Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic and defending champion Jannik Sinner were drawn in the same half of the men's singles draw, while Serena Williams' long-awaited Grand Slam comeback and a potential third-round clash with Iga Swiatek headlined the women's draw for Wimbledon 2026, announced on Friday.

London: Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic and defending champion Jannik Sinner were drawn in the same half of the men's singles draw, while Serena Williams' long-awaited Grand Slam comeback and a potential third-round clash with Iga Swiatek headlined the women's draw for Wimbledon 2026, announced on Friday. 

Djokovic, on the hunt for a record eighth Wimbledon title, starts with China’s Wu Yibing and is predicted to face Stefanos Tsitsipas or Hugo Gaston in the second round. The Serbian then could take on Arthur Rinderknech in the third round, before coming up against either Andrey Rublev or Brazilian young prospect Joao Fonseca in round four, leading to a projected quarter-final clash against third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime. 

World number one and defending champion Jannik Sinner opens his tournament against Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic and is projected to come up against Nuno Borges or Tristan Boyer in the second round. The Italian could then come up against Peruvian Ignacio Buse in round three before a potential clash with Spaniard Rafael Jodar or fellow Italian Luciano Darderi in the fourth round. 

A blockbuster semifinal clash awaits between Sinner and Djokovic should both players make it through, with former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev projected to be the Russian’s quarterfinal opponent. Medvedev gets his tournament underway against 2017 finalist Marin Cilic.