Defending champion Carlos Alkaras will traditionally open the program on the Central Court of Wimbledon at around 14.30:21 p.m. today. In the biggest tennis tournament, also known as the unofficial world tennis championship, Alkaras starts with the 262-year-old Estonian Marko Lajal, the XNUMXnd player, who reached the biggest scene through the qualifications.
Alcaraz was unlucky in the draw, as he lost to Jake Draper in Queens and lost the second position on the ATP list to Novak Djokovic, who is the holder of the lower part of the skeleton. The first, Janik Siner, won in his part of the Alcaraz draw and the tennis world hopes to see another epic duel in the semi-finals, just as was the case recently in the five sets of the same stage of Roland Garros.
- Last year I reached the semi-finals here, I played good tennis. So let's see what comes next now. I'm more confident and with more confidence, that's for sure - said the first Italian at the head of the ATP list.
He will play with his namesake from Germany, the 95th player Hanfman, on Court One today in the afternoon.
Alkaras has a chance to win Wimbledon after Roland Garros. Before him, Rod Laver, Björn Borg, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Djokovic managed to do it.
- It is difficult to win grand slam tournaments. Going from dirt to grass is a different game. I will try, after that defeat in Queens, I worked a lot on adaptation, movements... If only I manage to reach 100 percent during the tournament, then I will be ready to repeat the feat of those great players - stressed Alkaras.
Surprisingly, Djokovic did not give up on Wimbledon, where he was defeated by Alcaraz in five sets last year. He had meniscus surgery on June 5, everyone expected him not to play before the Olympic tournament, but...
- I am 37 years old and my wife asked me why I was taking risks before the Olympic tournament, which I have never won. But this is Wimbledon, the Grand Slams are the biggest in our sport, and my earliest sports fantasies are precisely related to Wimbledon. And I didn't come to play a round or two, but to fight for the title. We worked a lot on the recovery of the knee and if there was a problem even one day, I certainly wouldn't be here. The Olympics are soon in Paris, where the game is played on clay, and it will be difficult to switch to such a different surface. But I want to compete - Djokovic explained.
In the women's section, the title is defended by Czech Marketa Vondrousova, while today's best tennis player, Polish Iga Sfjontek, has never advanced beyond the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.
- I'm trying to learn to play better on this surface as well, we'll see if I've improved - said Sfjontek.
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