Wimbledon 2026 begins on Monday, June 29, with the iconic grass courts of the All England Club set to host a packed opening day featuring several of the sport's biggest stars. The first day of action will see the top half of the men's draw and the bottom half of the women's draw begin their campaigns, with Centre Court and No. 1 Court taking centre stage.
Play on Centre Court is scheduled to start at 1:30 PM BST, while No. 1 Court will begin half an hour earlier at 1:00 PM BST.
Centre Court (From 6:00 PM IST)
Jannik Sinner (1) vs Miomir Kecmanovic
Aryna Sabalenka (1) vs Teodora Kostovic
Yibing Wu vs Novak Djokovic (7)
No. 1 Court (From 5:30 PM IST)
Antonia Ruzic vs Emma Raducanu (30)
Marin Cilic vs Daniil Medvedev (8)
Magda Linette vs Mirra Andreeva (5)
Court 2 (From 3:30 PM IST)
Jessica Pegula (4) vs D. Vidmanova
Cameron Norrie (26) vs Michael Zheng
Felix Auger-Aliassime (3) vs Aleksandr Shevchenko
Coco Gauff (7) vs Tamara Korpatsch
Several leading contenders will be under the spotlight as the tournament gets underway.
Defending men's champion Jannik Sinner carries the responsibility of opening play on Centre Court. The world number one arrives in London determined to put behind him a physically taxing exit at the French Open. Facing Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round, Sinner will look to settle quickly into the unique demands of grass-court tennis, where movement and timing are often tested early in the tournament.
Novak Djokovic begins Wimbledon in an unfamiliar position as the seventh seed. The seven-time champion enters the event without the status of favourite but remains one of the most dangerous players in the draw. Djokovic has already spoken about the impact of London's recent heatwave on the grass courts, suggesting that the unusually high temperatures have altered the playing conditions. His experience and adaptability will be crucial when he faces China's Yibing Wu in the opening round.
Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka also begins her campaign on Centre Court. With her powerful serve and aggressive baseline game, the Belarusian is considered one of the strongest contenders for the women's title. Her first-round opponent is qualifier Teodora Kostovic, and Sabalenka will be aiming for a smooth start while adapting to conditions that could influence ball movement and court speed.
Weather has become a major talking point heading into the tournament. London recently experienced one of the most intense June heatwaves on record, with temperatures approaching 39 degrees Celsius. The city endured multiple days of extreme heat warnings and unusually warm nights that offered little relief.
However, conditions are expected to ease slightly as Wimbledon begins. While temperatures remain warm, players and spectators are likely to benefit from a modest drop in heat compared to the record-breaking levels seen over the past week.
With title contenders, former champions, rising stars, and unique weather conditions all in the mix, Wimbledon 2026 promises an eventful start to the year's third Grand Slam.
