London: Defending Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic has been confirmed as the top seed in this year’s mens’ singles at the All England Club, while French Open winner Maria Sharapova is the top seed in the women’s singles.
Serbia’s Djokovic, the current world No 1, was beaten by Rafael Nadal in the French Open final earlier this month, but he retains the top seeding ahead of the second-seeded Spaniard.
Djokovic’s defeat to Nadal in Paris marked the end of a run of three successive grand slam final victories over the world No 2, which started when he won Wimbledon for the first time last year.
Six-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer is seeded third as he seeks to win a grand slam for the first time since the 2010 Australian Open.
Britain’s Andy Murray, a loser in the Wimbledon semi-finals for the last three years, is the fourth seed, while France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a beaten semi-finalist at Wimbledon last year, is seeded fifth.
Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, who lost to Nadal in the 2010 Wimbledon final, is bumped up to the sixth seed, one place above Spain’s David Ferrer, who is ranked higher but drops down to seventh seed due to his inferior grasscourt record.
Big-serving American Mardy Fish, back in action after serious health issues, is promoted to 10th ahead of John Isner and Nicolas Almagro.
The biggest jump is made by Australian teenager Bernard Tomic, who reached the quarter-finals last year and climbs from 27th to 20th, while three-time finalist Andy Roddick is seeded 30th.
In the womens’ singles, the seedings reflect the current WTA Tour rankings, with world No 1 Sharapova, who beat Sara Errani in this year’s French Open final, selected to be the top seed ahead of reigning Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic.
Sharapova’s victory in Paris gave the 25-year-old Russian a career grand slam after her previous title triumphs at Wimbledon, in 2004, and the Australian and US Opens.
Kvitova, who defeated Sharapova in last year’s Wimbledon final, is the fourth seed behind world No 2 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, who is seeded third.
Australia’s Sam Stosur, the current US Open champion, is the fifth seed and America’s Serena Williams, a four-time Wimbledon winner, is seeded sixth.
