Favorites Djokovic, Swiatek Open Wimbledon Play Monday; Kyrgios Withdraws

Nick Kyrgios dropped the first big blow of the Wimbledon championships pulling out of the event just 13 hours before first ball.

The 2022 finalist has only played one event all year and earlier in the day stated he was good to go.

“I’ve been hitting with some really good players this week and my body is feeling okay,” Kyrgios said.

Then, hours later, he posted on Instagram:

“Hey everyone, I’m really sad to say that I have to withdraw from Wimbledon this year,” Kyrgios state. “I tried my hardest to be ready after my surgery and to be able to step on the Wimbledon courts again.

“During my comeback, I experienced some pain in my wrist during the week of Mallorca. As a precaution I had it scanned and it came back showing a torn ligament in my wrist.”

“I tried everything to be able to play and I am disappointed to say that I just didn’t have enough time to manage it before Wimbledon.

“I’ll be back, and as always, I appreciate the support from all my fans.”

Kyrgios will be replaced by a lucky loser in the draw.

The show goes on and both tournament favorites will be in action along with the ageless Venus Williams and American teen Coco Gauff.

Novak Djokovic begins his bid for a 24th career Grand Slam title and a record-tying 8th Wimbledon.

“I feel great,” Djokovic said on Saturday. “Obviously coming into Wimbledon, it’s always an honor, it’s always a privilege. It was always a dream tournament for me when I was a kid.

“Even though I have had plenty of success here in my career, have played this tournament so many times, I still feel like that young Novak coming to the tournament and really being able to live his dream.

“It’s an amazing tournament, the biggest one in my eyes. Of course, I’m super excited to start off 2023 Wimbledon.”

Venus returns to face former No. 3 Elina Svitolina. The new mother Svitolina made the Wimbledon semifinals in 2019.

Gauff will battle countrywoman Sofia Kenin and Iga Swiatek starts her journey toward a first Wimbledon title. The women’s No. 1 brushed off an illness with forced her out of the semifinals in Bad Homburg.

“I’m okay,” Swiatek said yesterday. “I had a really bad night. We did with my conditioning coach like measurements in the morning. They didn’t really look good because I barely slept. I had a stomachache, but I don’t know if there was something wrong or not. Later in the day I felt okay, so I’m pretty sure it’s going to be fine.”

Also tomorrow, Jannik Sinner, Casper Ruud, Jessica Pegula, Belinda Bencic, Taylor Fritz and Andrey Rublev are also in action.

MONDAY WIMBLEDON SCHEDULE
CENTRE COURT – 1:30PM
Pedro Cachin (ARG) v Novak Djokovic (SRB) [2]
Venus Williams (USA) v Elina Svitolina (UKR)
Jannik Sinner (ITA) [8] v Juan Manuel Cerundolo (ARG)

NO.1 COURT – 1:00PM
Iga Swiatek (POL) [1] v Lin Zhu (CHN)
Laurent Lokoli (FRA) v Casper Ruud (NOR) [4]
Sofia Kenin (USA) v Coco Gauff (USA) [7]

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