Angelique Kerber is warned despite being the clear favourite in her opening match at the grass-court classic at Wimbledon.
“The first rounds are never easy, it’s important to stay with yourself and be focused from the start,” said the 34-year-old 2018 winner ahead of her first-round clash with France’s Kristina Mladenovic. The match will take place as the third match on Court 1.
Kerber had reached the final two years before her great triumph, reaching the semi-finals in 2021 and 2012 respectively. However, the former world number one has already suffered several early exits at the legendary Church Road. Three years ago, for example, she surprisingly lost in the second round to the American Lauren Davis.
Her opponent Mladenovic recently won the doubles at the French Open, but in singles the 29-year-old is far from her form of yesteryear. “It’s not an easy opponent,” Kerber said. “She knows how to play on the big courts.”
The Kiel native was last eliminated in the quarter-finals against Alizé Cornet of France in her only preparatory tournament on grass in Bad Homburg. Kerber is seeded 15th in Wimbledon and could face the new world number two Ons Jabeur from Tunisia in a possible round of 16 match.