On the eve of the draw for The Championships 2023, we assess some of the highlights to look forward to this year. 

Greatness guaranteed

Novak Djokovic has already woven eye-popping milestones into his Wimbledon narrative.

A seven-time champion, he holds an 86-10 match-winning record at The Championships, constructing a 28-match win streak with consecutive titles over the past four editions.

And now the Serbian stands on the cusp of even more astonishing history in his 18th All England Club campaign; an eighth title would draw the 36-year-old level with the prolific Roger Federer for most gentlemen’s singles titles.

Already owning an all-time men’s record 23 Grand Slam titles, Djokovic now has the chance to level Margaret Court for most Grand Slam singles titles in tennis history.

With triumphs in Australia and Paris this season, he’s also aiming to keep hopes of a calendar-year Grand Slam alive.

While that would create unfathomable pressure for many players, Djokovic dines on that scenario in much the same way that, as a champion, he loves to nibble on the Centre Court grass.

Enduring superstars

The potential was obvious when a teenage Venus Williams debuted at the 1997 Championships – but could anyone imagine that Williams, who has since taken five ladies’ singles titles, would return for a 24th main draw campaign aged 43?

Absent in 2022 due to injury, Williams showed her determination to capitalise on her 2023 wild card status, battling past Camila Giorgi in three hours and 17 minutes in Birmingham’s first round.

There’s similar spirit from two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, who skipped Roland-Garros but took back-to-back ATP Challenger Tour titles on grass at Surbiton and Nottingham.

In claiming 10 straight match wins, the 36-year-old also showed his enduring passion to compete.

“Whether I win another Grand Slam or winning Challengers is the peak for me now, I’m OK with that because I’m doing what I love to do,” he said.

The next wave

In a fascinating era of cross-generational dominance, younger stars are also set to make their mark.

Four years since a 15-year-old Coco Gauff became the youngest player in the Open era to qualify for Wimbledon – and went on to upset Venus Williams en route to the fourth round – the American teen is the youngest member of the world's top 10.

There’s every sign of 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva replicating that success. The first three grass court matches she contested on Tour were for Wimbledon Qualifying, with the teenager earning her place in the main draw with victory over Tamara Korpatsch on Thursday.

It followed a memorable debut at Roland-Garros, where Andreeva lost to Gauff in a third round showdown between the youngest two women’s contenders.

Breakthrough beckoning

From the lofty heights of his world No.1 ranking, Carlos Alcaraz is well positioned for another breakthrough at SW19.

The 20-year-old, who made his Grand Slam mark as the 2022 US Open champion, has claimed titles this year on hard court, clay and grass.

The latest, at Queen’s Club, was only the third grass court event of Alcaraz’s young career.

“I have a lot of confidence right now coming into Wimbledon,” said the Spaniard, who has competed twice before at The Championships, reaching the fourth round last year.

“I ended the week playing at the high level. So right now, I feel (like) one of the favourites.”

Comebacks complete

Elina Svitolina’s return to a Grand Slam quarter-final at Roland-Garros highlighted the feelgood factor of a comeback story; it was just 10 months after the birth of her daughter, Skai, and only her second Grand Slam campaign in more than a year.

As Svitolina, a semi-finalist at Wimbledon in 2019, aims to maintain that momentum, a pair of former gentlemen’s singles finalists are targeting renaissances too.

Milos Raonic, the 2016 runner-up, returns after a two-year absence and Nick Kyrgios, who pushed Djokovic to four sets in the 2022 final, will play his second tournament since undergoing knee surgery earlier this year.

Could the All England Club provide the stage for more memorable scenes in those stellar careers?