REUTERS, London

Defending champion Jannik Sinner begins his Wimbledon campaign on Monday seeking a fifth Grand Slam title, while women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka looks to claim her first major crown of 2026 and Novak Djokovic resumes his pursuit of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam.

With two-time Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz absent, Sinner enters the tournament as the clear favourite. The Italian skipped all grass-court warm-up events after his disappointing French Open exit, where he cramped in hot conditions and squandered a winning position in the second round.

Sabalenka arrives in London hoping to end a frustrating run at Grand Slams. Despite holding the world number one ranking since late 2024, the Belarusian has won only one major in the past 18 months despite reaching four finals. Djokovic, meanwhile, believes Wimbledon presents his best opportunity to surpass Margaret Court’s record of 24 major titles. The 39-year-old Serb has won seven Wimbledon crowns and has reached two finals and a semi-final since his most recent triumph in 2022.

Following his five-set French Open defeat to Joao Fonseca, Djokovic said grass suits him better at this stage of his career.