Roger Federer must win Wimbledon to prove a point to Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic

ROGER FEDERER must win Wimbledon to show Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic he won’t give up his Grand Slam record without a fight.

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Rafael Nadal lifts lid on knee injury problems ahead of Wimbledon campaign

RAFAEL NADAL has admitted he almost wrote off 2019 as far as tennis was concerned – before his 12th French Open title restored his faith in his injury-plagued body.

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Wimbledon TV channel: What channel is Wimbledon 2019 on today? How to watch live

WIMBLEDON 2019gets underway today but channel is the event on? Express Sport is on hand with all the TV information.

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Wimbledon schedule: Full rundown of Wimbledon 2019 dates and times

WIMBLEDON 2019 is about to get underway and Express Sport is on hand with the full schedule and breakdown of the key dates involved.

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Johanna Konta mentally ‘fragile’ under weight of Wimbledon expectation - Marion Bartoli

JOHANNA KONTA is mentally “fragile” under the weight of home expectation at Wimbledon, former champion Marion Bartoli has claimed.

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Serena Williams coach gives verdict on Andy Murray Wimbledon doubles as big hint dropped

SERENA WILLIAMS’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou insists it would be a “great move” for the American legend to team up with Andy Murray in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon.

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Roger Federer to make Wimbledon history against Lloyd Harris in Grand Slam opener

ROGER FEDERER will make Wimbledon history when he faces Lloyd Harris in their Grand Slam opener on Tuesday.

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Stefanos Tsitsipas backed to upset Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon - Wilander

MATS WILANDER has backed Stefanos Tsitsipas to smash the stranglehold of the Big Three in the Majors – and the Greek star is up for the fight.

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Wimbledon weather: What is the weather forecast for Wimbledon TODAY?

WIMBLEDON 2019 starts today as the world’s best tennis players gather in south-west London for the prestigious tournament. But what is the weather forecast for Wimbledon?

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Mats Wilander's Pick To Surprise At Wimbledon

History is on the side of the Big Three — Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic — entering Wimbledon, as the legendary trio has combined to claim 14 of the past 16 titles at The Championships.

And although some may look to Grand Slam champions Stan Wawrinka and Marin Cilic, 2018 finalist Kevin Anderson or recent Roland Garros runner-up Dominic Thiem to spring a surprise on the grass, former World No. 1 Mats Wilander has other ideas. His sights are set on current or recent #NextGenATP players.

“I think the surprise is the group of young players that has started to present themselves. Stefanos Tsitsipas made the semi-finals of the Australian Open. There is Denis Shapovalov, there is Felix Auger-Aliassime, there is Daniil Medvedev, there is Karen Khachanov,” Wilander said. “There are so many young players and I feel like Wimbledon is where they need to present themselves and I believe that one of the 19, 20, 21-year-old guys is going to do it this year.”

Each of those five players Wilander named either has competed at the Next Gen ATP Finals or is currently a #NextGenATP star. They range in age from 18 (Auger-Aliassime) to 23 (Khachanov and Medvedev). But they all have enjoyed impressive ascents up the ATP Rankings over the past two years.

Entering the first week of Wimbledon in 2017, none of those five players were placed inside the Top 30 of the ATP Rankings. This year, they all are. Of the group, Tsitsipas has advanced furthest at a Grand Slam, reaching the semi-finals at this year’s Australian Open. They all have made at least the semi-finals of an ATP Masters 1000 tournament, with Khachanov triumphing at last year’s Rolex Paris Masters.

Player	ATP Ranking Two Years Ago	Current ATP Ranking
Stefanos Tsitsipas	192	6
Karen Khachanov	34	9
Daniil Medvedev	49	13
Felix Auger-Aliassime	231	21
Denis Shapovalov	164	27

No player who has competed at the 21-and-under season finale in Milan or is currently a #NextGenATP competitor has won a Grand Slam title. If one does at SW19, they will become the 150th men’s singles major winner in history.

Wilander’s fellow Swede, Jonas Bjorkman, with whom he won this week's ATP Champions Tour event — the Svaneholm Open — thinks that a member of the Big Three will reign again at the All England Club.

“It’s going to be a boring answer,” said Bjorkman, the former World No. 4 who climbed to No. 1 in the ATP Doubles Rankings. “I’m going to go with Novak Djokovic, putting him and Roger Federer as favourites with maybe Rafael Nadal just underneath.”

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Wimbledon's Best Qualifier Runs

The 16 qualifiers this year at Wimbledon will likely be looking back at history for inspiration as they aim to go deep in the main draw.

From teenage breakthroughs to inspiring title runs, ATPTour.com looks at the best showings from qualifiers in Wimbledon history.

John McEnroe (1977 semi-finals)
An 18-year-old McEnroe made it from the qualifying rounds at Roehampton to Centre Court before losing to Jimmy Connors in four sets. Arriving in London with an ATP Ranking of No. 264, he soared to No. 71 after recording the first-ever Grand Slam semi-final run from a qualifier.

The American gave it the old college try after Wimbledon, enrolling at Stanford University and winning the NCAA singles championship in his freshman year. McEnroe turned pro immediately afterwards and his penchant for grass-court success never wavered. Three singles titles and five doubles titles later at The All England Club, he’s considered one of the greatest grass-court players of all time.

Vladimir Voltchkov (2000 semi-finals)

Although the Belarusian won the Wimbledon boys’ singles title in 1996, his junior dominance hadn’t translated to the pros. Prior to his semi-final run, Voltchkov said his goal for the tournament was “to win a few matches [in qualifying], make some money to travel.”

Voltchkov caught fire on the grass, stunning No. 6 seed Cedric Pioline in the second round and beating several other established grass-court players. His semi-final run was so unexpected that he had to borrow shorts from Marat Safin and wear donated shoes just to keep playing.

Pete Sampras ended the fairytale run in the semi-finals and joked afterwards that Voltchkov “can probably get a clothing contract now.”

Bernard Tomic (2011 quarter-finals)

The 18-year-old Aussie was pegged as a player to watch with his third-round showing that year at the Australian Open, but he announced his arrival to the tennis world at SW19. After coming through qualifying, Tomic took out former Top 3 player Nikolay Davydenko in the opening round and fifth seed Robin Soderling in the third round, eventually becoming the youngest player since Boris Becker (1986) to reach the last eight here.

“This is most definitely the best achievement I’ve done so far. I’ll always remember this as the first time I’ve really done well at a Grand Slam,” said Tomic.

Top seed Novak Djokovic halted Tomic’s run in a competitive four-set match. The inspired run remains the best Grand Slam result of the Aussie’s career.

Ricardo Acuna (1985 quarter-finals)
Acuna always seemed to come alive on grass and reached the third round at Wimbledon the previous year. The Chilean, then No. 133 in the ATP Rankings, took out sixth seed Pat Cash in a dramatic five-set win in the second round. Acuna was so focussed on the match that he had already played it in his sleep the night before.

“I must have hit at least four aces in my sleep,” he joked. “And I made a lot of returns.”

Connors eventually brought his dreams back to reality in the quarter-finals, but the performance helped propel Acuna to a career-high ATP Ranking of No. 47 the following year.

Paul Annacone (1984 quarter-finals)
After completing his third year of college tennis at the University of Tennessee, Annacone went on to have a truly epic summer break. The Aussie qualified for his first Grand Slam main draw and made it all the way to the quarter-finals before falling to Connors.

Annacone opted for the pros afterwards and enjoyed a stellar career, peaking at No. 12 in the ATP Rankings in 1986 and winning the 1985 Australian Open men’s doubles title (w/Van Rensburg). He had even greater success as a coach, guiding Pete Sampras and Roger Federer to Grand Slam titles and No. 1 ATP Rankings.

Wesley Moodie and Stephen Huss (2005 champions)

Wimbledon removed the doubles qualifying draw this year, so Huss and Moodie will forever remain the only qualifier team in tournament history to win the title. The Aussie and South African shocked top seeds Jonas Bjorkman and Max Mirnyi in the semi-finals, then completed their historic run by defeating second seeds Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan in the championship match. The win gave Moodie his first ATP Tour doubles title and Huss his second.

Moodie went on to reach the 2009 Roland Garros doubles final (w/Norman), but their title run was the only time that Huss reached a Grand Slam quarter-final.

Honorable Mention: Marcus Willis (2016 second round)

The Brit’s story of going from local teaching pro to Centre Court was written out of a Hollywood script. Willis was the last player to receive entry into the pre-qualifying draw, but won six matches to make his way into the main draw.

The World No. 772 in the ATP Rankings stunned Top 60 player Ricardas Berankis in the opening round to set up a Centre Court date with Federer. Although the Swiss won in straight sets, Willis held back tears as he was given a standing ovation from the Centre Court crowd.

"Marcus brought an unbelievable energy to the court with the fans and his personality. He came up with some great shotmaking,” said Federer. “I knew it would be different to any other match I have played at Wimbledon. It was a pleasure to play against him.”

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Tsitsipas, Felix Lead Contenders & Darkhorses Into Wimbledon

The three strong favourites to emerge victorious at Wimbledon are the Top 3 seeds: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The trio has combined to win 14 of the past 16 trophies at The Championships. And all three men are in good form leading into the season’s third Grand Slam.

But there are contenders who can make deep runs and threaten to capture the glory, and there are darkhorses who may not win the title, but can certainly do significant damage in the draw at SW19. ATPTour.com highlights five from each category.

Five Contenders

Stefanos Tsitsipas
Could this #NextGenATP Greek make his biggest breakthrough yet at Wimbledon? Tsitsipas began the season No. 15 in the ATP Rankings and with the spotlight on him after winning last November’s Next Gen ATP Finals. But he has shone even brighter in 2019, advancing to the Australian Open semi-finals, making the final in Madrid and winning titles in Marseille and Estoril. Although he fell in the fourth round at Roland Garros, he went blow-for-blow against an in-form former champion in Stan Wawrinka.

Tsitsipas has yet to find significant grass-court success as a pro. But not only was he a Wimbledon boys’ singles semi-finalist and boys’ doubles champion in 2016, his game fits the surface. The 20-year-old has a serve that can skip through the court and an attacking game that will allow him to control play. He never shies away from the net, either.

Dominic Thiem
The Austrian star has never advanced past the fourth round at The Championships. But that does not mean Thiem is incapable of doing so. He has long been recognised for his clay-court prowess. But the two-time Roland Garros finalist has proven more than a one-surface wonder.

Thiem claimed his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title on hard courts at the BNP Paribas Open this March. And even though he has claimed just one of his 13 ATP Tour titles on grass, the World No. 4’s powerful game will be a significant threat if he is on at SW19.

Kevin Anderson
The South African has played only four tournaments this year due to an elbow injury. But don’t count out the 2018 Wimbledon finalist.

The only part of Anderson’s game that was affected by the injury was his serve. And if he finds his rhythm from the first match to get by dangerous Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, that could be the confidence the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals qualifier needs to move through what is arguably the most open quarter of the draw.

Daniil Medvedev
Two years ago, the Russian broke onto the scene by upsetting then-World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka in the first round at The Championships. At the time, Medvedev was a realtively unknown 21-year-old ranked just inside the world’s Top 50. Now, he is a legitimate contender to make a deep run at the grass-court major.

If Medvedev and Tsitsipas meet in the fourth round, the Russian holds a 4-0 advantage in their budding FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry. Only three players — Djokovic, Tsitsipas and Federer — have won more matches than Medvedev (56) over the past 52 weeks, and he will take confidence from a run to the Fever-Tree Championships semi-finals.

Milos Raonic
The Canadian is the lowest-ranked member of this group at World No. 17. But Raonic almost always manages to find his best tennis at SW19. He has advanced to at least the quarter-finals in four of the past five years, and he made the final in 2016, falling just short against Andy Murray.

Raonic lost in a final-set tie-break against Feliciano Lopez at The Queen’s Club. The Spaniard went on to win the tournament. Additionally, the 28-year-old Raonic's 69.7 winning percentage on grass ranks sixth among active players according to the FedEx ATP Performance Zone.

Five Darkhorses

Felix Auger-Aliassime
Before this season, Auger-Aliassime had never played a professional grass-court tournament. But you wouldn’t be able to tell by his results. The #NextGenATP Canadian, who was No. 152 in the ATP Rankings entering Wimbledon last year, is at a career-high No. 21. And he has the weapons to make some noise at SW19.

Auger-Aliassime, who made his third ATP Tour final at the MercedesCup and then reached the semi-finals at the Fever-Tree Championships, is a potential opponent for top-seeded Djokovic in the fourth round.

Matteo Berrettini
A year ago, this Italian was No. 81 in the ATP Rankings, and he quietly exited the grass-court Slam in the second round. But Berrettini is one of the most in-form players on the ATP Tour, winning two titles this season and triumphing in nine of his 10 grass-court matches, including a trophy run in Stuttgart.

At that ATP 250 tournament, Berrettini won all 50 of his service games, becoming just one of six players since 1999 to win at least two tour-level trophies without dropping serve (also 2018 Gstaad). The No. 17 seed’s first opponent with a higher ATP Ranking could be John Isner, who has not played since Miami. 

Nick Kyrgios
Get your popcorn ready. Kyrgios, an undeniable talent, could play third seed Nadal in the second round. Deja vu?

At 19, Kyrgios beat Nadal in the fourth round at The Championships, announcing himself to the tennis world. The electric Aussie has split six FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings with the legendary Spaniard. And Kyrgios always finds some of his best tennis when the lights are shining brightest, which they will be if he plays Nadal in London.

Sam Querrey
The former World No. 11 played his first tournament since Houston this week, as he suffered from a nagging abdominal injury. But Querrey has quickly found his form, advancing to the Nature Valley International final in Eastbourne.

Querrey will look to carry that momentum into one of the most eye-catching matchups of the first round at The Championships against fifth seed Dominic Thiem. The Austrian has won three of their four previous FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings. But on his day, especially on grass, Querrey has proven capable of beating anybody with his big game. The 31-year-old reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2016 and the semi-finals in 2017.

Feliciano Lopez
Lopez may be 37, but he didn’t look it at the Fever-Tree Championships. A wild card into that event, the Spaniard chipped and charged his way to net time and time again on the lush London grass, giving his opponents fits. And not only did he win the singles title, but he partnered Andy Murray to the doubles crown, as well.

Lopez could face No. 10 seed Karen Khachanov in the second round. They are both in reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev’s section of the draw.

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Video : Wimbledon 2019 Preview Show

Wimbledon 2019 Preview Show
Current and former players make their predictions for The Championships. This is the official Wimbledon YouTube page. The Championships 2019 will run from 1 July - 14 July. To join the Wimbledon story this year, visit wimbledon.com/mywimbledon SUBSCRIBE to The Wimbledon YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/wimbledon LIKE Wimbledon on Facebook: https://ift.tt/14ioCWo FOLLOW Wimbledon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wimbledon FOLLOW Wimbledon on Instagram: https://ift.tt/2N8o0OD FOLLOW Wimbledon on Snapchat: add Wimbledon VISIT: https://ift.tt/Mjqnfb ARCHIVE: To license footage, please go to: https://ift.tt/2Yiq5gS

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Scouting Report: 12 Things To Watch At Wimbledon

After three weeks of grass-court events on the ATP Tour, the top players in the ATP Rankings head to Wimbledon for the third Grand Slam event of the season. Top three seeds Novak Djokovic (4), Roger Federer (8) and Rafael Nadal (2) will all be aiming to add to their Wimbledon trophy collections at The All England Club. Here are 12 things to watch at the grass-court Grand Slam championship:

1) Big Three Lead the Way: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal occupy the top three seeding positions at Wimbledon. This is the first time since 2012 at Wimbledon that the Big Three are the top three seeds and the fifth time (2008, '10-'12, '19) overall. Since Federer won his first of a record eight titles here in 2003, the Big Three have combined to capture 14 of the past 16 championships. Andy Murray won the remaining titles in 2013 and 2016.

View Draw

2) Big Three Domination: The Big Three have won 10 straight Grand Slam titles going back to the 2017 Australian Open. It is the third-longest streak of Grand Slam titles won by the trio. The last player outside the Big Three to win a Grand Slam singles title was Stan Wawrinka, who defeated Djokovic to win the 2016 US Open. The Big Three collected 18 consecutive Grand Slam trophies between 2005 Roland Garros and 2009 Wimbledon and 11 from 2010 Australian Open to 2012 Wimbledon.

3) Reigning Champion: Last year, Djokovic came into Wimbledon as the No. 12 seed at No. 21 in the ATP Rankings. The Serbian defeated Nadal 10-8 in the fifth set in the semi-finals, before earning his fourth Wimbledon crown with a straight-sets win against Kevin Anderson. He was the lowest seed to win Wimbledon since No. 12 Andre Agassi in 1992. This is the sixth time (2012-16) Djokovic is the No. 1 seed at Wimbledon.

The 32-year-old Serb has a 65-10 record at The All England Club. Last year, Djokovic entered Wimbledon with an 18-9 record (0-1 in finals). This year, he comes in with a 28-6 mark with titles at the Australian Open and the Mutua Madrid Open. Dominic Thiem ended his 26-match Grand Slam winning streak with a five-set victory in the Roland Garros semi-finals.

4) Roger Aims for Ninth Title: In 2017, Federer became the greatest champion in Wimbledon history by capturing his eighth trophy, breaking a tie with Pete Sampras and William Renshaw for the most titles at The All England Club. Federer is the first man in Wimbledon history to compete in the singles draw for 21 consecutive years. He also collected junior singles and doubles crowns in 1998. Federer has a 95-12 Wimbledon record and he owns the record for most match wins.

5) Federer Grass/2019 Update: Federer has the best record on grass (179-26, .873) in the Open Era and a record 19 titles. Federer comes into Wimbledon after capturing his 10th Halle crown (d. Goffin) and 102nd tour-level title. The 37-year-old Swiss superstar has a 32-4 record on the season and he leads the ATP Tour with three titles (Dubai, Miami, Halle).

Read Federer On The Big Three: 'We Push Each Other To Greater Heights

6) Rafa At SW19: From 2006 through 2011, Nadal reached the Wimbledon final in five consecutive appearances (did not play in 2009), winning the title in 2008 and 2010. He compiled a 35-5 record in his first seven appearances. After struggling to reach the latter stages of the tournament between 2012 and 2017 (withdrew in 2016 due to a left wrist injury), Nadal went on an impressive run to the semi-finals last year, where he fell to eventual champion Novak Djokovic 10-8 in a deciding fifth set. Nadal, who owns a 48-11 record at SW19, can capture his 50th Wimbledon victory this year by reaching the third round.

7) Nadal Eyes Sweep: Nadal is trying to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon titles in the same year for the third time. He captured his 12th Roland Garros crown last month (d. Thiem). He swept Roland Garros and Wimbledon titles in 2008 and 2010. Bjorn Borg accomplished the feat from 1978-80.

Read Nadal: 'The Only Thing That Matters Is To Win Matches'

8) No. 1 Ranking Update: The No. 1 spot in the ATP Rankings can’t change hands after Wimbledon. Djokovic has 12,415 points and Nadal 7,945 coming into the tournament. With Djokovic defending 2,000 points and Nadal 720, the Spaniard can’t overtake the Serb. Last year, Nadal came into Wimbledon with a 50-point lead over Federer in the No. 1 battle in the ATP Rankings. Nadal held the No. 1 position until Djokovic regained the top spot last November. The start of Wimbledon will be Djokovic's 258th week holding the No. 1 ATP Ranking. He is closing in on Jimmy Connors, who held the top spot for 268 weeks, which is fourth-most in ATP Rankings history (since 1973).

9) #NextGenATP Stars to Watch: The top six players in the ATP Race to Milan standings are in the main draw, led by World No. 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has the most wins on the ATP Tour with a 34-14 record.

ATP Race To Milan

Position	Player	Age	Wimbledon History
1	Stefanos Tsitsipas	20	3-2 (R4 in 2018)
2	Felix Auger-Aliassime	18	Main Draw Debut
3	Denis Shapovalov	20	1-2 (R2 in 2018)
4	Frances Tiafoe	21	3-2 (R3 in 2018
5	Casper Ruud	20	Main Draw Debut
6	Alex de Minaur	20	2-1 (R3 in 2018)

10) Lopez Extends Record: Wild card and Fever-Tree Championships winner Feliciano Lopez will be playing in his 70th consecutive Grand Slam singles tournament, which is an all-time record in men’s tennis. The 37-year-old Spaniard is making his 18th straight appearance and will be aiming to improve on his 33-17 record at Wimbledon. Lopez has reached the quarter-finals on three occasions at SW19 (2005, '08, '11).

11) Singles Champions in Doubles Draw: Lleyton Hewitt, who won the 2002 Wimbledon singles title, and two-time winner Andy Murray (2013, '16) are in the doubles draw. This is the first time since 1992 that two former Wimbledon singles champions are in the doubles draw. John McEnroe, a three-time singles winner (1981, ‘83-84), teamed with 1991 champion Michael Stich to capture the doubles crown that year. Hewitt is partnering countryman Jordan Thompson and Murray will compete alongside Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert for the first time. Herbert won the doubles title in 2016 (w/Mahut). Hewitt is 9-8 in doubles at Wimbledon and made his debut (w/Federer) in 1999, reaching the third round. Murray’s only previous doubles result at Wimbledon came in 2005, losing in the first round with partner David Sherwood.

Read Doubles Draw Preview

12) Bryans Make 20th Appearance: Three-time Wimbledon champions Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan are making their 20th appearance together at The All England Club. The Bryans are 3-4 in finals, winning titles in 2006, 2011 and 2013. They have a 70-16 career record together at Wimbledon. Due to Bob’s hip injury last year, Mike partnered countryman Jack Sock. The Americans defeated Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus in five sets to lift the trophy.

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Wimbledon 2019: Naomi Osaka on grass - 'It's been a very humbling experience'

Video : 10 Incredible Federer Points On Grass | THE BEST OF | ATP

10 Incredible Federer Points On Grass | THE BEST OF | ATP
Has there ever been a better grass-court player than Roger Federer? Check out ten of his best points on the ATP Tour 👆 SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2dj6EhW WEBSITE: http://www.atptour.com/ FACEBOOK: https://ift.tt/2T3aGl9 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ATP_Tour INSTAGRAM: https://ift.tt/2IoGZGP RADIO: http://bit.ly/2Dictrm PODCAST: http://bit.ly/2NilRRn About the Official ATP Tour YouTube Channel: Here you will find the latest videos from the ATP Tour, including hot shots, highlights, behind the scenes footage, documentaries and more. The ATP Tour showcases the best of the best, competing in 63 tournaments across 4 surfaces, all to be No. 1. Find all the action from on and off the court right here.

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Strength In Numbers: Fognini Leads Italian Charge At Wimbledon

There will be a strong Italian presence at The All England Club this year, with nine Italian players featuring in the Wimbledon main draw. The nation has enjoyed a stellar opening six months to the season, with four Italians accounting for five ATP Tour titles this year.

With the top three Italian men achieving a career-high ATP Ranking in 2019, the rise of Italian tennis has been one of the themes of the ATP Tour in 2019. At the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters in April, Italian No. 1 Fabio Fognini became the first player from his nation to lift an ATP Masters 1000 trophy.

But Italy's success has not been confined to clay courts. In the six ATP Tour grass-court events prior to Wimbledon, two have been won by Italian players. Matteo Berrettini opened his grass-court campaign with a win at the MercedesCup in Stuttgart and Lorenzo Sonego joined his compatriot in the winners' circle by lifting his maiden tour-level trophy at the Turkish Airlines Open Antalya.

ATPTour.com takes a closer look at the nine Italian men who will compete in the main draw...

Fabio Fognini (ATP Ranking: No. 10)
After claiming a career-best three ATP Tour crowns in 2018, Fognini stunned 11-time champion Rafael Nadal en route to the biggest title of his career at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. The Sanremo native has compiled a 16-11 tour-level record this season and cracked the Top 10 in the ATP Rankings for the first time after his run to the fourth round at Roland Garros.

Fognini became the oldest player to break into the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings for the first time since 38-year-old Ken Rosewall and 35-year-old Rod Laver on 23 August 1973, when the ATP Rankings were first established. Fognini is just the third Italian man to crack the elite group, joining Adriano Panatta and Corrado Barazzutti. The 12th seed, who will be aiming to advance beyond the third round at Wimbledon for the first time, faces a tough first-round clash against #NextGenATP American Frances Tiafoe.

Matteo Berrettini (ATP Ranking: No. 20)
As the only Italian to lift two tour-level trophies this season, Matteo Berrettini will enter the gates at SW19 with confidence. The World No. 20 currently sits at a career-high ATP Ranking, following title runs at the Hungarian Open in Budapest and the MercedesCup in Stuttgart. The 23-year-old enters Wimbledon with a 9-1 record on grass this season, backing up his success in Stuttgart with a run to the NOVENTI OPEN semi-finals. Berrettini will meet Aljaz Bedene for the third time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series (1-1) in the first round.  

Marco Cecchinato (ATP Ranking: No. 40)
After a breakthrough 2018 season, Marco Cecchinato lifted his third ATP Tour trophy at the Argentina Open in February. The 26-year-old, who rose to a career-high No. 16 in the ATP Rankings on 25 February, will meet Alex de Minaur for the second straight year in the first round at Wimbledon. Last year, the #NextGenATP Australian edged a tight four-set battle en route to the third round.

Andreas Seppi (ATP Ranking: No. 71)
The 35-year-old reached his first tour-level final since 2015 at the Sydney International in January (l. to De Minaur). Seppi, who advanced the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2013, will look to improve his 16-14 record at the grass-court Grand Slam championship when he meets Nicolas Jarry in the first round. The Italian will be appearing in the Wimbledon main draw for the 15th consecutive year, extending his run of consecutive major tournament entries to 57.

Lorenzo Sonego (ATP Ranking: No. 75)
What a difference a week makes. Sonego entered the Turkish Airlines Open Antalya on a six-match tour-level losing streak, searching for his first grass-court victory. But the Turin native played with confidence throughout his week in Turkey, defeating three seeded players en route to the championship match, where he saved championship point to overcome Miomir Kecmanovic and lift his first ATP Tour trophy. Sonego will meet Marcel Granollers of Spain in his opening match at The Championships.

Thomas Fabbiano (ATP Ranking: No. 102)
The 5'7" right-hander defeated second seed Laslo Djere and sixth seed Gilles Simon in back-to-back matches to reach his maiden ATP Tour semi-final at the Nature Valley International in Eastbourne. Fabbiano enjoyed success at Wimbledon in 2018, reaching the third round for the first time. The man who ended his run last year, Stefanos Tsitsipas, is his first-round opponent this year.

Paolo Lorenzi (ATP Ranking: No. 107)
The 37-year-old reached the quarter-finals at the New York Open in February, defeating Americans Tennys Sandgren and Ryan Harrison before a three-set loss to eventual runner-up Brayden Schnur. Lorenzi has advanced to the second round at Wimbledon in each of the past two seasons, but will need to overcome 11th seed Daniil Medvedev if he is to keep that streak alive.

Read Lorenzi's Love: Why Paolo Battles On At 37

Salvatore Caruso (ATP Ranking: No. 125)
After posting his first two Grand Slam main draw wins to reach the third round at Roland Garros last month, Caruso successfully navigated his way through the qualifying draw to reach the Wimbledon main draw for the first time. The 26-year-old dropped just six games in his final qualifying match against Schnur and will face 20th seed Simon in the first round.

Andrea Arnaboldi (ATP Ranking: No. 209)
The 31-year-old left-hander was taken to a final set in each of his three Wimbledon qualifying matches, but held his nerve to reach the main draw for the first time. Competing in his first Grand Slam main draw since 2015 Roland Garros and his first tour-level match of the season, Arnaboldi will meet Ivo Karlovic in the first round.

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Wimbledon order of play: Full day one schedule as Djokovic kicks off centre action

WIMBLEDON 2019 order of play: Express Sport are on hand to run you trough the order of play on day one of this year’s Wimbledon Championships as Novak Djokovic looks to retain his coveted crown.

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Video : Kyle Edmund Wimbledon 2019 Pre-Tournament Press Conference

Kyle Edmund Wimbledon 2019 Pre-Tournament Press Conference
Kyle Edmund speaks to the media ahead of the start of The Championships 2019. This is the official Wimbledon YouTube page. The Championships 2019 will run from 1 July - 14 July. To join the Wimbledon story this year, visit wimbledon.com/mywimbledon SUBSCRIBE to The Wimbledon YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/wimbledon LIKE Wimbledon on Facebook: https://ift.tt/14ioCWo FOLLOW Wimbledon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wimbledon FOLLOW Wimbledon on Instagram: https://ift.tt/2N8o0OD FOLLOW Wimbledon on Snapchat: add Wimbledon VISIT: https://ift.tt/Mjqnfb ARCHIVE: To license footage, please go to: https://ift.tt/2Yiq5gS

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Wimbledon 2019, Day 1: Order of Play

Wimbledon 2019: Who's chasing Ashleigh Barty for World No.1?

Video : Angelique Kerber Wimbledon 2019 Pre-Tournament Press Conference

Angelique Kerber Wimbledon 2019 Pre-Tournament Press Conference
Angelique Kerber speaks to the media ahead of her first round match at The Championships 2019. This is the official Wimbledon YouTube page. The Championships 2019 will run from 1 July - 14 July. To join the Wimbledon story this year, visit wimbledon.com/mywimbledon SUBSCRIBE to The Wimbledon YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/wimbledon LIKE Wimbledon on Facebook: https://ift.tt/14ioCWo FOLLOW Wimbledon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wimbledon FOLLOW Wimbledon on Instagram: https://ift.tt/2N8o0OD FOLLOW Wimbledon on Snapchat: add Wimbledon VISIT: https://ift.tt/Mjqnfb ARCHIVE: To license footage, please go to: https://ift.tt/2Yiq5gS

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Video : Billie Jean King Inclusive Leadership Event Ahead of Wimbledon 2019

Billie Jean King Inclusive Leadership Event Ahead of Wimbledon 2019
Sports icon Billie Jean King along with young athletes and leaders discuss issues of sexuality, empowerment and individuality in a Wimbledon-first ‘Inclusive Leadership’ event ahead of The Championships 2019. This is the official Wimbledon YouTube page. The Championships 2019 will run from 1 July - 14 July. To join the Wimbledon story this year, visit wimbledon.com/mywimbledon SUBSCRIBE to The Wimbledon YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/wimbledon LIKE Wimbledon on Facebook: https://ift.tt/14ioCWo FOLLOW Wimbledon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wimbledon FOLLOW Wimbledon on Instagram: https://ift.tt/2N8o0OD FOLLOW Wimbledon on Snapchat: add Wimbledon VISIT: https://ift.tt/Mjqnfb ARCHIVE: To license footage, please go to: https://ift.tt/2Yiq5gS

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Rafael Nadal reveals what he noticed about Andy Murray after Wimbledon practice

RAFAEL NADAL has revealed how he has noticed the happiness on Andy Murray’s face at Wimbledon practice as the Scot prepares to make his return at SW19.

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Serena Williams drops hint she could play doubles with Andy Murray at Wimbledon

ANDY MURRAY and Serena Williams are up for forming a mixed doubles partnership at Wimbledon.

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Johanna Konta reveals potential distraction at Wimbledon after getting hooked on new game

JOHANNA KONTA wants to be top banana at Wimbledon after becoming hooked on a fruity new word game.

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Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokivc resume battle to be Wimbledon's greatest

THE history professors of tennis cruised into Wimbledon ready to continue their endless domination of the sport, their endless education of younger rivals, and their endless hunger for Grand Slam titles.

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What Greg Rusedski thinks of Andy Murray Wimbledon doubles partner Pierre-Hugues Herbert

ANDY MURRAY’s Wimbledon doubles partner Pierre-Hugues Herbert has been analysed by former British No 1 Greg Rusedski.

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'We knew we would have our chance to come back' - Chan sisters triumph in Eastbourne

Wimbledon 2019: Billie Jean King talks Serena's quest for 24, Ash Barty's throwback style

Roger Federer gives strong verdict on Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic playing at Wimbledon

ROGER FEDERER feels he and his rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have become better players for playing against each other as all three prepare to win Wimbledon.

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Novak Djokovic admits to Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal help ahead of Wimbledon

NOVAK DJOKOVIC has admitted that being part of an era that includes Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal has only helped him become a better player.

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First-Time Winner Spotlight: Lorenzo Sonego

Lorenzo Sonego began 2019 with five tour-level wins. Yet, the 24-year-old Italian earned five victories this week alone en route to claiming his first ATP Tour title at the Turkish Airlines Open Antalya, an ATP 250 tournament.

Sonego, who reached the quarter-finals of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters this April as a qualifier, faced championship point against #NextGenATP Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic in the final. But he used a big serve to get out of trouble, and never looked back.

ATPTour.com caught up with Sonego after his win...

You entered Antalya with six straight tour-level losses. Now you are an ATP Tour champion. How does it feel?
This is tennis. Today you win, tomorrow you lose. Today I won a tournament, tomorrow I need to focus on Wimbledon. I need to start again from the first round.  It’s tough because all the players are very good, but I love it. My team and I focus on getting better. The better I become, the more stable the results will be.

Already in 2019, four different Italians have won ATP Tour titles. How do you explain the rise of the Italians?
We are a great group of friends. We push each other and we motivate each other. We often practise together, especially with Matteo [Berrettini]. I think that Italy has a great tennis future ahead.

In the final, you hit 25 aces and saved the only break point you faced on championship point. Was that the best serving performance of your career?
Well on the grass it’s easier to hit aces, but I am satisfied with how I served during the whole week. We have been working for months on improving the serve.

You lost the first set in three of your five matches this week. How do you explain your ability to come back, especially in the heat of Antalya?
I don’t really care when I lose a set or two or I am down in the final set. I just get more and more intense while the matches progress. I don’t get easily tired, so losing a set is not a major problem.

You’ve qualified for six tournaments in 2019. Has that been the key to your rise in your confidence this season?
Yes, for sure. The step from Challengers to Tour events is not easy at all. I had difficulties in winning Challengers and now I win an ATP event, it’s amazing. But I think that the real confidence boost has been the week in Monte-Carlo. I arrived from Marrakech without sleep, as I had travelled all night and I qualified and reached the quarter-finals. There I understood I would not go back to playing Challengers anymore.

You had to finish your semi-final and play the final on Saturday. How difficult was it to go to sleep on Friday with so much to do before you could win the title?
I was calm, not stressed at all. I slept good. Maybe Pablo needed to be stressed. I needed two games, he needed two games and one more set. I knew that he had had difficulties in returning my serve so I knew I would get my chances.

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Putting on the glitz: Inside the DDF WTA Summer Party

Nadal: 'The Only Thing That Matters Is To Win Matches'

Rafael Nadal faces a tough draw at Wimbledon, with a potential blockbuster against Nick Kyrgios in the second round, and a possible match with #NextGenATP Canadian Denis Shapovalov or former World No. 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the third round.

But the World No. 2 is not worrying about the toll that difficult matches early on could take on him at The Championships, where he is pursuing a third title.

“The only thing that really matters is [to] win the matches,” Nadal said. “Doesn't matter how, what is the score. So I just really believe that the main thing is [to] win at the beginning, of course, especially in my situation. Every hour and every match I am able to win helps a lot because I am playing well, I am coming with good confidence after playing a good end of the clay-court season.”

When Nadal triumphed at Wimbledon in 2008 and 2010, the Spaniard competed at the Fever-Tree Championships ahead of the grass-court Grand Slam. In 2010, he had to battle through two five-setters in his first three matches, but ultimately found his best form to emerge victorious.

This year, his most recent event was Roland Garros, where he captured a record 12th Coupe des Mousquetaires.

“There are no two equal situations,” Nadal said. “I won 2010 I think here after a very, very tough first couple of rounds. Sometimes that helps, especially in this event, that you arrive here without playing much on this surface.

“It’s a different situation, different surface, so I need to spend time on court. I'm improving every day. Of course, in terms of a competitive match, on Tuesday [it’s] going to be my first match. Going to be a tough one, a tough start against a player who already played three matches here. So it’s a challenge.”

Nadal has been working hard at home in Mallorca. There was a women’s grass-court tournament there last week, allowing the Spaniard to prepare well on the surface.

“If I will not have this court in Mallorca, maybe I will do another story. But having a women's tournament in Mallorca, I have the chance to practise there. That's positive news for me because I can keep practising on grass and being at home,” Nadal said. “Sometimes that is important, too. Close to the family, close to the people that you love. Sometimes it's tough to be away for such a long time.”

Nadal will now look to make history at SW19, where he is trying to join Swedish legend Bjorn Borg (1978-80) by completing the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double for the third time. And history is on the Big Three’s side, as Nadal (2), Roger Federer (8) and Novak Djokovic (4) have won 14 of the past 16 Wimbledon titles.

“Of course we have been playing so well for such a long time. That's something unique in this sport because, of course, it never happened in the past that three players more or less during the same time achieved that much,” Nadal said. “But here we are.”

Nadal is not thinking that far ahead, though. In the first round, he faces Japanese qualifier Yuichi Sugita for the first time. That is the only player or match he is concerned with.

“I feel ready to practise this afternoon and to practise tomorrow. That's my goal. It's day-by-day, step-by-step. I have been improving every single day since I arrived here. I hope to be ready, being honest. I think I see the normal evolution,” Nadal said. “I play against Sugita the first round. That's the main thing for me, the main preparation for me.”

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Video : Petra Kvitova Pre-Wimbledon 2019 Press Conference

Petra Kvitova Pre-Wimbledon 2019 Press Conference
Petra Kvitova speaks to the media ahead of her first round match at The Championships 2019. This is the official Wimbledon YouTube page. The Championships 2019 will run from 1 July - 14 July. To join the Wimbledon story this year, visit wimbledon.com/mywimbledon SUBSCRIBE to The Wimbledon YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/wimbledon LIKE Wimbledon on Facebook: https://ift.tt/14ioCWo FOLLOW Wimbledon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wimbledon FOLLOW Wimbledon on Instagram: https://ift.tt/2N8o0OD FOLLOW Wimbledon on Snapchat: add Wimbledon VISIT: https://ift.tt/Mjqnfb ARCHIVE: To license footage, please go to: https://ift.tt/2Yiq5gS

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Video : Rafael Nadal Pre-Wimbledon 2019 Press Conference

Rafael Nadal Pre-Wimbledon 2019 Press Conference
Rafael Nadal speaks to the media ahead of his first round match at The Championships 2019. This is the official Wimbledon YouTube page. The Championships 2019 will run from 1 July - 14 July. To join the Wimbledon story this year, visit wimbledon.com/mywimbledon SUBSCRIBE to The Wimbledon YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/wimbledon LIKE Wimbledon on Facebook: https://ift.tt/14ioCWo FOLLOW Wimbledon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wimbledon FOLLOW Wimbledon on Instagram: https://ift.tt/2N8o0OD FOLLOW Wimbledon on Snapchat: add Wimbledon VISIT: https://ift.tt/Mjqnfb ARCHIVE: To license footage, please go to: https://ift.tt/2Yiq5gS

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Rafael Nadal reveals truth behind Nick Kyrgios feud ahead of potential Wimbledon clash

RAFAEL NADAL has brushed off suggestions of a feud with Nick Kyrgios with the pair potentially meeting each other in the second round of Wimbledon.

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Pliskova soars past Kerber to second Eastbourne title

Erlich/Sitak Lift Antalya Doubles Trophy

Jonathan Erlich and Artem Sitak captured their second tour-level title as a team on Saturday, beating Ivan Dodig and Filip Polasek 6-3, 6-4 at the Turkish Airlines Open Antalya.

The unseeded team, which defeated Roland Garros titlists Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies in the first round, broke serve on four occasions to overcome Dodig and Polasek after 76 minutes. Erlich and Sitak improve to 8-1 as a pairing, adding to their title run at the 2018 Hall of Fame Open, which is also an ATP 250 grass-court event..

"[Playing on grass] is a big advantage for us," said Sitak. "We are typical doubles players that come in all the time, go to the net and have good volleys and good reactions. We take advantage of that and we use that all the time against everyone."

In his 40th tour-level final, Erlich improves to 21-19 in championship matches. Sitak has now won five trophies from 13 finals on the ATP Tour.

"We definitely expected the performance," said Erlich. "We both knew that each one of us had the skills to beat almost everybody in this tournament and together we proved once that we [can] beat great teams and we [can] win titles... I think we both believed in our skills and in the team and we did great this week."

In their debut event as a team, Dodig and Polasek were both seeking their first grass-court title. The Croatian-Slovakian duo defeated third seeds Santiago Gonzalez and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi in the first round.

Erlich and Sitak claim 250 ATP Doubles Ranking points and split €25,200 in prize money. Dodig and Polasek receive 150 points and share €12,910.

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Roger Federer in surprise Rafael Nadal admission as he aims to win ninth Wimbledon title

ROGER FEDERER has admitted he didn’t quite know how to cope with the challenge of having Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic battle alongside him for dominance in world tennis.

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Wimbledon 2019, Day 1: Match Points

Sonego Books Kecmanovic Antalya Final

Despite failing to convert four match points before rain suspended play on Friday at the Turkish Airlines Open Antalya, Lorenzo Sonego quickly advanced to his first tour-level championship match on Saturday morning.

After resuming play at 5-5 in the second set, the 6'3" right-hander completed a 6-3, 7-6(2) victory against Pablo Carreno Busta to claim his second straight win against seeded opposition at the event. Sonego, who began the week searching for his first grass-court victory, also defeated recently-crowned Libema Open champion Adrian Mannarino in the quarter-finals.

The World No. 75 will meet fellow first-time ATP Tour finalist Miomir Kecmanovic in the championship match. The pair has never contested a tour-level FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting, but Sonego owns a 2-1 record against Kecmanovic at all levels.

Sonego entered the tournament on a six-match tour-level losing streak, dating back to his breakthrough run to the last eight at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters in April. The Italian did not drop a set en route to his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final in the Principality, before falling to eventual runner-up Dusan Lajovic.

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Video : Wimbledon Foundation: Community Art Project

Wimbledon Foundation: Community Art Project
SUBSCRIBE to The Wimbledon YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/wimbledon LIKE Wimbledon on Facebook: https://ift.tt/14ioCWo FOLLOW Wimbledon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wimbledon FOLLOW Wimbledon on Instagram: https://ift.tt/2N8o0OD FOLLOW Wimbledon on Snapchat: add Wimbledon VISIT: https://ift.tt/Mjqnfb ARCHIVE: To license footage, please go to: https://ift.tt/2Yiq5gS This is the official Wimbledon YouTube page. The Championships 2019 will run from 1 July - 14 July. To join the Wimbledon story this year, visit wimbledon.com/mywimbledon

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Video : Episode 4 - WImbledon Rematch 1980

Episode 4 - WImbledon Rematch 1980
It's 29 June 1980 and Wimbledon is in full swing. Join us for Episode 4 of the stories of the day... INFO + TICKETS: http://bit.ly/2w3FNQb SUBSCRIBE to The Wimbledon YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/wimbledon LIKE Wimbledon on Facebook: https://ift.tt/14ioCWo FOLLOW Wimbledon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wimbledon FOLLOW Wimbledon on Instagram: https://ift.tt/2N8o0OD FOLLOW Wimbledon on Snapchat: add Wimbledon VISIT: https://ift.tt/Mjqnfb ARCHIVE: To license footage, please go to: https://ift.tt/2Yiq5gS This is the official YouTube page of The All England Lawn Tennis Club (Championships), home of Wimbledon. The Championships 2019 will run from 1 July - 14 July.

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Video : Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and more stars gear up for Wimbledon 2019

Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and more stars gear up for Wimbledon 2019
The biggest names in the tennis world don their Wimbledon whites as the countdown to The Championships 2019 continues... SUBSCRIBE to The Wimbledon YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/wimbledon LIKE Wimbledon on Facebook: https://ift.tt/14ioCWo FOLLOW Wimbledon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wimbledon FOLLOW Wimbledon on Instagram: https://ift.tt/2N8o0OD FOLLOW Wimbledon on Snapchat: add Wimbledon VISIT: https://ift.tt/Mjqnfb ARCHIVE: To license footage, please go to: https://ift.tt/2Yiq5gS This is the official Wimbledon YouTube page. The Championships 2019 will run from 1 July - 14 July. To join the Wimbledon story this year, visit wimbledon.com/mywimbledon This is the official Wimbledon YouTube page. The Championships 2019 will run from 1 July - 14 July. To join the Wimbledon story this year, visit wimbledon.com/mywimbledon

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Serena Williams Wimbledon warning fired as Ashleigh Barty prediction made - EXCLUSIVE

DANIEL HANTUCHOVA thinks Ashleigh Barty will be a front runner for the Wimbledon title - but she has warned not to write off Serena Williams.

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Rivalry record: Pliskova v Kerber

Novak Djokovic has handed Roger Federer a Wimbledon advantage - Greg Rusedski EXCLUSIVE

ROGER FEDERER will win a ninth Wimbledon title because Novak Djokovic has a big concern, according to former British No 1 Greg Rusedski.

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