Novak Djokovic (right) with world number one Rafael Nadal.
AFP/London
Wimbledon turned tennis upside down yesterday when Novak Djokovic was named top seed above world number one Rafael Nadal while defending champion Andy Murray was seeded three over seven-time winner Roger Federer.
The All England Club awarded top billing to 27-year-old Djokovic, the 2011 champion and 2013 runner-up, by using its controversial grasscourt weighting system in deciding its seeds instead of sticking by the ATP world rankings.
French Open champion Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 Wimbledon winner, is relegated from his world number one ranking to the second seeding after losing in the first round in 2013 and second round 12 months earlier.
Murray, who became Britain’s first men’s champion since Fred Perry in 1936 when he swept past Djokovic in last year’s final, has been elevated to the third seeding despite a world ranking of five.
Federer, a shock second round loser to Sergei Stakhovsky in 2013 and who won the last of his seven titles in 2012, was handed the fourth seeding in line with his current ranking.
World number three Stan Wawrinka has never got beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon and has lost in the first round in 2012 and 2013. That modest form is reflected in his seeding of five.
“Wimbledon, they do what they want. For me it’s fine,” said Australian Open champion Wawrinka when asked about the seeding system when he was at Queen’s Club last week where he made the semi-finals.
“I knew that with my past two years on grass I didn’t have any results, so for sure my ranking will drop a little bit for the seedings.
“At the end of the day, it doesn’t change much. You have to play well. You have to start the tournament well if you want to go far, and that’s simple.”
Wawrinka’s build-up to the tournament has been hit by illness after he developed a fever following practice on Monday.
The 29-year-old is not expected to train again until today.
The women’s seedings follow the WTA world rankings with five-time champion Serena Williams the number one followed by China’s Li Na, Simona Halep of Romainia in third and Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska taking fourth spot. Maria Sharapova, the champion at Wimbledon 10 years ago as a 17-year-old, is seeded five. This year’s women’s event is guaranteed a new champion after France’s Marion Bartoli, the shock 2013 winner, retired from the sport soon after her lone Grand Slam triumph.
Tomic optimistic for Wimbledon
Top seed Richard Gasquet turned 28 with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 defeat of Bernard Tomic yesterday to make a winning start at the Eastbourne International.
Gasquet advanced over the Australian youngster, who underwent double hip surgery in January, in one and three-quarters hours firing eight aces and saving nine of ten break points. Tomic sent down 16 aces and goes into Wimbledon with confidence after his injury start to the season. The Australian, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist in 2011, is looking forward to stepping onto the grass at the All England club for a sixth time after what he considers a decent preparation. “I’ve had two good weeks, I’m happy with the way it’s been going leading up into this. Wimbledon is my favourite tournament, so if I can get a good draw, first, second round will be very important for me.” Tomic knows what is missing in his game after going down to Gasquet, who won his first Eastbroune match after losing in 2012. “I’m struggling to convert the break points lately,” said the 21-year-old ranked 82nd. “Today I had a lot of break points, but I couldn’t finish it on those occasions. “But it was very good tennis. He’s playing good and it’s difficult to play against him. I think we played a good match, and this is what you need leading into Wimbledon.” Gasquet, competing in his third tournament since April after injury, moved into the quarter-finals after an opening bye as he bids for a third career trophy on grass. Finn Jarkko Nieminen fell to Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) despite 11 aces. In the women’s draw at Devonshire Park, German fifth seed Angelique Kerber reached the last eight over Alize Cornet of France 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7-3).
Former number one and eighth seed Caroline Wozniacki beat American Sloane Stephens for the sixth straight time, winning 6-3, 6-3. The 2009 champion advanced in 66 minutes to next face Camila Giorgi. The Italian continued her run of form as she dismissed Britain’s Johanna Konta 1-6, 7-5, 7-5.