If everyone dreams of seeing a clash between "Djoko" and world number one Carlos Alcaraz, after the physical collapse of the Spaniard in the semifinals at Roland-Garros, the two champions will have to fight.

Winner of the first two Grand Slam tournaments of the season and seven times crowned in London, the Serb is the favorite for his own succession.

At the bottom of the table, he will still have some customers, but the level of difficulty should gradually rise.

The first "tall" opponent (1.96m) could be the Pole and No. 17 seed, Hubert Hurkacz, semifinalist two years ago after beating Roger Federer, in the eighth-finals.

In the quarters, a remake of last year's final against Nick Kyrgios would be possible but probably unrealistic, given that the Australian has only played one game this season, losing in June in Stuttgart to China's Yibing Wu.

Alcaraz will have a lot to do

Kyrgios already does not have an easy first round because, even if the Belgian David Goffin has benefited from a wild card, he remains a cunning player on grass.

To challenge Djokovic again, Kyrgios will also have to beat Andrey Rublev, a recent finalist in Halle, in the third round, before facing in the eighth, probably the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime or the Kazakh Alexander Bublik, titled in Halle.

Djokovic's top half of the draw also offers some names to be wary of like Taylor Fritz and Jannik Sinner, quarterfinalists last year or Casper Ruud.

Carlos Alcaraz during the Queen's tournament, west London, on June 24, 2023 © Adrian DENNIS / AFP/Archives

At the top of the table, despite his recent first victory on grass, at the Queen's tournament, Carlos Alcaraz will have a lot to do to hold the rank of world number one he has recovered.

Facing the French Jérémy Chardy in the first round, he could meet Alex de Minaur, whom he beat in the final at Queen's or Alexander Zverev in the 8th final.

In the next round, the American Frances Tiafoe, recently titled in Stuttgart, or Holger Rune would face him, before rubbing shoulders with Daniil Medvedev or the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semis, even if the latter are not great specialists of the surface either.

Dense bottom of the table in women

Tsitsipas has a first-round date with Austria's Dominik Thiem, who fell to 90th in the world, up from the top 3 three years ago.

In the next round, the Greek could also face local darling Andy Murray if the latter gets rid of Ryan Peniston in a British duel.

On the women's side, the draw seems less balanced, with world number one Iga Swiatek's half of the table looking a little clearer than the other.

Iga Swiatek at the service on the grass of Wimbledon, July 2, 2022 © Glyn KIRK / AFP / Archives

She still has on her theoretical path to the final the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, semifinalist on the London grass in 2019 and who will play against Venus Williams, five-time Wimbledon champion in the first round.

In the semifinals, Swiatek could face France's Caroline Garcia, world No. 5, but uncertainty is great after her abandonment in the eighth-finals in Eastbourne on Thursday, and while she never made it past the eighth at Wimbledon.

The bottom of the table seems denser.

In addition to Rybakina and Sabalenka, we note the presence of last year's finalist, the Tunisian Ons Jabeur, but also the Czech Petra Kvitova, twice titled at Wimbledon and recently crowned in Berlin, or the Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, in form on grass after her victory in Birmingham.

© 2023 AFP