WIMBLEDON, July 3 (AP): Wimbledon gets started on Monday with some of the biggest names in tennis in action, including Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, Venus Williams and Coco Gauff.
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It is the year’s third major tournament — and Djokovic won the first two: the Australian Open in January and the French Open in June. That puts him halfway to the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969. He came close to the feat in 2021, falling just one victory short when he lost in the final of the U.S. Open.
He seeks a fifth consecutive title at the All England Club and eighth overall, which both would tie records for men.
Djokovic’s title at Roland Garros was his 23rd at a Slam event, breaking a tie with Rafael Nadal for the men’s mark in that category.
As the reigning men’s champion at Wimbledon, Djokovic is scheduled to play the opening match at Centre Court on Day 1, facing Pedro Cachin of Argentina.
They’ll be followed in the main stadium by Williams, a 43-year-old participating in the sport’s oldest major tournament for the 24th time and taking on Elina Svitolina of Ukraine. Williams — whose younger sister, Serena, retired after last season — won five of her seven Grand Slam singles trophies at Wimbledon.
The No. 1-ranked Swiatek, who owns four major titles but hasn’t been past the fourth round at the All England Club, gets things started at No. 1 Court against Zhu Lin of China. Up next in that arena will be three-time Grand Slam runner-up Casper Ruud against Laurent Lokoli, and then Gauff — a 19-year-old American who was a French Open finalist last year — against 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.
