How Sinner, Alcaraz, Djokovic and the other top 10 seeds prepared for Wimbledon
Wimbledon is almost upon us with the third Slam of the year kicking off at the end of this month but how have the tournament favourites fared in the build-up?
June 30th sees the official start of the London tournament as the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner bid for glory.
Here’s how the top 10 seeds prepared for the tournament.
No 10 – Ben Shelton
Tipped by Toni Nadal as a potential threat for Sinner and Alcaraz, Ben Shelton cracked the top 10 in mid-June having reached the semi-final of the Stuttgart Open.
His last action before Wimbledon will come in Mallorca with Shelton joining at the Round of 16 stage on Tuesday.
No 9 – Daniil Medvedev
Winning Halle would have been an ideal way for Daniil Medvedev to prepare for Wimbledon but instead he watched on as Alexander Bublik lifted the trophy.
Entering as No 3 seed and with No 1 Sinner and No 2 Alexander Zverev already out, the tournament looked to be set up for Medvedev but he succumbed to a straight sets defeat to the world No 45.
The Russian has yet to win a tournament this year.
No 8 – Holger Rune
Having gone out in the fourth round of the French Open, Dane Holger Rune returned to action at Queen’s.
In London, he reached the quarter finals but came unstuck against the unseeded Roberto Bautista Agut.
No. 7 – Lorenzo Musetti
One of two players on this list not to have played a grass tournament ahead of Wimbledon, Lorenzo Musetti last featured at the French Open in early June.
It was there that the Italian sustained a leg injury, retiring in his semi-final match against Alcaraz with the score at 4-6, 7-6, 6-0, 2-0.
As a result, Musetti sat out Queen’s but is hopeful of being fit for Wimbledon.
No 6 – Novak Djokovic
Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic arrives in SW19 by warming up in his traditional way – entering no tournament.
In five of the Serbian’s Wimbledon wins, he has warmed up by staying at home. Only in 2018 and 2011 did he win Queen’s before Wimbledon.
At the age of 38, Djokovic is not going to compete in too many tournaments, especially after suffering a muscle tear in the Australian Open, meaning the last competitive match he played was his semi-final defeat to Sinner at the French Open.
However, the Serbian will see this as his best chance at a Slam win this year.
No 5 – Taylor Fritz
Having won the Stuttgart Open, American Taylor Fritz was an early casualty of Queen’s.
The No. 3 seed won the opening set of his match against Corentin Moutet but the Frenchman hit back, winning 7-6, 7-5 in the next two sets to send Fritz home.
No 4 – Jack Draper
British No.1 Jack Draper reached a career high of No. 4 in the overall rankings having won Indian Wells and reached the final of the Madrid Masters.
Back in his home country and Draper made it to the semi-final of Queen’s but did so while combating the effects of tonsillitis.
In the semi, Draper lost two sets to one to Jiri Lehecka but was keen not to blame his illness for his defeat.
As for Wimbledon, Draper has never made it past the second round but looks in good form to do so this year.
No 3 – Alezander Zverev
Having won the BMW Open in April, Zverev entered his home tournament in Halle as the No. 2 seed but lost in the semi-final to Medvedev.
Before that loss, Zverev knocked out two Italians in Flavio Cobolli and Lorenzo Sonego as well as American Marcos Giron but lost 6-7, 7-6. 6-4 to Medvedev.
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No 2 – Carlos Alcaraz
Alcaraz prepared for Wimbledon in perfect fashion – by following up a French Open victory with success at Queen’s.
The in-form Spaniard said he arrived in London with little expectations but looked assured as he made his way to the final, dropping just one set in the process.
However, the final proved a little trickier as Jiri Lehecka forced him to three sets but Alcaraz’s 6-2 in the third set secured his second Queen’s title.
While Alcaraz still remains behind Sinner in the rankings, his form puts him as the Wimbledon favourite for many.
No 1 – Jannik Sinner
Having suffered a devastating loss in the Roland Garros final, Sinner would have hoped for a confidence-boosting win at Halle, instead he exited after his second match.
After beating German Yannick Hanfmann in his opening game, Sinner took a one-set lead against Alexander Bublik but the eventual winner fought back to win two sets to one and send the Italian home.
That defeat, plus his four-month doping ban, means Sinner has not won a tournament since the Australian Open in January.
