Wimbledon 2026, the Italians' draw: who got lucky and who didn't

The draw is out, and for the Italian colours it's a mosaic of smiles and a few grimaces. With Alcaraz forced to withdraw due to his wrist, the men's tournament opens up like it hasn't in years. Let's get straight to the point, singles by singles, no beating around the bush.

ATP, the men

Who got lucky.

Let's start at the top: Jannik Sinner arguably drew the clearest quarter of all. He opens against Kecmanovic, a tricky but manageable opponent, and a section free of any glaring traps at least until the latter stages. With Alcaraz out, the world number one starts as the favourite with a smooth early path.

Smiling too is Flavio Cobolli, who opens against Navone, an Argentine clay-courter not at home on grass: a winnable first round to try and build an important tournament. Good news also for Mattia Bellucci, up against Svajda in an entirely playable match, and Luciano Darderi, who starts against the young American Quinn. For Darderi the only downside: he lands in Sinner's quarter, so any deep run would soon run into his number one compatriot.

Who got unlucky.

A cruel draw for Matteo Berrettini: Stan Wawrinka straight away, a nerve-racking first round against a former Slam champion who never hides on grass. The Roman remains the favourite, but it's the kind of opener you'd have wanted to avoid. Uphill too for Lorenzo Sonego, who drew Etcheverry and has Fritz as a possible wall nearby, and Matteo Arnaldi, landing in Zverev's quarter with a draw that turns heavy fast.

WTA, the women

There are three Italians in the main draw, and the draws tell different stories.

Who got (partly) lucky. Jasmine Paolini, the number 13 seed, opens against American Robin Montgomery: a young but beatable opponent, no prior meetings. The start is soft, even if the theoretical path gets tougher later on with Tauson in the third round and Swiatek projected in the round of 16, in Rybakina's section. The real question mark remains her condition, with the 2024 finalist coming back from an injury.

Who got unlucky. A tricky opener for Elisabetta Cocciaretto, up against China's Wang Xinyu and landing in the top half, Sabalenka's, with the Bencic threat already in the second round. A truly complicated debut, finally, for the very young Tyra Grant, 18, through from qualifying and rewarded with a brutal draw: across the net Britain's Katie Boulter, a home favourite and an awkward customer for anyone playing her first Slam main draw.

In short: Sinner and Cobolli can thank the draw, Berrettini and the tricky openers a little less. Now, as always, the court does the talking.