Wimbledon 2026 order of play for Centre Court and show courts
Wimbledon 2026 began on Monday, 29 June, with day-one order of play headlined by defending champion Jannik Sinner, women's top seed Aryna Sabalenka and seven-time winner Novak Djokovic on Centre Court from 1.30pm BST. Serena Williams and Jack Draper headline Tuesday's show-court schedule as the Championships run through 12 July.
The first-round singles lineup across Centre Court, No 1 Court and No 2 Court sets the tone for a fortnight mixing generational stars, British hopefuls and an ongoing prize-money protest. Fans can follow live scores as the All England Club publishes each day's order of play the evening before.
Key Takeaways
- Centre Court opens Monday at 1.30pm BST with Sinner, Sabalenka and Djokovic; Tuesday brings Swiatek, Fritz vs Draper and Serena Williams.
- No 1 Court and No 2 Court start at 1pm and 11am on day one, featuring Medvedev, Pegula, Cameron Norrie and Coco Gauff.
- Leading players are limiting media duties to 15 minutes during the first week despite Wimbledon's record 20% prize-money increase.
- Britain's best hopes include Jack Draper and seeded Cameron Norrie, while Emma Raducanu withdrew on the eve of the tournament.
- Defending men's champion Sinner enters as favourite with Carlos Alcaraz absent through injury.
What is on Centre Court on day one of Wimbledon 2026?
Monday's Centre Court session begins at 1.30pm BST with world No 1 and defending men's champion Jannik Sinner facing Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic. Women's top seed Aryna Sabalenka follows against qualifier Teodora Kostovic.
The evening match pits seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, seeded seventh, against China's Yibing Wu as he pursues a standalone record 25th Grand Slam title. Djokovic has remained tied with Margaret Court on 24 majors since the 2023 US Open.
According to Sky Sports, outside courts generally start at 11am BST unless stated otherwise, with show courts on Centre Court and No 1 Court beginning later in the afternoon.
Who plays on No 1 Court and No 2 Court on Monday?
No 1 Court action starts at 1pm BST. Highlights include Marin Cilic against eighth seed Daniil Medvedev and fifth seed Mirra Andreeva facing Magda Linette.
On No 2 Court, fourth seed Jessica Pegula opens against Darja Vidmanova before Britain's Cameron Norrie, the 26th seed and only British man with a seeding, meets qualifier Michael Zheng. Third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime plays Aleksandr Shevchenko, with seventh seed Coco Gauff scheduled not before 4.30pm against Tamara Korpatsch.
What happens on Tuesday at Wimbledon 2026?
Tuesday's Centre Court bill begins at 1.30pm with Taylor Townsend facing third seed Iga Swiatek. American sixth seed Taylor Fritz then meets British No 1 Jack Draper in a high-profile home-nation clash.
The session closes with Serena Williams's singles comeback. The 44-year-old, competing on a wildcard in her first Grand Slam since 2022, faces Australian Maya Joint. Williams has won seven Wimbledon singles titles and will also reunite with sister Venus in doubles.
No 1 Court features Alexander Zverev, Elena Rybakina and a Stan Wawrinka-Matteo Berrettini meeting. No 2 Court includes Amanda Anisimova, Ben Shelton and French Open finalist Flavio Cobolli.
Why are players protesting and who are Britain's Wimbledon hopefuls?
Leading players are expanding a prize-money protest at Wimbledon despite a record 20% increase in this year's pot. They plan to limit contractual media commitments to 15 minutes during the first week, a figure meant to reflect the share of tournament revenue paid as prize money.
Stars including Sinner and Sabalenka have backed the action, which follows similar steps at the French Open. Players are seeking 16% of Grand Slam revenue this year, greater benefit contributions and more say in tournament governance.
For British fans, Draper is seen as the biggest threat after reaching the Eastbourne semi-finals on his comeback. Norrie brings experience from a 2022 semi-final and 2024 quarter-final run. Emma Raducanu, seeded 30th, withdrew because of a stress fracture in her lower right leg.
The BBC notes 21 Britons are in the singles draws and 18 face opponents ranked inside the world's top 55. For more star-driven sports coverage, see our Celebrity Breaking News section.