a four-year break, having last played professionally at the 2022 US Open where she lost to Ajla Tomljanovic. The 23-time Grand Slam champion, who accepted a wild card for the tournament, will face world No 53 Maya Joint. Joint debuted at the All England Championships last year but was defeated in the first round by Liudmila Samsonova. Williams’ competitive return to the court included playing ladies’ doubles at Queen’s Club with Victoria Mboko, followed by a partnership with Karolína Muchová at the Berlin Open.
In the men’s singles draw, seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic will play Yibing Wu of China in the first round. Should Djokovic advance, he could potentially face Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round, a repeat of the 2023 men’s singles final. Tsitsipas has seen a dip in form over the past year, dropping to No 88 in the ATP Tour rankings. Djokovic is in the same half of the draw as defending champion and world No 1 Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, and third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.
French Open champion Alexander Zverev appears to have a more favorable draw but could encounter challenging opponents later in the tournament, including Ben Shelton, Fritz, and Alex de Minaur. Sinner will begin his title defense on Monday against world No 54 Miomir Kecmanović. If he progresses, Sinner is projected to meet Medvedev in the quarter-finals, while Auger-Aliassime could face Djokovic. On the other side of the draw, De Minaur, who has not advanced past the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam, could face world No 4 Shelton, and Fritz is projected to play Zverev in another quarter-final match.
Wimbledon coverage details
The BBC will provide extensive coverage of Wimbledon 2026, broadcasting live from the All England Lawn Tennis Club starting Monday 29 June. Coverage will be led by Clare Balding and Isa Guha. Isa Guha will initiate the day’s action on BBC Two, starting at 10:30 AM on Day One and 11:00 AM from Day Two onwards. Clare Balding will then take over in the afternoon, with play continuing into the evening on BBC One.
As the tournament progresses to its conclusion, Andy Stevenson will present coverage of the wheelchair finals. A lineup of tennis legends, including John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Pat Cash, Tracy Austin, Tim Henman, Kyle Edmund, Annabel Croft, Eugenie Bouchard, and Jamie Murray, will join Clare and Isa in the BBC studio to offer insights and analysis throughout the fortnight. Specialist commentary will be provided by a team including Andrew Castle, Chris Bradnam, and James Burridge.
Fans can access the live Wimbledon Extra channel on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app, and via the red button. Every match from all 18 courts will be available for streaming on iPlayer. Highlights and analysis will be available nightly on Today at Wimbledon on BBC Two and iPlayer from 11:00 PM. Live coverage will also be available on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC 5 Sports Extra, and BBC Sounds, with commentary from Gigi Salmon and Clare McDonnell, joined by former Wimbledon champions Pat Cash and Marion Bartoli. The BBC World Service will also provide live, extensive coverage with commentary from Delyth Lloyd and Lee James, while Jamie Broughton and Jon Wilkinson will cover for the 39 BBC Local Radio stations.
The BBC Sport website and app will deliver live in-play clips, match highlights, daily live text commentaries, and behind-the-scenes content, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the tournament.
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Source: skysports.com
As Latest News UK's Sports Reporter, Hannah Whitfield reports on tennis, cricket and athletics for readers across the country. She built her name covering the county circuit and Team GB at two Commonwealth Games. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from Loughborough University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Hannah lives in Bristol, where she plays club tennis and coaches a junior side. “Sport is at its best when you let the athletes tell the story.”