Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Djokovic ready to be first among equals at Wimbledon

Djokovic ready to be first among equals at Wimbledon

NOVAK DJOKOVIC targets a record-equalling 20th major and sixth Wimbledon title from Monday (28) which will edge him tantalisingly closer to becoming only the third man in history to complete a calendar Grand Slam.

The world number one has already won a ninth Australian Open and second French Open this season.


That has put him halfway to emulating Don Budge (1937) and Rod Laver (1962 and 1969) in sweeping all four majors in the same year.

It is a feat even his closest rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have never managed.

"Everything is possible," said 34-year-old Djokovic after winning the French Open earlier this month when asked if the Golden Slam of all four majors and Olympic gold was a realistic target.

Djokovic memorably captured a fifth Wimbledon in 2019, saving two championship points to defeat Federer in the longest ever final at the All England Club at four hours and 57 minutes.

He was deprived of defending his title in 2020 when Wimbledon was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Djokovic has won seven of the last 11 Slams as he ramps up his assault on the record of 20 majors held jointly by Federer and Nadal.

The Serb starts his defence on Monday (28) against British world number 250 Jack Draper who was born just six miles (9.5km) from the All England Club.

Nadal, the Wimbledon champion in 2008 and 2010, has already withdrawn from this year's tournament, still scarred by the bruising loss to Djokovic in the French Open semifinals.

Federer eyes ninth title

Eight-time winner Federer, meanwhile, will be 40 in August and won just one match on grass at Halle in the build-up to Wimbledon.

Federer, who underwent two knee surgeries in 2020, won the last of his eight Wimbledons in 2017 and the most recent of his 20 majors in Australia in 2018.

The Swiss star has lost three finals to Djokovic at the All England Club - 2014, 2015 and the epic 2019 clash.

"Truthfully, I don't think my goal was to play till, whatever, 39 or 40 or more," said Federer on Saturday (26).

"It was maybe more like 35 maybe I was thinking, which was already a high number at the time."

Federer, in the opposite half of the draw to Djokovic, begins his campaign on Tuesday (29) against France's Adrian Mannarino against whom he holds a 6-0 head-to-head advantage.

The rest of the current top 10 have endured relatively mediocre Wimbledon records.

Only 33-year-old Roberto Bautista Agut, a surprise semifinalist two years ago, has reached further than the last 16.

Daniil Medvedev has made only the third round but was buoyed on Saturday (26) by a first grass court title in Mallorca.

Dominic Thiem has withdrawn due to a wrist injury.

Alexander Zverev had a best last-16 run in 2017 but was a first-round loser two years ago while Andrey Rublev has yet to get past the second round.

Of the remainder of the top 10, French Open runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas and Matteo Berrettini are Djokovic's most likely threats.

Tsitsipas made the last 16 in 2018 before exiting in the first round two years ago.

The Greek, however, is one of the form players of 2021, winning titles in Monte Carlo and Lyon before forcing Djokovic to recover from two sets down in the Roland Garros final.

Queen's Club champion Matteo Berrettini is also a dangerman for Djokovic.

The Italian made the last 16 in 2019 where it took Federer to stop his progress.

He was also the first man to win the Queen's title on debut since Boris Becker in 1985 - the German went on to win a maiden Wimbledon just weeks later.

Andy Murray, the 2013 and 2016 champion, will hope to ride a national wave of emotion at least into the second week.

But the injury-plagued Briton, a former world number one, is down at 119 in the rankings and has won just two matches all season.

"I'm delighted that I can be back competing here again," said Murray who hasn't played singles at Wimbledon since 2017.

"I'm most excited about being in front of a big crowd and the fans and everything. That's really something that I've missed a lot."

Sixteen years on from his debut at the event, Murray faces Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili in the first round.

(AFP)

More For You

IPL valued at £13.5bn as Bengaluru tops franchise rankings

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli (C), along with his teammates, celebrates with the trophy after winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 final cricket match against Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 4, 2025. (Photo by ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images)

IPL valued at £13.5bn as Bengaluru tops franchise rankings

THE Indian Premier League's business value has been estimated at $18.5 billion (£13.5bn) with reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru its wealthiest franchise, according to a report by an investment bank.

The world's richest cricket tournament has been a top revenue earner for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and in 2020 was estimated to generate more than $11bn (£8bn) a year for the Indian economy.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sri Lanka crush Bangladesh by 99 runs, clinch series

Sri Lanka's players pose with the trophy after winning the third and final one-day international (ODI) cricket match against Bangladesh at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on July 8, 2025. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)

Sri Lanka crush Bangladesh by 99 runs, clinch series

SRI LANKA stormed to a 99-run win over Bangladesh in the third and final ODI at Pallekele on Tuesday (8), sealing the three-match series 2-1 with a clinical all-round display.

Set a challenging target of 286, Bangladesh faltered under pressure and were bundled out for 186 inside 40 overs as Sri Lanka flexed their bowling muscle to wrap up the contest with ease.

Keep ReadingShow less
Red Bull sacks Christian Horner after 20 years

Red Bull Racing's British team principal and CEO Christian Horner. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images)

Red Bull sacks Christian Horner after 20 years

CHRISTIAN HORNER is to leave his role as Red Bull team principal with immediate effect after 20 years, the Formula One team announced on Wednesday (9).

The 51-year-old Englishman has occupied the role ever since the team started out in the championship.

Keep ReadingShow less
Carlos Alcaraz Wimbledon 2025

Alcaraz had experienced occasional inconsistency in the first week of the tournament

Getty Images

Carlos Alcaraz eases past Norrie to reach Wimbledon semi-finals

Highlights

  • Carlos Alcaraz defeats Britain’s Cameron Norrie in straight sets
  • Defending champion extends winning streak to 23 matches
  • Faces American Taylor Fritz next in the semi-finals

Alcaraz powers through quarter-final test

LONDON, July 8 (Reuters) – Carlos Alcaraz had hinted that Cameron Norrie might pose a tricky challenge. And for a brief moment on Tuesday, it looked as though the defending Wimbledon champion could be in for an early scare.

The Spaniard found himself down 0-40 in his opening service game on Centre Court. But any suggestion of an upset quickly faded as Alcaraz surged to a dominant 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 victory — a performance that further cemented his status as the favourite to retain the title.

Keep ReadingShow less
gill-bumrah-archer-getty

Bumrah returns to bolster India's attack, Gill eyes more records, while Archer boosts England's hopes at Lord's. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

3rd Test: India confident after big win, England turn to Archer at Lord's

Highlights:

 
     
  • India levelled the series 1-1 with a 336-run win at Edgbaston
  •  
  • Shubman Gill has scored 585 runs in two Tests as captain
  •  
  • Jofra Archer set for first Test appearance since 2021; Bumrah returns for India

INDIA will look to continue their strong form when they face England in the third Test at Lord's starting Thursday. After losing the first Test at Headingley, India bounced back to level the five-match series 1-1 with a 336-run win at Edgbaston.

Keep ReadingShow less