Wimbledon 2021 ladies' singles draw: Serena Williams & Johanna Konta learn fate

There will be a new ladies’ singles champion at Wimbledon this year after Simona Halep withdrew from the event but last year’s runner-up Serena Williams will begin against Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

Halep, who beat Williams in the 2019 final, was hoping to land a fourth Grand Slam title but arrived in SW19 having been forced to skip the French Open with a calf issue.

Ultimately, she could not recover in time and was forced to withdraw moments before the draw began.

Williams, the sixth seed, remains in pursuit of Margaret Court’s all-time Grand Slam record. She is targeting an eighth Wimbledon win and 24th major in total.

Angelique Kerber, who defeated her in the 2018 final, is a potential round three opponent. Coco Gauff – who starts against Britain’s Fran Jones – could meet her in the last-16.

She is in the same half as Ash Barty and Bianca Andreescu – who could meet in the quarter-finals. Barty starts against Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro, while Andreescu takes on Alize Cornet.

Wimbledon ladies’ singles predicted quarter-finals (by seeding)

Barty vs Andreescu

Svitolina vs Williams

Kenin vs Pliskova

Sabalenka vs Swiatek

Johanna Konta reached the quarter-finals on the last visit to her home Slam and warmed up with a grass-court title in Nottingham.

Konta, the British No. 1, will face Katerina Siniakova in the first round and could meet Barty in round three.

Also in a stacked first quarter, former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka meets Kateryna Kozlova, while former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko takes on Leyla Fernandez.

In the same section, British wildcard Sam Murray Sharan will meet Sorana Cirstea in round one, while fellow Brit Emma Raducanu will take on a qualifier.

Heather Watson has landed in the bottom half and will face a qualifier in round one but will meet either Petra Kvitova or Sloane Stephens in the second round.

Harriet Dart will take on Belgian 13th seed Elise Mertens in round one. Jodie Burrage meets Lauren Davis in the same section.

Fellow wildcard and five-time champion Venus Williams will take on Mihaela Buzarnescu in the opening round.

Katie Boulter also faces a qualifier and could meet Aryna Sabalenka, the second seed from Belarus in round two.

For more stories like this, check our sport page

Follow Metro Sport across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Source: Read Full Article