London: The weather forecast for the Championships is cloudy; It is also a reflection of the things on the ground. Wimbledon 2022 starts on Monday without Russian and Belarusian players and without the currency of the ranking points.
The men’s top-10 – world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev and compatriot Andrey Rublev awarding nationality and No. 2 Alexander Zverev is injured – looks quite slim. The women’s steal would be without last year’s semifinalist No.6 Aryna Sabalenka, French Open semifinalist Daria Kasatkina and No.20. Victoria AzarenkaFor all flag and country reasons.
Eight-time champion Roger Federer will be out of the tournament for the first time since making his debut here 23 years ago. The 40-year-old has been pushing on an aging frame to be fit in the match after a 12-month break and counting due to injury. Naomi Osaka, a former No. 1, whose emerging business interests contrast with his appearance on the tennis court. The Japanese will sit outside what they call ‘exhibition’ because of their Achilles.
The All England Lawn Tennis Club took a stand on an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the ATP and WTA Tours returned with the fastest shot in the gunroom – a point award. While the target was grass-court major, it is the players who have been hit hardest – some more than others, unable to even defend their advantage from 2021 onwards.
Matteo Berrettini, who made last year’s final, may slip to 17th place, while Karolina Pliskova Can go below 18. Belarus’ Sabalenka, with a picking of 780 from the tournament 12 months ago, could retain her top-10 spot. It also does not bode well for the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has lost three times in the first round in four starts at Church Road, including last year. It will be hard to swallow for the Greek, who eventually finds his grass-court shoes, should he improve his best result here – showing in the fourth round in 2018 – this time.
Nowaki Djokovic Won the first three Grand Slams last year before making the final in New York. After scoring just 360 points at the French Open in June, the 35-year-old slipped from No. 1 to 3 in the rankings. The Serb’s vaccine stand saw him deported from Australia in January and his dismay at his participation in the US Open in autumn. “I cannot say that I agree to ban Russian and Belarusian tennis players from competing indefinitely,” Djokovic said, dismissing the confusion of his own dip graph. “They deserve to compete. None of them have supported a war.”
It is on that fuzzy footing, that the championship celebrates the centenary of Center Court in its current Church Road location – while the tournament’s first episode without change begins mid-Sunday Sabbath – kicks off. Djokovic, who was aiming for his seventh and fourth consecutive title at Wimbledon, began his title defense against South Korean Soon-woo Kwon. Unlike the French Open, Wimbledon appears to be more breathable with draw Rafael NadalJoe is at the halfway point of a calendar slam when he opens against Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo.
iga switec Claimed his second Grand Slam title three weeks ago, equalized Venus Williams‘ 35 match winning streak, the longest on the WTA Tour in this century. If Pole defeats Croatian qualifier Jana Fate in Tuesday’s first round, she will be the sole owner of the record.
At a time when the tennis world was embroiled in a heated debate over points and policy, the 23-time major winning champion Serena Williams Announced on social media. He wrote, ‘SW at SW19. it’s a date’. The 40-year-old, who was ruled out of the tournament last year, returned to action last week at Eastbourne, where she played doubles. His confident zeal quickly became the subject of discussion.
The American, who opens against Harmony Tan and may play Pliskova in the third round, was asked what a ‘good result’ would be for her. “You know the answer,” laughed Williams, smiling. “Come on now!”
Pour cream over strawberries. If there is any grunt, there is hope.