Emma Raducanu handed tough opening draw ahead of Wimbledon return

Emma Raducanu (PA Wire)

Emma Raducanu’s first Wimbledon match for two years will be against Russian 22nd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.

The former US Open champion missed last year’s tournament following surgery on both wrists and one ankle but has shown good form in the build-up.

It is quite a tough draw, though, with Alexandrova having reached the fourth round last year.

British number one Katie Boulter, seeded at the All England Club for the first time, opens her campaign against former semi-finalist Tatjana Maria and could play compatriot Harriet Dart in the second round, while fifth seed Jessica Pegula looms in round three.

Dart will play Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan, while Francesca Jones is likely to find world number one Iga Swiatek waiting if she can get past Croatian Petra Martic.

Sonay Kartal, only the third British woman this century to come through qualifying, opens up against 29th seed Sorana Cirstea, while Heather Watson faces Belgian Greet Minnen and Yuriko Miyazaki plays Tamara Korpatsch of Germany.

Swiatek was placed in a tough section of the draw, including a first-round match against Sofia Kenin, a repeat of the French Open final from four years ago.

The Pole is in the same half as defending champion Marketa Vondrousova and former winner Elena Rybakina, with Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff in the bottom half.

Sabalenka takes on Emina Bektas in the first round, second seed Gauff will meet fellow American Caroline Dolehide and Vondrousova plays Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

Andy Murray has been given an extra day in his efforts to recover from back surgery in time to play singles at Wimbledon.

The two-time former champion, who is set to make his final appearance before retirement at the All England Club, was drawn to face Czech Tomas Machac in round one.

Because he is in the opposite half to defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, Murray’s match will be scheduled on Tuesday rather than Monday.

Murray is not likely to make a decision until Monday, saying on Thursday: “Maybe it’s my ego getting in the way but I feel that I deserve the opportunity to give it until the very last moment to make that decision.”

Machac, ranked 38, will not bring back good memories for Murray, with the Czech the opponent when he suffered a serious ankle injury at the Miami Open in March.

Alcaraz, who is seeded to meet world number one Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals, opens against qualifier Mark Lajal, while Sinner could face former finalist Matteo Berrettini in round two.

British number one Jack Draper is seeded at a grand slam for the first time and takes on qualifier Elias Ymer in round one, while he could meet compatriot Cameron Norrie in round two and Alexander Zverev in round three.

Draper goes into the event on the back of a first ATP Tour title and victory over Alcaraz at Queen’s Club, while Norrie has been horribly out of form but has a kind first-round draw against Argentinian Facundo Diaz Acosta.

Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic, who appears to have recovered sufficiently from knee surgery, is the second seed and opens against Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva.

In what was generally a good draw for the British hopefuls, Dan Evans will take on 24th seed Alejandro Tabilo, in-form Paul Jubb meets Brazil’s Thiago Seyboth Wild, Liam Broady faces Botic Van De Zandschulp, Jan Choinski plays Luciano Darderi and Arthur Fery meets Daniel Altmaier.

Of the home debutants, Charles Broom has a tough opener against three-time grand slam champion Stan Wawrinka while last year’s junior champion Henry Searle plays American Marcos Giron.

In-form Billy Harris faces Spain’s Jaume Munar and Nottingham champion Jacob Fearnley meets Alejandro Moro Canas, with the possibility of a clash against Djokovic in round two.There was embarrassment for tournament referee Denise Parnell, in her first year in the job, during the women’s draw when a mix-up occurred during the placing of the seeds.

After the wrong name was put on the board, confusion ensued over the remaining players in the section, leaving one line blank before the error was eventually corrected.