An exciting new chapter begins at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, featuring seventh-time champion Novak Djokovic playing for a record 25th Grand Slam.
The 38-year-old landed in the same half of the draw as world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is aiming to find his feet on the grass surface in his quest for a maiden crown at Wimbledon.
Both could clash in a potential semifinal matchup. But, first things first.
The Serbian will launch his quest against Frenchman Alexandre Muller, an opponent he defeated at the US Open in 2023 (won the title), their lone meeting to date.
Fourth seed and home favorite Jack Draper, drawn in the top half of the draw, is a potential quarterfinal adversary for the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist.
The Briton, 23, finds himself ranked at a career-high No.4, having captured his maiden Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells in March; he also advanced to the finals in Doha and Madrid.
Draper will launch his run, facing off Argentine Sebastian Baez; former world No.3 Marin Cilic (won his first ATP Challenger last week in Nottingham) could meet him in the second round.
As he progresses, the draw does not get any lighter; in top form, two-time Halle champion Alexander Bublik could be waiting in the third round.
In preparation for his home Grand Slam at the Queen’s Club, the Brit struggled with tonsillitis, halted in the semifinals by in-form Jiri Lehecka.
Furthermore, Djokovic fell in the semifinals at the Australian Open and Roland-Garros. On grass, he could have his best chance to win an eighth major title at the prestigious Slam, continuing to write history if he lifts a record 25th overall.
He achieved his best result this season at the Gonet Geneva Open, prevailing over Pole Hubert Hurkacz (withdrew from the SW19 due to injury) in the final, claiming his first title of the year, late in May
Meanwhile, the No.1 Italian player will open his campaign against compatriot and world No.94 Luca Nardi in their first meeting at tour level.
On paper, Sinner is the favorite, but first-rounders are always tricky tests, especially when the stakes are so high and the underdog is hungry with nothing to lose.
In a projected quarterfinal contest, the top seed could star in a second all-Italian duel with seventh seed Lorenzo Musetti.
Like Djokovic, Musetti did not play on grass between the French Open and Wimbledon.
The 23-year-old will meet qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili in the first round.
Last season, the world No.7 engaged in a healthy transition from clay to the grass surface, progressing into his first semifinal at a major.
It is fair to say that ever since, he has never looked back, carrying momentum into 2025, shining bright during the clay swing.
As a result, he emulated the feat, making it through the last four at Roland-Garros - fell to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.
The Spaniard, a two-time Wimbledon champion, landed in the bottom half of the draw. He will kick off his title defense against Italian Fabio Fognini.
On an 18-match winning streak, the longest of his career, he is scheduled to play eighth seed Holger Rune in the quarterfinals and third seed Alexander Zverev in the semis.
Grand Slam glory has eluded the German, who is a three-time major finalist.
He will take on Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in the first round; last week, the world No.70 went the distance at the Queen’s Club, falling in the quarterfinals to Alcaraz.
All 128 men in the draw will have their chance at the event, but only one will be crowned champion.
“At Wimbledon, it’s not just about winning the title. It’s about becoming part of something bigger,” said Alcaraz, looking to continue building his legacy at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, founded in 1868.
“The pressure you put on yourself to achieve the things you’ve always dreamed of can be overwhelming at times, but defending my title last year and holding that trophy on Centre Court again was a special moment I’ll always remember.”