Novak Djokovic Brings Curtain Up On Wimbledon 2022

Novak Djokovic begins his bid to match Pete Sampras as a seven-time Wimbledon champion on Monday, with British Grand Slam title winners Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu also on Centre Court's opening day agenda. In the absence of the banned Daniil Medvedev and injured Alexander Zverev, 20-time major winner Djokovic takes top seeding. The 35-year-old defending champion starts his title bid against South Korea's Kwon Soon-woo, the world number 81. Djokovic has extra motivation this year as Wimbledon will be his last Slam of 2022.

His continued refusal to get vaccinated against Covid-19 means he will remain barred from entering the United States for the US Open later this summer.

Also adding fuel to the Djokovic fire is the chance to win a fourth successive Wimbledon title and join a select group.

In the Open era, only Bjorn Borg, Sampras and Roger Federer have managed to complete such a streak of dominance at the All England Club.

- 'Dreamt of winning' -

"As a seven, eight-year-old boy I dreamt of winning Wimbledon and becoming number one," said Djokovic.

"Pete Sampras winning his first Wimbledon was the first tennis match I ever saw on the TV."

After a cancelled edition due to the pandemic in 2020 and a reduced capacity tournament last year, Wimbledon returns to full house crowds for 2022.

However, missing from the line-up are a host of Russian and Belarusian players who were banned following the invasion of Ukraine.

As well as Medvedev, world number eight Andrey Rublev is absent as are three of the top 20 women -- Aryna Sabalenka, Daria Kasatkina and two-time major winner and former number one Victoria Azarenka.

In retaliation for the ban, the ATP and WTA tours have stripped Wimbledon of ranking points.

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