Jannik Sinner v Miomir Kecmanovic
After his physical collapse at Roland Garros, world number one Jannik Sinner has largely recovered. His preparation for Wimbledon was minimal: only one exhibition match in Hurlingham against Cameron Norrie (6-3, 6-3) was on the schedule.
As the defending champion, he is, of course, the man to beat again in 2026. Miomir Kecmanovic has faced the South Tyrolean four times so far and has lost every time.
Alexander Blockx v Alexander Zverev
After Alexander Zverev finally broke his Grand Slam curse at the French Open and claimed his first major title, he now wants to make a splash at Wimbledon as well. However, grass has not been his favourite surface so far.
With Carlos Alcaraz absent, Zverev is seeded second. His first-round opponent is Belgian Alexander Blockx, currently ranked No. 37 in the ATP rankings. In their previous two meetings, Sascha won both without dropping a set.
Wu Yibing v Novak Djokovic
It seems far from unrealistic that Novak Djokovic could secure his 25th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon and thus extend his own record. With another title, the Serbian veteran would also tie Wimbledon record-holder Roger Federer (eight titles).
Wu Yibing is a massive underdog against the 39-year-old. The Chinese player has never made it past the first round at Wimbledon. For the world number 99, this is his first meeting with Nole.
Taylor Fritz v Jack Draper
Taylor Fritz boasts an outstanding serve and is considered one of the best grass-court players in the world. After reaching the semi-finals last year, the American faces a tough opening challenge at Wimbledon.
Jack Draper is gradually returning to top form after several persistent injuries. At the warm-up tournament in Eastbourne, the 24-year-old Brit made it to the semi-finals. He is a real crowd favourite and can count on strong support from the stands. In head-to-head, Draper leads 3-2.
Marin Cilic v Daniil Medvedev
Veteran Marin Cilic is known as a hard-court specialist, but the 37-year-old Croatian has also proven himself on grass, as his run to the Wimbledon final in 2017 shows.
Daniil Medvedev, on the other hand, crashed out in the first round at the All England Club last year. The current world number nine faces a very tough opening hurdle. In their head-to-head, the Russian leads 4-1.
Stan Wawrinka v Matteo Berrettini
The farewell tour of Stan Wawrinka continues. The 41-year-old Swiss will once again compete in the main draw at Wimbledon thanks to a wildcard, which is absolutely understandable given his three Grand Slam titles.
Italian Matteo Berrettini returns to the site of his greatest success so far. In 2021, he reached the final at the grass-court classic. However, he lost their only previous meeting, an exhibition match in Saudi Arabia in 2022, to Wawrinka. They have never played each other on the ATP Tour.
Taylor Townsend v Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek is considered an absolute clay-court specialist, but last year she stormed to the Wimbledon title. Currently, the former world number one is struggling with a dip in form and has yet to win a trophy this year.
Nevertheless, the 25-year-old Pole is still among the favourites. Her first opponent is Taylor Townsend. For the 30-year-old American, it is her first meeting with Swiatek.
Aryna Sabalenka v Teodora Kostovic
Things look very clear in the match between world number one Aryna Sabalenka and Serbian qualifier Teodora Kostovic.
However, the underdog could benefit from the fact that Sabalenka doesn't feel particularly comfortable on grass. She has never won a title on grass, and at Wimbledon, the Belarusian has never made it past the semi-finals.
Tamara Korpatsch v Coco Gauff
Wimbledon has not been a happy hunting ground for Coco Gauff so far. She has consistently failed to get past the round of 16. Disappointingly, the 22-year-old lost her only warm-up match, falling to Paula Badosa in Berlin (6-1, 2-6, 2-6).
As a result, Hamburg native Tamara Korpatsch can realistically hope for an upset. Grass is not the 31-year-old's favourite surface, but she performed well at the most recent Grand Slam in Roland Garros, reaching the third round. Still, Gauff remains the clear favourite.
Serena Williams v Maya Joint
Serena Williams has avoided a blockbuster clash in her singles comeback for now. Still, the 44-year-old faces a tough challenge. Maya Joint is considered a rising talent on the WTA Tour.
The 20-year-old Australian is likely to make life very difficult for the 23-time Grand Slam champion. However, Williams can count on the crowd's support - seven titles have certainly left their mark at Wimbledon.
