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Wimbledon 2023: Djokovic's Bold Comeback and Alcaraz's Favorable Draw
The stage is set in London for the start of the prestigious Wimbledon tournament on Monday. The historic British Grand Slam held its draw on Friday, revealing some exciting early matchups.
Novak Djokovic's High-Stakes Return
One of the biggest questions of the day was whether Novak Djokovic would participate. The Serbian star has decided to take the risk and compete, despite undergoing knee surgery just three weeks ago after withdrawing from Roland Garros. Djokovic will face Vit Kopriva in his opening match on Tuesday and has a relatively smooth path to the quarterfinals, where he could meet Hubert Hurkacz, known for his powerful serve, or Alex de Minaur, the recent winner in S'hertogenbosch.
Alcaraz's Favorable Draw
Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz has had a stroke of luck with his first-round draw against the world's No. 262, Estonian Mark Lajal. Alcaraz's journey to the semifinals appears to be less challenging, avoiding Djokovic until the final. Lajal, a 21-year-old who has already battled through the qualifying rounds, should not pose a significant threat to Alcaraz, who might face Aleksandar Vukic or Sebastian Ofner in the second round. Alcaraz's first real test could come in the third round against Frances Tiafoe, who has been struggling with a knee injury since Queen's.
Key Matchups and Predictions
In the quarterfinals, Alcaraz might encounter either the grass-averse Casper Ruud or the more likely opponent Tommy Paul, who recently triumphed at Queen's. Having lost his second seed status by relinquishing 500 points from his Queen's victory, Alcaraz enters Wimbledon as the third favorite, potentially facing Jannik Sinner, the world No. 1, in the semifinals. According to the draw, the quarterfinals could feature Sinner versus Daniil Medvedev, Alcaraz against Ruud, Alexander Zverev taking on Andrey Rublev, and Djokovic versus Hurkacz.
"Since my preparation for Roland Garros, I have been dealing with a bone bruise. Despite trying everything possible to recover and be ready for Wimbledon, the pain persists," wrote Frenchman Corentin Moutet on Twitter, announcing his withdrawal due to injury.
As the tournament approaches, all eyes will be on Djokovic's resilience and Alcaraz's potential ascent. Wimbledon 2023 promises thrilling matches and dramatic storylines right from the start.
Editor: Vitalina Patskan
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