American Serena Williams, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, will face France’s Harmony Tan in the first round of the English tournament, her return to the singles courts after a year’s absence, according to the draw on Friday.
For his part, Novak Djokovic, defending the men’s title, will debut this year on the grass of the All England Club against the South Korean Kwon Soon-woo, number 75 in the world.
If they all advance without problems, the Serbian would face rising Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals and number two seed Rafael Nadal in the final.
Williams, 40, a 23-time Grand Slam champion who has fallen to 1,204th in the world rankings, has received an invitation from organizers for the Wimbledon tournament that starts on Monday.
The 24-year-old Tan, ranked 113th in the women’s racket, should be an easy opponent for Williams, who this week competed in doubles alongside Ons Jabeur at the English grass court tournament at Eatsbourne, where they made it through two rounds before having to leave the tournament. Thursday due to a knee injury to the Tunisian.
For her part, Iga Swiatek, 21, world number one and recent winner of Roland Garros, will face Croatian Jana Fett in the first round.
The Polish has as a potential rival in the semifinals the Spanish Paula Badosa, four-seeded 24-year-old.
Williams, whose last Grand Slam title dates back to the Australian Open in 2017, had to withdraw from Wimbledon in 2021 due to an injury that has kept her away from the courts.
The American, who reached the Wimbledon finals in 2018 and 2019, is seeking to equal the absolute record, between male and female tennis players, of 24 Grand Slams held by Australian Margaret Court.
