'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Less than a month after the conclusion of the French Open, Grand Slam action will take centre stage once again as Wimbledon is set to begin on Monday, June 27.
Former World No. 1 and 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams is on the comeback trail. Williams retired due to an injury in the first round of the grasscourt Major last year and is set to play her first singles match since then next week.
Rafael Nadal, who won the Australian Open and the French Open, is gunning for his third successive Grand Slam title.
Nadal's arch-rival and three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic will also be present and is the top seed at the tournament. Ashleigh Barty, the defending champion on the women's side, retired earlier this year and won't be present as a result.
However, she's not the only player of note who'll be absent.
This year's edition has been overshadowed by a couple of controversies. Wimbledon organizers decided to ban Russian and Belarusian players due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Daniil Medvedev, Aryna Sabalenka, Victoria Azarenka and Andrey Rublev are some of the top players who've been affected by the ban.
The ATP and WTA didn't feel this was the right decision, and in turn, decided to award no ranking points for the tournament this year. This has also caused a lot of friction between the players and the organizations.
Aside from players who aren't allowed to compete, there are a few others who're unable to participate due to health issues. Let's take a look at some of the key players who will be missing this year's Wimbledon:
#7 Sebastian Korda
Sebastian Korda made it to the fourth round of Wimbledon upon making his debut last year, but is set to miss the tournament this year.
The American competed in a couple of tournaments during the grass season. He made it to the second round in Halle, but fell at the opening hurdle in Eastbourne.
Following his most recent loss, Korda announced his withdrawal from the grasscourt Major. He revealed that he has been battling some health issues and needs time to recuperate before he's ready to compete again. Korda wrote on Twitter:
"Hi all. Sadly I had to withdraw from Wimbledon today after my match in Eastbourne. I have been dealing with terrible shin splints and beaten up feet for quite some time now and can’t go on with it anymore. I have been advised to rest and recuperate is the best way forward."
Korda is aiming to be back for the North American hardcourt swing in August.
#6 Leylah Fernandez
Leylah Fernandez made it to the quarterfinals of the French Open for the first time this year. Despite not being at her best physically, she gave it her all and fought until the end, but ultimately came up short. Unfortunately, this aggravated her injury, which was later revealed to be a foot fracture.
Hence, Fernandez won't be participating in Wimbledon this year. She's targeting a return at the Citi Open in Washington, which is set to happen during the first week of August.
#5 Dominic Thiem
After an injury shut down his 2021 season prematurely, Dominic Thiem returned to action in March earlier this year. However, the 2020 US Open champion failed to win a single match across his seven tournaments. His string of poor results has resulted in his ranking falling outside the top 300,
Thiem decided to skip Wimbledon this time as he wasn't happy with the level he has displayed since returning to the tour. He has instead chosen to focus on training during this period in order to improve his game.
Thiem will also compete in a Challenger event before returning to the ATP tour later in July, where he'll compete in a couple of clay court tournaments.
#4 Venus Williams
With sister Serena Williams on the comeback trail, the absence of Venus Williams will be sorely felt. She's a five-time champion at Wimbledon, but isn't participating in the tournament this year.
Last year, she defeated Mihaela Buzarnescu in the first-round of the grasscourt Major to record her 90th win of the tournament. She accomplished the feat in what was also her 90th main-draw appearance at a Grand Slam.
However, Williams has been out of action for almost a year now. Her last tournament was the WTA 250 in Chicago in August 2021, with injuries keeping her on the sidelines ever since. The American has dropped hints about a comeback, so a return to the tour is indeed on the horizon.
#3 Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev's had an incredibly successful clay season this year, which ended on a tragic note. He reached the semifinals in Monte Carlo and Rome, and almost defended his title in Madrid by reaching the final. He then made it to the semifinals of the French Open for the second year in a row.
Zverev went toe-to-toe against Rafael Nadal in their last-four showdown. Unfortunately, the German rolled his ankle and suffered a nasty fall during the second set. He was taken off the court for a quick check-up, but returned on crutches to announce that he wouldn't be able to carry on, thus retiring from the match.
Zverev then underwent surgery for torn ligaments in his ankle and is currently recovering, causing him to miss Wimbledon as well.
#2 Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka skipped last year's Wimbledon due to her mental health struggles, but was looking forward to participating in the tournament this year. During the clay season, she was bothered by an achilles injury, which also played a role in her first-round exit from the French Open.
Last week, Osaka took to social media to reveal that she's still not fully fit and won't be able to compete at the grasscourt Major. The four-time Grand Slam champion's last appearance in the tournament was during the 2019 edition, when she lost to Yulia Putintseva in the first round.
She confirmed her absence at Wimbledon this year with a tweet simply captioned:
"my Achilles still isn't right so I'll see you next time."
Osaka is likely to return to action during the hardcourt swing in North America in August.
#1 Roger Federer
Roger Federer, the king of Wimbledon, won't be seen dazzling spectators on Centre Court and fans all over the world with his brilliance this year.
The Swiss made it to the quarterfinals last year, but lost to Hubert Hurkacz. He also injured himself during the match and underwent another knee surgery.
Federer hasn't competed since that loss. Earlier, he had hoped to be ready in time for Wimbledon but unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. He plans to return to action during the Laver Cup in September, followed by an appearance at the Swiss Indoors in October.
Who Are Roger Federer's Kids? Know All About Federer's Twins
