Nick Kyrgios appears able to shoot for the Wimbledon title once more, however a late change within the scheduling of his pre-tournament news convention has led to extra query marks over his health to play.
Australia’s 2022 finalist was drawn as No.30 seed to play Belgian wild card David Goffin within the first spherical on the All England Club on Monday, easing fears he could not compete due to struggles with a long-standing knee damage.
Kyrgios was additionally again on court docket practising and taking part in some aggressive factors at Wimbledon on Friday, however nonetheless not his sharpest.
And there was additional hypothesis about his readiness when it was introduced his pre-tournament convention, initially scheduled for Saturday, has been moved to Sunday, with no time confirmed.
It has solely added to all of the fevered hypothesis surrounding Kyrgios, who’s had simply match all 12 months since knee surgical procedure in January and should maybe nonetheless wish to depart it as late as potential earlier than making a last resolution.
In Goffin, the 32-year-old scrapper who’s had his personal damage woes however has been given a wild card by the All England Club, Kyrgios has probably the most difficult opponent, a battle-hardened, adept returner nonetheless adequate to achieve the quarter-finals at Wimbledon final 12 months.
Kyrgios has additionally ended up in the identical half of the draw as Djokovic, who performs Argentina’s Pedro Cachin within the first spherical.
He might, in principle, meet the defending champ who has received on his previous 4 visits to London’s SW19 within the quarter-finals.
But he has an extended option to go earlier than that potential blockbuster, particularly after struggling so badly in his solely match this 12 months, shedding in Stuttgart simply over two weeks in the past to a grass-court novice, China’s Wibing Yu.
Before any Djokovic conflict, Kyrgios’s fundamental hurdle would probably be a third-round encounter with Russia’s No.7 seed Andrey Rublev, who’s drawn one other Australian Max Purcell within the opening spherical.
Australia’s greatest males’s hope on present kind, Queen’s finalist and fifteenth seed Alex de Minaur, meets one other Belgian, qualifier Kimmer Coppejans, earlier than a potential second-round encounter with 2021 finalist Matteo Berrettini.
Among the eight Aussie males in the primary draw, in-form Sydneysider Jordan Thompson has a tricky opener towards Brandon Nakashima, who took Kyrgios to 5 units at Wimbledon final 12 months, however a win might arrange a dream second-round tie with Djokovic.
“I guess that’s why we play tennis, to play the best players on the biggest stages,” mentioned Thompson. “I don’t need a reason to try extra hard, but if there is one, playing Djokovic on Centre Court is probably it.”
There are solely two Australian girls within the singles, the fewest in seven years.
Daria Saville, after combating her method again from a severe knee damage, likes her robust draw towards Katie Boulter, the girlfriend of de Minaur, suggesting “all the pressure will be on her” because the British No.1.
Queensland left-hander Storm Hunter, the one Australian to get by the qualifying event, says it is a “dream come true” to be taking part in 21-year-old Chinese participant Wang Xinyu in her maiden Wimbledon fundamental draw contest.
Men’s prime seed Carlos Alcaraz will face Jeremy Chardy in his opening contest, with Brisbane’s Jason Kubler a potential third-round opponent for the Spaniard.
WHO THE AUSSIES PLAY IN THE FIRST ROUND AT WIMBLEDON (PREFIX DENOTES SEEDING):
Men’s singles
15-Alex de Minaur v Kimmer Coppejans (BEL)
30-Nick Kyrgios v David Goffin (BEL)
Max Purcell v 7-Andrey Rublev (RUS)
Jordan Thompson v Brandon Nakashima (USA)
Jason Kubler v Ugo Humbert (FRA)
Alexei Popyrin v Dominic Stricker (SUI)
Chris O’Connell v Hamad Medjedovic (SRB)
Aleksandar Vukic v Daniel Altmaier (GER)
Women’s singles
Daria Saville v Katie Boulter (GBR)
Storm Hunter v Wang Xinyu (CHN)
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
