Axel May edited by Margaux Balloffet
modified to
6:34 p.m., June 26, 2022
The Wimbledon tournament starts on Monday with the expected return of Serena Williams at 40. On the men’s side, Rafael Nadal must confirm his return to the highest level despite the bone disease he suffers from in his left foot. One thing is certain, he won’t face Novak Djokovic before the final.
In the absence of world numbers 1 and 2, Daniil Medvedev – banned from Wimbledon because of his Russian origins – and the German Zverev, seriously injured in the ankle during a Homeric semi-final at Roland-Garros. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal inherited two top seeds.
Djokovic advances as an outsider
They are therefore not in the same part of the table and will only face each other in the final. Since the start of the season, the curve has reversed considerably between the Serb and the Spaniard. A year ago, Novak Djokovic crushed the competition at the first three Grand Slams (Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon) before losing in the final of the US Open.
Nadal the untouchable
This season, Rafael Nadal won the first two Grand Slams. Porte d’Auteuil, the man at 14 Roland-Garros played with a foot anesthetized by stings, which also caused controversy. Back on his native island of Mallorca, the Spaniard underwent new treatment for Müller-Weiss syndrome, which will allow him to play on English turf after three years of absence.
The record holder of Grand Slam titles (22) now wants to keep competition away from Roger Federer, but especially from Novak Djokovic, the only one still able to challenge him for this record.