Defending champion Novak Djokovic, #NextGenATP Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz and home favourite Andy Murray kick off their campaigns at Wimbledon on Monday. The first-round action at the grass-court Grand Slam will also see Hubert Hurkacz, Jannik Sinner, Stan Wawrinka, Reilly Opelka and Cameron Norrie in action at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

ATPTour.com looks at some of the matches to watch on Day 1 in the UK capital.

View Schedule | View Singles Draw

[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Soonwoo Kwon (KOR)

Djokovic opens proceedings on Centre Court with his second tour-level meeting against South Korean Soonwoo Kwon. Not only is the top seed defending his 2021 crown, but the six-time champion is also pursuing his fourth consecutive title at the grass-court major. That would draw him level with legendary American Pete Sampras.

“I would like to be in the [final] to eventually make history,” said Djokovic at his pre-tournament press conference. “Pete Sampras winning his first Wimbledon was the first tennis match I ever saw on the TV. So of course, there is a lot of connection to this tournament. Pete has won it seven times… Hopefully I can do the same this year.”

_{^{Photo Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images}}

Djokovic will step on court against Kwon having not lost at Wimbledon since 2017. The World No. 3 may not have played a competitive match since his quarter-final defeat to Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros on 31 May, but his opponent Kwon has played just two matches in that time after opening-round defeats at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Surbiton and at the Libema Open in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

With the added motivation of winning his 21st Grand Slam title to move within one of record-holder Rafael Nadal’s 22 major crowns, Djokovic will seek a fast start as he looks to extend his record in Wimbledon first-round matches to 17-0. The pair’s previous tour-level meeting came on clay in the Djokovic’s hometown of Belgrade in 2021, when the Serbian ran out a straight-sets winner. History may be against him, but can Kwon spring an opening-day upset for the ages?

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. James Duckworth (AUS)

Two-time champion Murray reached the final at the BOSS OPEN in Stuttgart three weeks ago, a run that included impressive wins against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Nick Kyrgios before a three-set loss to Matteo Berrettini. As he prepares to take on James Duckworth at Wimbledon, where the Briton holds a 59-11 match record, the former World No. 1 believes his exploits in Germany show he is still a force to be reckoned with.

“I think I showed a couple weeks ago [in Stuttgart] that there was still good tennis left in me,” said Murray in his pre-tournament press conference. “I beat a guy [Tsitsipas] in the top five in the world. I was neck-and-neck with Berrettini, who is one of the best grass-court players in the world before his injury. I played well against Kyrgios, as well.”

Duckworth is seeking his maiden tour-level victory of the year against Murray. The 30-year-old reached his career-high Pepperstone ATP Ranking of No. 46 on 31 January, before his season was derailed by a hip operation that kept him out of action until May. The Australian may be short on recent wins, but his second-round victory against proven grass-court performer Sam Querrey at Wimbledon last year is evidence of the threat he poses to Murray.

“He [Duckworth] is a guy that’s had quite a few operations,” said Murray. “He’s had quite a few injury issues over the years. He’s a proper hard worker. He finished last year extremely well, the second half of the year… Obviously I wish him well coming back from the surgery, and I’m sure we’ll have a good match on Monday.”

[5] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs. Jan-Lennard Struff

Can Carlos Alcaraz bring his stellar 2022 form to the grass? The Spaniard faces a tough start to his campaign on Court 1 against the dangerous Jan-Lennard Struff. Alcaraz has not played since his quarter-final defeat to Alexander Zverev at Roland Garros, the same event where his only tour-level meeting with Struff took place in 2021.

On that occasion, the German ran out a straight-sets winner, but the fifth-seeded Spaniard has since enjoyed a rapid rise to No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, picking up ATP Masters 1000 titles in Miami and Madrid en route. Alcaraz fell to Daniil Medvedev in the second round on tournament debut a year ago, but a 32-4 record in 2022 and the adaptability in his game suggests there is no reason the 19-year-old cannot continue his charge on the lawns in south-west London.

Struff will seek to exploit Alcaraz’s lack of experience on grass, but the German has never been past the third round at Wimbledon. His big-serving, high-powered game should nonetheless be suited to the fast-paced nature of the surface. Can he make it count on Monday afternoon?

[10] Jannik Sinner (ITA) vs. [WC] Stan Wawrinka (SUI)

An opening-day blockbuster clash on Court 2 is guaranteed to feature some of the heaviest hitting of the fortnight at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

Although 10th seed Sinner fell to Marton Fucsovics in the first round on his main draw debut in 2021, the 20-year-old is a consistent performer on the big stage. Quarter-final runs at the Australian Open and in Miami, Monte Carlo and Rome this year suggest form is not a problem for the Italian, but he is yet to win a tour-level match on grass.

His opponent on Monday is vastly more experienced on the surface — Wawrinka reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2014 and 2015 — but the former World No. 3 is playing just his fifth tour-level tournament since 13 months out with a foot injury. His opening win against Frances Tiafoe at The Queen’s Club two weeks ago was Wawrinka’s first triumph on grass since Wimbledon 2019.

Wawrinka leads 2-0 in the pair’s ATP Head2Head series, but he has not played Sinner since 2019 when the Italian was an 18-year-old rookie on the Tour. Now No. 13 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and with five tour-level titles under his belt, Sinner will hope the time has come for his grass-court breakthrough in one of the matchups of the opening round.

Also In Action

Hubert Hurkacz arrives at Wimbledon off the back of one of the performances of the season so far in his straight-sets win against Medvedev at the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle. The 2021 semi-finalist must pass a difficult opening test, however, in Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

British No. 1 Cameron Norrie kicks off the action on Court 2, where the ninth seed will take on Pablo Andujar. Norrie reached the third round for the first time in 2021 before falling to eight-time champion Roger Federer, and he arrives in London having already added two ATP Tour titles to his collection in 2022. Wild card Ryan Peniston, who upset Casper Ruud en route to the quarter-finals in Eastbourne, opens against Henri Laaksonen.

Third seed Ruud seeks to respond strongly to that shock defeat against Albert Ramos-Vinolas. The Norwegian is seeking his maiden main draw win at Wimbledon, while Spaniard Ramos-Vinolas chases his first win on the London grass since he reached the third round in 2017. The 2014 semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov is also in action, taking on Steve Johnson.

Four seeded Americans also begin their campaigns Monday, led by the big-serving duo of Reilly Opelka and John Isner. The 15th seed Opelka is up against Carlos Taberner, while 20th seed Isner faces French qualifier Enzo Couacaud. Their countryman Frances Tiafoe, the 23rd seed, takes on Italian qualifier Andrea Vavassori, while 30th seed Tommy Paul meets Fernando Verdasco.

Never before has Rafael Nadal entered Wimbledon after winning the year’s first two Grand Slam events. But with the 2022 Australian Open and Roland Garros titles in tow, a trophy in his 15th Wimbledon would put him on the brink of the Grand Slam — winning all four majors in the same year. That feat that has not been achieved in men’s singles since Rod Laver in 1969.

Tennis fans and players alike have taken note of the 36-year-old’s historic season, including many of the WTA’s most popular players.

“He’s done a lot in 2022. He’s been busy,” Serena Williams said Saturday in her Wimbledon pre-tournament press conference. “I’ve always been a Rafa fan… so obviously I’m always rooting for Rafa. He’s been really inspiring in everything that he’s done this year. And he has a lot more to do.”

Williams named one of her dogs after the Spaniard — Christopher Chip Rafael Nadal, a Yorkshire Terrier. The 40-year-old Williams, who is preparing for her first competitive singles match since last year’s Wimbledon, is eager to join Nadal among this season’s Grand Slam champions.

WTA World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who captured the Roland Garros singles title earlier this month, is similarly impressed by her fellow Paris champion. The Pole enters Wimbledon on a 35-match winning streak after scoring her second title in the French capital. She also reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open, where she was able to watch Nadal’s five-set comeback against Daniil Medvedev from inside Rod Laver Arena.

“I watched the Australian Open final live and I could see how much work he’s putting [in],” she said. “Sometimes when he’s not even playing his best tennis, how he’s coming back, finding solutions on court, it’s a great inspiration.

“For sure, the way he’s coping with [the] injury and the pain that he has, it’s just the example of how the best kind of athletes deal with that. It’s just really inspirational. Only Rafa could do it, you know?”

Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu also had her say on the Spaniard. Though the 19-year-old is firmly in the spotlight as she returns to her native Great Britain for her second Wimbledon, she has managed to find time to watch the likes of Nadal and Novak Djokovic on the practice courts.

“I’m 19…  just to be watching Rafa and Novak at such close range, to be able to take part and try to learn from them, walk amongst these great players, it’s still special,” she said. “I don’t think it really ever changes when you’re watching those greats. It’s amazing to have them around leading such a great example.

“It’s only my second Wimbledon, and I’m really new to this still. It’s a really special feeling.”

Nadal, the second seed at Wimbledon, is set to open his campaign on Tuesday against Francisco Cerundolo. It will be his first competitive action since he lifted the Roland Garros trophy on 5 June.

Despite his promising start to the grass season being cut short by an abdominal injury, Andy Murray is taking plenty of belief from his recent performances as he prepares to open his 2022 Wimbledon campaign against James Duckworth.

“I think I showed a couple weeks ago [in Stuttgart] that there was still good tennis left in me,” said Murray in his pre-tournament press conference in London on Saturday. “I beat a guy [Stefanos Tsitsipas] in the top five in the world. I was neck-and-neck with [Matteo] Berrettini, who is one of the best grass-court players in the world before his injury. I played well against [Nick] Kyrgios, as well.”

The former World No. 1 marched to the final at the ATP 250 event in south-west Germany without dropping a set. Despite a three-set loss to World No. 11 Berrettini in the championship match, Murray feels it is proof he still has the game to go toe-to-toe with anyone in the draw at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. His coach, eight-time Grand Slam champion Ivan Lendl, feels the same.

“I know the tennis is in there; I just need to bring it out during the event now,” said Murray. “Obviously having Ivan on my team helps. We’ve had a lot of success in the past. We know each other well. He still believes in me. There’s not loads of people out there that have done over this last period, and he has. That definitely helps me.”

Murray’s injury hampered him at times against Berrettini and forced his subsequent withdrawal from the Cinch Championships at The Queen’s Club in London. Despite fears that it would also threaten his place in the draw at Wimbledon, the Briton is happy with how preparations for his home major, where he lifted the trophy in 2013 and 2016, have gone.

“I’ve been able to gradually progress my training this week and got to play a few sets, a lot of points,” he said. “The last few days have been good.”

His first-round assignment in London is a third tour-level meeting with the World No. 77 Duckworth. Like Murray, the Australian has been frequently frustrated by injuries over the past few years. After reaching his career-high of No. 46 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on 31 January, the 30-year-old did not play again until May after undergoing hip surgery.

“He’s a guy that’s had quite a few operations,” said Murray. “He’s had quite a few injury issues over the years. He’s a proper hard worker. He finished last year extremely well, the second half of the year.

“Obviously I wish him well coming back from the surgery, and I’m sure we’ll have a good match on Monday.”

The 35-year-old also admitted he had to learn how to deal with the pressure of being a home favourite at Wimbledon early in his career. His fellow Brit and WTA star Emma Raducanu is preparing to play her home Grand Slam for the first time since her stunning US Open triumph in September, but Murray believes the personal nature of the experience makes it difficult for him to offer the 19-year-old advice on how to manage the hype.

“I haven’t given advice to Emma or any of the British players on how to deal with that side of things,” he said. “No one has asked me to. I’d be more than happy to, but I’m also not going to call up one of the players and just say, ‘Hey, this is how you should deal with it because that’s the right way to go.’

“Everyone is different. Everyone feels things in a different way, will handle it differently. I certainly didn’t handle things perfectly during the Wimbledon period, but I can also understand probably the different emotions and stresses that you can feel coming into this tournament. It is great and it is amazing, but there are challenges that come with it.”