Djokovic, Barty are Wimbledon top seeds, Federer, Serena seventh

AFP | London

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Defending champion Novak Djokovic was named as the top seed at Wimbledon yesterday as he seeks a 20th Grand Slam title while Roger Federer and Serena Williams will begin the grass-court tournament next week seeded seventh.

Top-ranked Ashleigh Barty is seeded first on the women’s side. The Australian hasn’t played since retiring from her second-round match at the French Open due to the flare-up of an upper-leg injury. The draw is Friday and the tournament begins Monday.

Eighth-ranked Federer has the seventh seed because third-ranked Rafael Nadal is sitting out Wimbledon to rest and recover after his loss to Djokovic in the French Open semifinal.

Daniil Medvedev is the second seed, followed by Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dominic Thiem, although the Austrian retired from a match in Mallorca on Tuesday because of wrist pain.

Defending champion Simona Halep is seeded second, ahead of Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina. Second-ranked Naomi Osaka is not playing. At Roland Garros, Djokovic earned his 19th Grand Slam title to leave him one short of the record co-held by Federer and Nadal.

Federer, a record eight-time champion at the All England Club, said earlier this year that he would build-up to Wimbledon as he returned from two surgeries on his knee.

But the 39-year-old Swiss great hasn’t been in top form, pulling out of the French Open after a gruelling third-round match and failing last week to reach the Halle Open quarterfinals for the first time.