Wimbledon 2026 draw places Djokovic, Sinner in same half

By Sanjay Menon — 26 June 2026 — 3 min read

Men’s Singles Draw Highlights

The 2026 Wimbledon draw has positioned defending champion Jannik Sinner and seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in the same half of the men’s singles bracket. This setup could lead to a significant semifinal encounter between the two players.

Novak Djokovic, who is seeking a record eighth Wimbledon title, is scheduled to begin his campaign against Wu Yibing. His projected path includes potential matches against Stefanos Tsitsipas or Hugo Gaston in the second round, followed by Arthur Rinderknech in the third. Further into the tournament, Djokovic could face either Andrey Rublev or Joao Fonseca in the fourth round, with a projected quarter-final clash against third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.

World number one and reigning champion Jannik Sinner is set to open his tournament against Miomir Kecmanovic. His projected second-round opponents are Nuno Borges or Tristan Boyer. The Italian’s potential third-round match could be against Ignacio Buse, before a possible fourth-round meeting with Rafael Jodar or Luciano Darderi. Should both Sinner and Djokovic advance as projected, a semifinal match awaits. Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev is projected to be Sinner’s quarter-final opponent, with Medvedev starting his tournament against 2017 finalist Marin Cilic.

In the other half of the men’s draw, French Open champion Alexander Zverev is scheduled to start against Alexander Blockx. Zverev is seeded to potentially face Matteo Arnaldi in the third round, and then Jiri Lehecka or Francisco Cerundolo in the fourth round. A likely quarter-final match-up for Zverev is against sixth seed Taylor Fritz. However, Fritz faces a challenging opening round, having been drawn against Jack Draper, who is returning to the ATP Tour at Eastbourne this week. Draper holds a 10-5 record over Zverev and has won their last seven matches, including at Wimbledon in 2024 and Halle last month.

Carlos Alcaraz, a two-time Wimbledon titlist, is absent from the tournament due to a wrist injury. Sinner recently experienced a second-round loss at the French Open and has not played competitively since. The defeat in Paris occurred under extremely hot conditions. Alexander Zverev, while successful at Roland-Garros, considers grass his weakest surface. Novak Djokovic, at 39, is noted to be most comfortable on grass courts, with four trophies, two finals, and one semifinal appearance in his last seven visits to Wimbledon.

Women’s Singles Draw Preview

The women’s singles draw features a significant return and potential high-profile clashes. Serena Williams, a wild card entrant, is making her comeback to Grand Slam singles action for the first time since the 2022 US Open. The 23-time Grand Slam champion is set to play against Maya Jantchene in her opening match. Jantchene is an emerging prospect who won WTA titles in Morocco and Eastbourne in 2025.

If Williams advances, a potential third-round meeting with defending champion Iga Swiatek awaits, with Alexandra Eala projected as the second-round opponent. Swiatek will begin her title defense against Taylor Townsend. World number one Aryna Sabalenka is scheduled to play qualifier Teodora Kostovic, while second seed Elena Rybakina faces Lois Boisson. Fourth seed Jessica Pegula opens against Czech qualifier Darja Vidmanova.

Other notable matches in the women’s draw include home favourite Emma Raducanu beginning her Wimbledon defense against Antonia Ruzic. Naomi Osaka is set to play Elsa Jacquemot, Coco Gauff will face Tamara Korpatsch, and Mirra Andreeva meets Magda Linette. The projected women’s quarter-finals include Sabalenka versus Andreeva, Pegula versus Gauff, Swiatek versus Elina Svitolina, and Rybakina versus Amanda Anisimova. Serena Williams is also a wild card entrant in doubles, where she will partner with her sister Venus, aiming for their seventh doubles crown at SW19.

The tournament is set to begin on Monday.

Source: telanganatoday.com