Serena Williams set for comeback; Nadal, Swiatek in action on day 2

Serena Williams returns to singles tennis at Wimbledon soon after a yr away on Tuesday as Rafael Nadal begins his quest to win the third leg of a potential calendar Grand Slam.

Women’s top seed Iga Swiatek, who has received her past six tournaments, will kick off proceedings on Centre Court docket at 1330 area time (1230 GMT) versus Croatian qualifier Jana Fett.

But the main emphasis will be on 7-time winner Williams, who faces unseeded Harmony Tan of France in her 1st singles match considering the fact that an damage compelled her to pull out of her very first-spherical match very last calendar year.

Williams, 40, gained the past of her Wimbledon singles titles six years in the past but reached the last in 2018 and 2019.

The American, who was offered a wildcard for this year’s match, is caught on 23 Grand Slam singles wins – agonisingly a person small of Margaret Court’s all-time history.

Uncertainties had been rising about no matter whether Williams – who has slumped to 1,204th in the earth following her time period of inaction, would return to the activity.

But she warmed up by teaming up with Ons Jabeur in the doubles at Eastbourne last week and Wimbledon is broadly regarded her best likelihood of successful an elusive 24th Grand Slam.

A stellar Tuesday line-up 🤩#Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 27, 2022

Nadal eyes calendar slam

Nadal is midway to winning all four majors this year immediately after next up his Australian Open up triumph by successful his 14th French Open title.

No male has obtained the feat due to the fact Ron Laver in 1969, with Novak Djokovic slipping just short very last yr when he dropped in the final of the US Open up.

The Spaniard’s earn at Roland Garros earlier this month took him to 22 Grand Slam singles titles – two very clear of Djokovic and Roger Federer.

Nadal received the most modern of his two Wimbledon titles in 2010, owning captured his initial with an epic triumph above Federer two many years previously.

There was a question mark above his durability for the two weeks at Wimbledon having performed the overall French Open up with his troublesome left foot anaesthetised.

The 36-yr-previous next seed has considering that been through a program of radiofrequency stimulation, a treatment aimed at lessening nerve pain in his foot.

“I can stroll normal most of the days, virtually each one working day,” mentioned Nadal, who faces Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo in his opening match.

“When I wake up, I never have this agony that I was possessing for the previous calendar year and a fifty percent.”

Swiatek’s final match was a complete victory against Coco Gauff in the French Open ultimate – her 35th consecutive win.

Wimbledon will check the Polish leading seed’s potential to maintain the run heading. Reaching the fourth round very last year was her most effective overall performance, even however she was junior winner in 2018.

“Grass is generally tough,” claimed the 21-12 months-outdated. “I really like the part that I have no anticipations there. It is something variety of refreshing.”

Other gamers in action in the women’s draw on Tuesday involve 2019 winner Simona Halep, who is the 16th seed this calendar year, and previous year’s beaten finalist, Karolina Pliskova.

On the men’s aspect, fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas usually takes on Switzerland’s Alexander Ritschard although 2021 runner-up Matteo Berrettini, the eighth seed, performs Chile’s Cristian Garin.