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Djokovic centre stage again as Wimbledon gets under way
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AFP
The All England Club gates swung open for the start of the Wimbledon championships on Monday with some notable absentees but one very familiar face, Novak Djokovic, fixing his eyes on more records.
Wimbledon’s favourite Roger Federer, now retired, the injured Rafael Nadal and American women’s great Serena Williams, also retired, are hard acts to follow and fans will lament their absence.
Australian maverick Nick Kyrgios, who pushed Djokovic hard in last year’s men’s final and can be relied upon for antics that make the front and back pages, is also missing having pulled out with a wrist injury on the eve of the tournament
But Wimbledon remains rich in plots, none least Serbian Djokovic’s quest to win a men’s record-extending 24th Grand Slam title, match Federer’s eight Wimbledon crowns and equal Federer and Bjorn Borg’s record of five successive titles.
The 36-year-old Djokovic, who has only lost twice at Wimbledon in a decade, tops the bill on Monday when he begins the Centre Court programme against Argentina’s Pedro Cachin.
Following Djokovic on to the hallowed turf, five-times women’s champion Venus Williams, aged 43, will try and roll back the years as her 24th Wimbledon appearance begins against Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.
GRASSCOURT PUZZLE
Incredibly, when Williams made her debut in 1997, 53 players in this year’s women’s draw were not even born, including women’s world number one and top seed Iga Swiatek who is also in action on Monday as she continues trying to solve the grasscourt puzzle that has so far frustrated her.
Swiatek, who last month claimed her third French Open crown, is bidding for a fifth Grand Slam title and has a tricky opener against China’s Zhu Lin who narrowly missed out on being seeded.
There was the usual buzz of anticipation around the grounds and outside as queues began building ahead of the 1000GMT start time on the outside courts.
Suncream was not in demand, though, with cloudy skies and a cool blustery wind ushering in the first day of 14. Rain showers are expected throughout the opening days although that will not impact those with tickets for Centre Court and Court One, both of which boast retractable roofs.
Security was on high alert for any sign of protests after several high-profile sporting events in Britain this year have been disrupted, including last week’s Ashes cricket test at Lord’s where climate change protestors ran on to the field and attempted to spread orange powder on the turf.
Political slogans of any sort are banned around the grounds with Wimbledon organisers determined the focus should remain firmly on the tennis.
Monday also sees the return of players from Russia and Belarus after they were excluded last year, following Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.
Russian players have to sign a “nationality waiver” pledging that they do not support President Putin’s regime. All 17 players from those two countries, including men’s third seed Daniil Medvedev, are competing as neutrals.
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Indian chess star Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu produced a brilliant final-round victory to win Norway Chess 2026, capping a dramatic finish to one of the year’s most prestigious tournaments.
Entering the final day half a point behind leader Wesley So, Praggnanandhaa knew only a win would give him a realistic chance of claiming the title. The 19-year-old delivered under pressure, defeating Vincent Keymer with the white pieces to secure the full three points and surge to first place.
The victory lifted Praggnanandhaa to 18 points, enough to overtake Wesley So and clinch the Norway Chess crown in Oslo.
So, who had led the standings heading into the final round, drew his classical game against Alireza Firouzja before winning the Armageddon tiebreak. However, the extra points were not enough to keep him ahead of the charging Indian grandmaster.
Firouzja completed a strong campaign to finish third overall.
Elsewhere, world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen signed off in style with a classical victory over reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju, delighting home fans with a final-round win.
Final Standings
- Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu – 18 points
- Wesley So – 17 points
- Alireza Firouzja – 15.5 points
Assaubayeva dominates women’s event
In the Norway Chess Women’s tournament, Bibisara Assaubayeva completed a dominant campaign to secure the title after having already wrapped up first place with a round to spare.
The final day featured three decisive classical games, eliminating the need for Armageddon tiebreaks.
Women’s world champion Ju Wenjun handed Assaubayeva her first classical defeat of the tournament, while Zhu Jiner defeated Humpy Koneru to secure second place overall. Anna Muzychuk also ended her campaign on a high note with a victory over Divya Deshmukh to finish third.
Norway Chess women’s final standings
- Bibisara Assaubayeva – 16.5 points
- Zhu Jiner – 16 points
- Anna Muzychuk – 15 points
Praggnanandhaa’s triumph marks another major milestone in the young Indian grandmaster’s rapidly rising career and further strengthens India’s growing influence at the highest level of world chess.
The battle for the Norway Chess 2026 title is set for a thrilling finish after a dramatic Round 9 left three players firmly in contention heading into the final day in Oslo.
Tournament leader Wesley So maintained his narrow advantage after drawing his classical game against Magnus Carlsen before winning the Armageddon tiebreak to secure valuable extra points.
The standout result of the day came from Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, who defeated reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju with the black pieces. The victory earned Praggnanandhaa three points and moved him to within half a point of the tournament lead.
Meanwhile, Alireza Firouzja kept his championship hopes alive by overcoming Vincent Keymer in Armageddon after their classical game ended in a draw.
With one round remaining, Wesley So leads the standings on 15.5 points, followed by Praggnanandhaa on 15 points and Firouzja on 14.5 points, setting up a nail-biting conclusion to the tournament.
Assaubayeva seals women’s title
In the women’s competition, Bibisara Assaubayeva secured the Norway Chess Women 2026 title with a round to spare.
Assaubayeva drew her classical game against Anna Muzychuk, who later claimed the Armageddon win. However, the result was enough to guarantee Assaubayeva an unassailable lead at the top of the standings.
The only decisive classical result in the women’s event came from Zhu Jiner, who defeated Divya Deshmukh to move into second place.
Elsewhere, Humpy Koneru and Ju Wenjun drew their classical encounter before Ju Wenjun claimed the Armageddon victory.
After Round 9, Assaubayeva tops the women’s standings with 16.5 points, ahead of Zhu Jiner on 13 points and Anna Muzychuk on 12 points.
Praggnanandhaa wins Norway Chess 2026 title after stunning comeback
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