Wimbledon 2024: Nagal to face Kecmanovic in first round, Swiatek up against Kenin in tough opener

London: India’s Sumit Nagal will make his debut in the Wimbledon main draw against Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic. This marks the second consecutive Grand Slam when Nagal has received direct entry into the main draw. He became the first Indian since Prajnesh Gunneswaran in 2019 to compete in the men’s singles main draw.

Nagal finds himself in the same section of the draw as the top seed and world no. 1 Jannik Sinner. Should he progress, he could potentially face the Italian in the third round.

In a tricky draw, World no. 1 Iga Swiatek will face American Sofia Kenin in the first round of the women’s singles in Wimbledon 2024.

Defending champion Marketa Vondrousova, seeded sixth and in the same quarter of the draw as Swiatek, will take on Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

In the men’s singles, reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz, seeded three, will take on Estonian qualifier Mark Lajal and finds himself in the same half of the draw as top seed Jannik Sinner.

Italy’s Sinner will take on German Yannick Hanfmann while Britain’s two-time winner Andy Murray will play unseeded Czech Tomas Machac in his final appearance, ending doubts over his singles participation in the home Grand Slam after undergoing spinal cyst surgery last weekend.

Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic, seeded second, has been drawn against Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva. Germany’s fourth seed Alex Zverev will commence his campaign against Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena.

Second seed Coco Gauff will play in an all-American first-round tie against Caroline Dolehide while third seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, who Gauff could face in the semi-finals, takes on American Emina Bektas.

Some other notable first-round draws in the women’s singles include a clash of Grand Slam champions as Victoria Azarenka faces Sloane Stephens while British wildcard Emma Raducanu, the 2021 U.S. Open champion, is up against Russian 22nd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Britain’s new men’s number one Jack Draper, seeded for the first time at Wimbledon, opens his campaign against Swedish qualifier Elias Ymer.

Play begins at the year’s third Grand Slam on Monday when Spain’s Alcaraz will open proceedings on Centre Court.

Vondrousova, who defeated Ons Jabeur in the 2018 women’s singles championship final to become the first unseeded winner, will start her title defense on Tuesday and will be hoping to fully heal from a hip injury she suffered last week in Berlin.

–IANS