Top first round matches Men’s Wimbledon including Auger-Aliassime against Kokkinakis, Monfils-Mannarino and Jarry-Shapovalov

The men’s main draw for Wimbledon has been revealed and will feature some exciting first-round matchups. While the 32 seeds avoid facing higher-ranked opponents for at least the first two rounds, some lower-ranked players could upset the favorites.

One of the standout matches will be between French veterans Adrian Mannarino (22nd seed) and Gael Monfils (No. 40), promising a spectacle between two tennis showmen. Former semifinalist Denis Shapovalov aims to return to the elite ranks at SW19, though he faces a tough draw against the 19th seed Nicolas Jarry

The former world No. 6 used the ATP 250 Mallorca Open this week as a Wimbledon warm-up tournament and had a solid outing in his first grass-court event since 2021. Monfils secured victories over Dominic Thiem, Roberto Carballes Baena, and Roberto Bautista Agut to reach the semifinals. The Frenchman fell in a tight match against the 4th seed Alejandro Tabilo in a third-set tie-break, 6-2, 2-6, 6-7(3).

At 37 years old, he will make his 13th appearance in Wimbledon's main draw and will face his compatriot Mannarino, a recognized grass-court specialist who is the 22nd seed at the tournament and aged 35. Another player known for his unconventional tennis, the showdown between the French veterans promises to be a spectacle for spectators.

Wimbledon is a stage for Shapovalov. The Canadian was the singles junior event champion in 2016 and doubles runner-up (alongside Felix Auger-Aliassime). Five years later, he reached the semifinals, defeating players like Andy Murray, Karen Khachanov, and Roberto Bautista Agut along the way.

Shapo suffered a significant ranking drop due to injuries and is now outside the top 100, although he has had several notable performances this year, including victories over Stefanos Tsitsipas, Frances Tiafoe, and Tomas Etcheverry.

What Jarry can show is still uncertain. After a spectacular campaign up to the Rome Open final, he was eliminated in the first round of Roland Garros. The Chilean suffered from vertigo syndrome, forcing him to miss the ATP 500 Queen’s Club Championships and arrives without prior grass-court tournaments.

Last year, he had a strong showing up to the third round of Wimbledon, where he lost to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz, pushing the Spaniard to his limits.

Auger-Aliassime faces a situation similar to Jarry's. The Canadian left a good impression in the clay swing after being a runner-up at the Madrid Open and performing well up to the fourth round of the French Open. However, he played only one match on grass at the Halle Open and retired during the second set due to hip problems.

Nevertheless, the 17th seed is a player to watch at SW19, having reached the quarterfinals in 2021 and, if physically fit, will bring a high level of confidence. He will debut against Australian talent Thanasi Kokkinakis, with whom he has no previous matches.

Two local favorites faced tough first-round matchups. Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, now ranked No. 113, will face young Czech Tomas Machac, whom he remembers well from the Miami Open, where Machac narrowly defeated him in the third-round tiebreak.

On the other hand, Dan Evans is aiming for his ninth appearance in Wimbledon's main draw and has yet to surpass the third round. He will debut against Chilean Alejandro Tabilo, who reached the final of the ATP 250 Mallorca Open this week and is seeking his first grass-court title.