Auger-Aliassime will meet Mmoh in the first round at Wimbledon

Quebecer Félix Auger-Aliassime will finally have an appointment with American Michael Mmoh in the first round of the Wimbledon tournament, we learned following the withdrawal of Serbian Filip Krajinovic.

This will be the first career game between Auger-Aliassime, 11e seeded, and Mmoh, 119e world racket. Mmoh is a drafted player after losing in the third round of the qualifying draw 2-6, 7-6(2), 6-3, 2-6 and 6-2 to Frenchman Laurent Lokoli.

For his part, Ontarian Denis Shapovalov, 26e seeded, will cross swords with the Moldovan Radu Albot in the first round.

Finally, Milos Raonic, who recently withdrew from the Queen’s Club tournament due to shoulder pain, is set to face Austrian Dennis Novak in the first round.

On the women’s side, the Quebecer Leylah Annie Fernandez must rub shoulders with the Ukrainian Kateryna Baindl, 206e in the world, in the first round on Monday.

Ontario’s Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 U.S. Open champion, will face Hungary’s Anna Bondar on Tuesday, while Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino will face Irina-Camelia Begu.

For her part, Ontario’s Carol Zhao, who qualified for the main draw on Thursday, will face Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch.

In addition, Venus Williams will begin her 24e career run at Wimbledon against Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, while Briton Andy Murray will have a first-round meeting with compatriot Ryan Peniston.

Williams, who is 43 and has only played five games so far this season, and Svitolina, who returned to the WTA Tour in April after giving birth to her first child, have each earned a bye to the main draw at the All England Club.

Whoever prevails may have to face the 28e seeded Elise Mertens in the second round before having to face American Coco Gauff (noh 7) — who was just 15 when she started her Grand Slam career by beating Williams at Wimbledon in 2019.

Williams triumphed at Wimbledon in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008, in addition to winning the US Open twice.

Will Swiatek be present?

In the quarter-finals, the favorite, Iga Swiatek, could have to face Gauff, while Jessica Pegula (noh 4) would find herself facing Caroline Garcia (noh 5). In the lower portion of the painting, Elena Rybakina (noh 3) could compete with Ons Jabeur (noh 6), while Aryna Sabalenka (noh 2) may have to face Maria Sakkari (noh 8).

Swiatek, however, withdrew from the Bad Homburg tournament on Friday, suffering from a fever and possible food poisoning, just three days before the start of the Wimbledon tournament. It is unclear at this time whether she will be restored in time for the start of the London tournament.

Djokovic against Cachin

On the men’s side, deep sighs were heard in the draw room after Murray learned he was going to face Peniston in the first round. And the winner of this duel will not be out of the woods, since he will cross paths in the second round with the fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, or the United States Open champion in 2020, Dominic Thiem.

The tournament gets under way on Monday at the All England Club, and second seed Novak Djokovic will begin his journey to a fifth consecutive title — and eighth overall — at Wimbledon against Argentine Pedron Cachin, 67e in the world.

Djokovic, who is also midway through a Grand Slam title sweep after triumphing at the Australian Open and French Open, is also eyeing a 24e major career title — which would allow him to establish a new modern brand.

In the quarter-finals, the favorite, Carlos Alcaraz, could have to face Holger Rune (noh 6), while Daniil Medvedev (no 3) could rub shoulders with Tsitsipas in the first part of the table. In the other, Djokovic could be opposed to Andrey Rublev (noh 7), while Casper Ruud (noh 4) could end up against Jannik Sinner (noh 8).

Alcaraz’s first match will be presented on Tuesday against Frenchman Jérémy Chardy.

With Howard Fendrich, Associated Press

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