The men’s and women’s draws for this year’s Wimbledon Championships have been made official, and both have thrown up some potentially exciting matches to watch over the next fortnight.

As is convention, we start in the men’s draw, which will be without its top two in Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev due to a tournament ban owing to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, and an ankle injury, respectively.

This means world No.3 Novak Djokovic will be the top seed, continuing a long-running streak of either himself, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer or Andy Murray being the top seed at a major dating back to the 2004 French Open.

Djokovic, the defending champion, will begin his quest for a seventh Wimbledon crown against Kwon Soon-woo in the first match on Centre Court for 2022, before a possible second-round clash against Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis, which would be their second career meeting.

Compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic, the player who cashed in on Djokovic’s law-enforced withdrawal from the Australian Open earlier this year, could await in the third round, with his first-round opponent being another Australian in John Millman.

Tall American Reilly Opelka is shaping as the Djoker’s potential fourth-round opponent, while Czech qualifier Lukas Rosol, who a decade ago caused a major boilover when he defeated Rafael Nadal in five sets in the second round, is also in this part of the draw.

Rosol, now aged 36 and ranked 278th in the world, is up against 22nd seed Nikoloz Basilashvili in the first round.

The next highest seed in this quarter of the draw is fifth-seeded Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who is in a section that includes two-time champion Andy Murray and three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka, who are both unseeded.

Though unlikely, the latter two could face off in the third round, though do face some higher-seeded opponents en route with Murray projected to face John Isner in the second round, and Wawrinka up against 10th-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner in his first match.

It is more likely that Sinner and Isner will meet in the third round, possibly for the right to face Alcaraz in the last 16. The Spaniard’s first match is against Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff, after which he could face Italian veteran Fabio Fognini in the second round.

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Third seed and beaten French Open finalist Casper Ruud is the leading name in the second quarter of the draw; he faces Spanish veteran Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the first round, and is projected to face another Spaniard, Pablo Carreno Busta, in the last 16.

The Norwegian is in line to face Hubert Hurkacz, who last year handed Roger Federer his first straight-sets loss at Wimbledon since 2002, in the quarter-finals.

Hurkacz is drawn to face either Tommy Paul or Fernando Verdasco in the third round, and either British ninth seed Cameron Norrie or Bulgarian veteran Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth.

Turning over the page to the bottom half of the draw now, and eighth seed Matteo Berrettini, who returns after missing the French Open due to injury, is up against Cristian Garin in his first match, with Jenson Brooksby looming as his possible third-round opponent.

Australia’s highest-ranked player, Alex de MInaur, is in this section of the draw and after a first-up match against Hugo Dellien, the Spanish-based Sydneysider is drawn to face 12th seed Diego Schwartzman in the third round.

The highest seed in the third quarter of the draw is fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who will attempt to rectify a poor Wimbledon record which has seen him fall in the first round in 2019 and 2021, after having reached the fourth round in 2018.

There will be no excuses for the Greek star, who is up against Swiss qualifier Alexander Ritschard in his first match, after which he could face a pair of Australians in succession – Jordan Thompson in the second round, and firebrand Nick Kyrgios in the third.

For Kyrgios to set up what stands to be a blockbuster third-round clash against Tsitsipas likely to be played on Saturday night (AEST), the Canberran must first beat British wildcard Paul Jubb in his first match, and then 26th seed Filip Krajinovic in the second.

At the bottom of the draw, second seed Rafael Nadal is up against little-known Argentine Francisco Cerundolo in the first round, but could then face former Wimbledon giant killer Sam Querrey in the second.

Two of Querrey’s best career wins have come at SW19, dethroning reigning champions Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray in consecutive years in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Italian 27th seed Lorenzo Sonego looms as a potential third round opponent for the Spaniard, while former Wimbledon finalist Marin Cilic, seeded 14th, could await in the last 16.

Cilic, who reached his first French Open semi-final earlier this month, is up against Mackenzie McDonald in his first match, and that is followed by a possible second round engagement with French veteran Richard Gasquet.

Whichever of these players reaches the quarter-finals is likely to face eighth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, whose potential opponents on his road to the last eight include 28th-seeded Brit Dan Evans and 11th seed American Taylor Fritz.

Assuming there are no major upsets, the quarter-finals onwards could unfold as follows.

Quarter-finals
[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs [5] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
[3] Casper Ruud (NOR) vs [7] Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
[8] Matteo Berrettini (ITA) vs [4] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
[6] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) vs [2] Rafael Nadal (ESP)

Semi-finals
[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs [3] Casper Ruud (NOR)
[4] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs [2] Rafael Nadal (ESP)

Final
[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) defeats [2] Rafael Nadal (ESP)

In the women’s draw, world No.1 Iga Swiatek will begin her bid to complete a Channel Slam against Croatian qualifier Jana Fett, and is in line to face her predecessor as French Open champion, Barbora Krejcikova, in the fourth round.

Before that, the first seed the 21-year-old could face is 27th seed Yulia Putintseva, whose first match is against French veteran Alize Cornet, who is participating in her 62nd consecutive major.

It is the second consecutive year that Krejcikova has been drawn to face the top seed in the last 16, having faced (and lost to) Ashleigh Barty at this stage 12 months ago.

Top-ranked Australia Ajla Tomljanovic, a quarter-finalist last year, is also in this section of the draw and has been drawn to face Jil Teichmann in the first round. Though unlikely based on seedings, a good run could see her face Krejcikova in the third round.

Swiatek and Krejcikova are among five active major champions in the second quarter of the draw, of which three (Garbine Muguruza, Sloane Stephens and Bianca Andreescu) are in a packed second section of the draw.

Muguruza and Stephens could face each other in the second round, if both defeat Greet Minnen and Zheng Qinwen in their respective first-round matches, while Andreescu is in line to face 17th seed Elena Rybakina in the second round.

The second-highest ranked player in this quarter of the draw is eighth-seeded American Jessica Pegula, who is up against Donna Vekic in her first match and could face compatriot and 30th-seeded Shelby Rogers, the last player to beat Ashleigh Barty, in the third round.

Spanish fourth seed Paula Badosa headlines a packed second quarter, which also includes two-time champion Petra Kvitova, 2019 champion Simona Halep, last year’s finalist Karolina Pliskova and beaten French Open finalist Coco Gauff.

But there is one big name in this quarter to watch out for – Serena Williams, who is on a wildcard entry at a major for the first time since the 2006 US Open after missing nearly 12 months due to injury, during which her world ranking plummeted to 1204th.

Badosa starts off against American qualifier Louisa Chirico, after which she could face Kvitova and Halep in succession in the third and fourth rounds respectively.

As the second-most recent Wimbledon champion following Ash Barty’s retirement earlier this year, Halep is in contention to open play on Centre Court on Tuesday, the slot usually reserved for the reigning champion. She is up against Karolina Muchova in her first match.

In the fourth section of the draw, 11th-seeded Gauff is in line to face compatriot Amanda Anisimova in the third round, while Williams’ first match sees her up against Frenchwoman Harmony Tan, with a possible third-round date against Karolina Pliskova to follow.

Pliskova, beaten by Barty in last year’s final, could face a second-round rematch against Katie Boulter, who won the pair’s second round meeting in Eastbourne just this week to notch her first career top ten victory.

We turn over the page now to the fifth section of the draw, which is headlined by reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu, Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins and American 29th seed Madison Keys.

Raducanu, who has struggled for form since winning last year’s US Open, faces a potentially tricky first-up clash against Belgium’s Alison van Uytvanck, after which she could face Caroline Garcia and then Keys in her following two matches.

Collins begins against Marie Bouzkova and is in line to face compatriot Alison Riske in the third round, followed by either Raducanu or Keys in the last 16.

Leading the way in the third quarter is third seed Ons Jabeur, who recently paired with Serena Williams in doubles in the American’s playing comeback at Eastbourne this week.

Jabeur could face as many as three qualifiers in as many matches, though it is likely she will face 31st seed Kaia Kanepi in the third round, and 2018 champion Angelique Kerber, who is up against Kristina Mladenovic in her first match, in the last 16.

In the seventh section, fifth seed Maria Sakkari begins against Australian qualifier Zoe Hives, after which she could face another Australian, the resurgent Daria Saville, in the second round.

Saville, who is on a wildcard entry after making an impressive comeback from injury, is up against Viktoriya Tomova in her first match and should start the favourite to win that match, despite her lowly ranking.

The next-highest seed in this part of the draw is 12th-seeded Jelena Ostapenko, who faces Oceane Dodin in her first match and is projected to face French Open semi-finalist Martina Trevisan in the third round.

Another Australian qualifier, Astra Sharma, is also in this part of the draw and should she beat Tatjana Maria in her first match, she will set up a possible second-round clash against Romanian journeywoman Sorana Cirstea.

At the bottom of the draw, second seed Anett Kontaveit begins her bid for a maiden major title against American Bernarda Pera, and should not face any resistance until the fourth round where she is projected to face Olympic Gold Medallist Belinda Bencic.

Bencic, seeded 14th, is up against Wang Qiang in her first match, after which she could face British wildcard Heather Watson in the second round, followed by 23rd seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the third.

Assuming there are no major upsets, the quarter-finals onwards could unfold as follows.

Quarter-finals
[1] Iga Swiatek (POL) vs [8] Jessica Pegula (USA)
[4] Paula Badosa (ESP) vs [6] Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
[7] Danielle Collins (USA) vs [3] Ons Jabeur (TUN)
[5] Maria Sakkari (GRE) vs [2] Anett Kontaveit (EST)

Semi-finals
[1] Iga Swiatek (POL) vs [4] Paula Badosa (ESP)
[3] Ons Jabeur (TUN) vs [2] Anett Kontaveit (EST)

Final
[1] Iga Swiatek (POL) defeats [2] Anett Kontaveit (EST)