Djokovic, Federer Could Meet in Wimbledon Final; Halep Out

Djokovic, Federer Could Meet in Wimbledon Final; Halep Out
Switzerland's Roger Federer (L) and Serbia's Novak Djokovic poses before the men's singles final match of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, on July 14, 2019. Tim Ireland/File/AP Photo
The Associated Press
Updated:

Defending champion Novak Djokovic and eight-time titlist Roger Federer were placed on opposite halves of the Wimbledon bracket in Friday’s draw, meaning they only could meet in the final—which would be a rematch of their epic 2019 title showdown.

The reigning women’s champion, No. 3-ranked Simona Halep, pulled out of the field just before the draw began, citing a torn left calf that also forced her to sit out the French Open. That means two of the top three players in the WTA rankings are missing from the field; No. 2 Naomi Osaka withdrew last week.