The big winners and losers of the Wimbledon 2026 draw

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Like in every Grand Slam, the draw ceremony of Wimbledon 2026 has produced both big beneficiaries and victims in the women's and men's circuits. Although most favorites will have a relatively easy path in the early rounds, there are some exceptions worth reviewing before the tournament kicks off.

After all, there are always players who come to a Grand Slam with a lower ranking or even outside the seeded players due to circumstances beyond their talent such as injuries, and Wimbledon 2026 is no exception. There are several names that have not been very lucky with their early-round matches and could be surprised on a surface where it's always tough to start if you don't come with a lot of match practice.

Sinner and Fritz, the main victims in the men's draw

It may sound strange to include Jannik Sinner in this list, but there are strong arguments to think that he might get a scare earlier than expected. Normally, the reigning Wimbledon champion would reach the later rounds and even lift the trophy, but a debut against a talented player like Miomir Kecmanovic is never easy. Additionally, he could face Rafa Jódar in the round of 16, and in hypothetical quarterfinals against Daniil Medvedev, who defeated him in 2024 at the All England Club. To top it off, in the semifinals, he could meet Novak Djokovic, so luck has not been on his side this time.

In the case of Taylor Fritz, his luck has been even worse, as he will face a tough opponent in the first round like Jack Draper. The British player has returned to the circuit after months dealing with injuries, and he was the unseeded player nobody wanted to draw. Well, Fritz got him. Furthermore, he could potentially face two very dangerous players on this surface like Tiafoe or Bublik in the round of 16, and then face Zverev in hypothetical quarterfinals. Undoubtedly, he has not been the most fortunate.

Zverev and Djokovic have no room for complaints

Alexander Zverev, the reigning champion of Roland Garros 2026, has had better luck, although his opening match against Alexander Blockx carries some risk. However, he should not face major obstacles to reach the quarterfinals, beyond a potential clash with Jiri Lehecka in the round of 16. Moreover, if he faces Fritz in the quarterfinals, the American player should theoretically be more physically drained due to the level of his opponents in the earlier rounds.

On the other hand, there's Novak Djokovic, who, like Zverev, should comfortably advance at least to the quarterfinals. The Serbian player will debut against Yibing Wu, and could potentially face Tsitsipas in the second round, but the Greek player is in poor form. The round of 16 poses a challenge, as he could hypothetically face either Joao Fonseca (as in Roland Garros) or Andrey Rublev, while the quarterfinals could see him against Felix Auger-Aliassime. Despite some obstacles in the draw, it seems manageable for him to progress to the later stages in a tournament he has won seven times.

Swiatek and Andreeva face the toughest draw in the women's bracket

In the women's draw, the two most affected players have undoubtedly been Mirra Andreeva and Iga Swiatek. Andreeva, the current Roland Garros champion, could potentially meet Barbora Krejcikova (Wimbledon champion) in the second round. If you add a possible clash with Karolina Muchova in the round of 16, a quarterfinal against Sabalenka, and a semifinal against Gauff or Pegula, it creates an intimidating draw that makes her path very challenging.

Swiatek's case has been equally or more difficult. It's never easy to debut on grass against an aggressive player like Taylor Townsend, especially when your confidence is not at its best. Additionally, in the second round, she could face a former Roland Garros finalist like Pliskova. Furthermore, the challenge intensifies in the third round, where she could meet either Alexandra Eala or Serena Williams, which is no small feat. If she manages to overcome all that, she would potentially face Kostyuk or Svitolina in the quarterfinals, and Rybakina or Anisimova in the semifinals. Undoubtedly, she has landed the toughest draw.

Smooth sailing for Gauff and Pegula?

On the other hand, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula have avoided major names in the early rounds and could be destined to face each other in the quarterfinals if all goes well. Pegula is not expected to encounter any obstacles until the third round, where she may compete against Anastasia Potapova. From there, upcoming challenges include a potential duel against Jovic in the round of 16, another American showdown against Gauff in the quarterfinals, and hypothetical semifinals against Sabalenka or Andreeva.

Gauff has had a similar fate, and she should arrive very fresh until hypothetical round of 16 against Kalinskaya or Bencic. Thus, considering her excellent physical condition, she could be one of the contenders to win the tournament. The draw's evolution is crucial because the match load always plays a crucial role in Grand Slams, something to consider for the final rounds.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los grandes beneficiados y perjudicados del sorteo de Wimbledon 2026