Jack Draper handed difficult Wimbledon draw despite fourth seed billing
Jack Draper has been handed a difficult draw at Wimbledon – with world No 38 Sebastian Baez lying in wait in round one.
British No 1 Draper, seeded fourth at this year’s Championships, could face former US Open winner Marin Cilic in round two, while the in-form Alexander Bublik is a potential third round opponent. Bublik defeated Draper at the French Open earlier this month.
Further ahead, Draper could face seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals.
Draper played down the significance of a top-four seeding last week, but its significance is that he cannot play world No Jannik Sinner until the semi-finals and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz until the final.
As for Alcaraz, eyeing a third consecutive Wimbledon title, he will take on Italian maverick Fabio Fognini first up on Centre Court on Monday.
Jack Draper’s route to wimbledon glory
Round one – Sebastian Baez
Round two – Marin Cilic
Round three – Alexander Bublik
Round four – Jakub Mensik
Quarter-finals – Novak Djokovic
Semi-finals – Jannik Sinner
Final – Carlos Alcaraz
Alcaraz is looking to become the second player, after Rafael Nadal, to win the French Open, Queen’s and Wimbledon in the same year.
British qualifier Oliver Tarvet, the world No 719 and British No 33, could face Alcaraz in round two if he can defeat fellow qualifier Leanadro Riedi from Switzerland.
At the other end of the draw, Sinner faces Italian compatriot Luca Nardi.
Meanwhile, British No 2 Jacob Fearnley takes on 18-year-old Brazilian star Joao Fonseca in an intriguing match-up, while an all-British affair sees Dan Evans face Jay Clarke.
Cameron Norrie will face Spanish journeyman Roberto Bautista Agut, while fifth seed Taylor Fritz has arguably been handed the toughest first round out of any seed, with big-hitting Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard his first round opponent.
British first round matches – men’s singles:
Jack Draper vs Sebastian Baez
George Loffhagen vs Pedro Martinez
Johannus Monday vs Tommy Paul (13)
Jack Pinnington Jones vs Tomas Martin Etcheverry
Dan Evans vs Jay Clarke
Arthur Fery vs Alexei Popyrin
Billy Harris vs Hubert Hurkacz
Henry Searle vs Ethan Quinn
Jacob Fearnley vs Joao Fonseca
Oliver Crawford vs Mattia Bellucci
Cameron Norrie vs Roberto Bautista Agut
Oliver Tarvet vs Leandro Riedi
