Wimbledon Day One Preview: Murray, Nadal, Wawrinka Open Bids
All-white kits have been laid out, the strawberries and cream are ready to be served and not a blade of grass is out of place. It's that time of year again. Day One at the Wimbledon Championships is less than 24 hours away.
As is tradition, the defending champion is first to step on the pristine lawns of Centre Court. Top seed and two-time winner Andy Murray opens with an intriguing clash against #NextGenATP Alexander Bublik at 1pm on Monday. It is their first meeting.
Murray is bidding to win his third Wimbledon crown and move into joint-fourth place on the list for most titles by a British man. Bublik, meanwhile, reached his first main draw at the All England Club as a Lucky Loser, following the withdrawal of Pablo Cuevas.
Another Top 5 vs. #NextGenATP clash headlines the action on Centre Court, with fifth seed Stan Wawrinka battling Daniil Medvedev. Wawrinka, a two-time quarter-finalist in 2014-15, will begin his quest for Grand Slam immortality. A Wimbledon title would secure the Career Grand Slam for the Swiss, making him just the ninth player in history to achieve the feat.
Medvedev is making his debut appearance at SW19, but is in fine form after reaching the quarter-finals at the ATP World Tour grass events in 's-Hertogenbosch and Queen's Club and the semis last week in Eastbourne. He is looking for his first match win at a major.
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Murray and Wawrinka aren't the only Top 5 seeds in action on Day One, with a red-hot Rafael Nadal looking to carry a surge of momentum from the clay to the grass. The fourth seed is looking to complete the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double for the third time (2008, '10), tying Bjorn Borg's record (1978-80). He opens against Aussie John Millman as the second match on No. 1 Court. Murray, Nadal and Wawrinka are all in contention for the top spot in the Emirates ATP Rankings during the fortnight.
Also in action on opening day are Kei Nishikori, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Marin Cilic and Nick Kyrgios. Nishikori opens against Italy's Marco Cecchinato, while two-time semi-finalist Tsonga faces home hope Cameron Norrie. Cilic battles Philipp Kohlschreiber in a highly anticipated clash on No. 2 Court. It will be their 10th FedEx ATP Head2Head encounter and first on grass. The German leads 6-3. Meanwhile, Kyrgios kicks off play on No. 3 Court against reigning doubles champion Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
If you have a grounds admission ticket, you're in for a treat, with #NextGenATP stars Karen Khachanov and Denis Shapovalov in action on Court 5 and Court 7, respectively. Khachanov, a semi-finalist at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle, battles countryman Andrey Kuznetsov, while 2016 boys' champion Shapovalov tangles with Jerzy Janowicz, who reached the last four in 2013. And as the rising stars begin their Wimbledon journeys, 39-year-old Tommy Haas bids farewell to the All England Club. The 2009 semi-finalist opens against Ruben Bemelmans on Court 9.
On Court 18, there is an intriguing, low-profile battle between Gilles Muller and Marton Fucsovics. Muller is coming off a title at the Ricoh Open in 's-Hertogenbosch and a semi-final run at the Aegon Championships at Queen's Club. Fucscovics, meanwhile, clinched a main draw wild card with his second ATP Challenger Tour crown of the year on the lawns of Ilkley. The Hungarian won the Wimbledon boys' title in 2010.