The third Grand Slam of the year starts on Monday as the 2023 Wimbledon Championships descend on the All England Lawn and Tennis Club.
The schedule has now been confirmed for Day 1, which will be Monday, July 3, with a full first-round roster previewed by TennisUpToDate as usual.
It all begins on Center Court at 13:30 BST, with the outdoor courts starting at 11, which means that when Novak Djokovic takes the court, the first group of winners will be confirmed.
Djokovic opens as defending champion
As is tradition for Elena Rybakina to do the same on Tuesday, Novak Djokovic as defending champion and seven times after takes a familiar trip onto Center Court to open proceedings on Monday.
Looking for a record equaling eighth Grand Slam title and one that will put him further down the so-called GOAT debate. It all begins against Pedro Cachin.
No head-to-head matches exist with Cachin mainly playing the Challenger Tour this year, so it will likely be a routine win for the big Serb.
Venus Williams and Sinner also feature on Center Court with top names playing on the outside courts
The other two choices on Center Court will raise debate with Venus Williams in potentially her last Wimbledon.
A question that gets asked every year and still at 43, she’s still playing so it’s just a guess at this point.
The multiple champion will face a returning teammate this season who also received a wildcard in Elina Svitolina. It was a superb comeback for the Ukrainian, who fell in her only grass court match against Linda Fruhvirtova.
As she did not have enough ranking points to enter by right, she was given a wildcard, and now the two high-profile names are facing each other.
Jannik Sinner then closes the case against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, which is an interesting choice for several reasons.
Sinner is a question mark with the all clear given after Halle, but damage is potentially still there.
Question marks on legal assignments
While three matches that on any other given day would have been on Center Court grace Court One.
They are world No. 1 Iga Swiatek against Lin Zhu. That the Pole is knocked down is no surprise realistic.
Many complained at Roland Garros that Swiatek, who thrashed many of her opponents, played formalities on the exhibition courts, so it is highly likely that the scheduling was dictated by that.
But still for Swiatek, it is a quick turnaround with illness in Bad Homburg, where she retires. But instead of an extra day like Elena Rybakina, who herself is still fighting, it will be just that.
Other players who will be on Court One include last year’s finalist Nick Kyrgios. A player who would normally be a Center Court attraction and is a heavy favourite, especially after last year’s run, it is the second show court this year.
Primarily for a similar reason, Kyrgios has not played much at all in the grass court season with injuries, and whether he makes it through Monday’s opening match will be interesting. He faces David Goffin.
An even bigger question mark surrounds Coco Gauff, who like Kyrgios is often put on Center Court with hype heaped on her from a young age and especially at Wimbledon, where she had her breakout.
Instead, it’s Court No.1 against Sofia Kenin in a thrilling tie as the Australian Open champion continues to try to make a comeback.
Pegula, Ruud, Fritz, Rublev among the others
As always on opening day, there are stories around SW19 and among those on the outdoor courts that open, Jessica Pegula, Casper Ruud, Taylor Fritz and Andrey Rublev.
There is no British representation until we reach Court Two with Daniel Evans and going all the way down to the latter courts include Leylah Fernandez, Victoria Azarenka, Alexander Bublik (the recent Halle winner) as well as Liudmila Samsonova.
Also, the retirement of Anett Kontaveit may end the day on court 15, as the estor meets Lucrezia Stefanini in the final match. A potentially sad way to go out.
Also in the first few courts include Caroline Garcia, British hope Harriet Dart, Donna Vekic, Daria Kasatkina among others with the second half of the draw set for Tuesday. Set your alarms as the outer courses start at 11.00am BST.
2023 Wimbledon Day 1 Schedule
CENTER RIGHT – 1.30pm START (all times BST)
Pedro Cachin (ARG) vs Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Venus Williams (USA) vs Elina Svitolina (UKR)
Jannik Sinner (ITA) vs. Juan Manuel Cerundolo (ARG)
No. 1 COURT – 1:00 PM START
Iga Swiatek (POL) vs Lin Zhu (CHN)
David Goffin (BEL) vs Nick Kyrgios (AUS)
Sofia Kenin (USA) vs Coco Gauff (USA)
No. 2 THE COURT – 11:00 START
Jessica Pegula (USA) vs Lauren Davis (USA)
Laurent Lokoli (FRA) vs Casper Ruud (NOR)
Katie Swan (GBR) vs Belinda Bencic (SUI)
Quentin Halys (FRA) vs Daniel Evans (GBR)
No. 3 THE COURT – 11:00 START
Andrey Rublev vs Max Purcell (AUS)
Katie Volynets (USA) vs Caroline Garcia (FRA)
Jodie Burrage (GBR) vs Caty McNally (USA)
Yannick Hanfmann (GER) vs Taylor Fritz (USA)
COURT 12 – 11:00 START
Diane Parry (FRA) vs Harriet Dart (GBR)
Filip Krajinovic (SRB) vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
Denis Shapovalov (CAN) vs Radu Albot (MDA)
Shuai Zhang (CHN) vs Donna Vekic (CRO)
THE COURT 18 – 11:00 START
Veronika Kudermetova vs Kaia Kanepi (EST)
Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) vs Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
Daria Kasatkina vs Caroline Dolehide
Not before 4:30 p.m
Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN) vs Stan Wawrinka (SUI)
COURT 4 – 11:00 START
Nadia Podoroska (ARG) vs Tereza Martincova (CZE)
Corentin Moutet (FRA) vs Richard Gasquet (FRA)
Rebeka Masarova (ESP) vs Mayar Sherif (EGY)
Lloyd Harris (RSA) vs. Gregoire Barrere (FRA)
COURT 5 – 11:00 START
Barbora Strycova (CZE) vs Maryna Zanevska (BEL)
Maximilian Marterer (GER) vs Borna Gojo (CRO)
Mikael Ymer (SWE) vs Alex Molcan (SVK)
Marie Bouzkova (CZE) vs Simona Waltert (SUI)
COURT 6 – `11:00 START
Sebastian Baez (ARG) vs. Tomas Barrios Vera (CHI)
Martina Trevisan (ITA) vs Sara Sorribes Tormo
Qinwen Zheng (CHN) vs Katerina Siniakova (CZE)
Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG) vs Bernabe Zapata Miralles (ESP)
COURT 7 – 11:00 START
Luca Van Assche (FRA) vs Aslan Karatsev
Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) vs Peyton Stearns (USA)
Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) vs Diego Schwartzman (ARG)
Camila Osorio (COL) vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto
COURT 8 – 11:00 START
Alycia Parks (USA) vs Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER)
Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) vs Claire Liu (USA)
Dominik Koepfer (GER) vs Oscar Otte (GER)
Benjamin Bonzi (FRA) vs. Harold Mayot (FRA)
COURT 9 – 11:00 START
Jordan Thompson (AUS) vs Brandon Nakashima (USA)
Storm Hunter (AUS) vs Xinyu Wang (CHN)
Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) vs. Daniel Altmaier (GER)
COURT 10 – 11:00 START
Cristina Bucsa (ESP) vs Kamilla Rakhimova
JJ Wolf (USA) vs Enzo Couacaud (FRA)
Roman Safiullin vs Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)
COURT 14 – 11:00 START
Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) vs Juan Pablo Varillas (PER)
Kateryna Baindl (UKR) vs Leylah Fernandez (CAN)
Elise Mertens (BEL) vs Viktoria Hruncakova (SVK)
Borna Coric (CRO) vs. Guido Pella (ARG)
THE COURT 15 – 11:00 START
Yue Yuan (CHN) vs Victoria Azarenka
Liam Broady (GBR) vs Constant Lestienne (FRA)
Alexander Bublik (KAZ) vs Mackenzie McDonald (USA)
Not before 5:30 p.m
Anett Kontaveit (EST) vs Lucrezia Stefanini (ITA)
COURT 16 – 11:00 START
Linda Fruhvirtova (CZE) vs Petra Martic (CRO)
John Isner (USA) vs. Jaume Munar (ESP)
Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) vs Daniel Elahi Galan
Not before 5:30 p.m
Sloane Stephens (USA) vs Rebecca Peterson (SWE)
COURT 17 – 11:00 START
Ana Bogdan (ROU) vs Liudmila Samsonova
Magda Linette (POL) vs Jil Teichmann (SUI)
Jan Choinski (GBR) vs Dusan Lajovic (SRB)
Danielle Collins (USA) vs Julia Grabher (AUT)
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