Page 20 - ARUBA TODAY

A20 SPORTS
Thursday 27 June 2019

Federer seeded No. 2, Nadal No. 3 at Wimbledon; Serena 11th

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) of shifts from rankings to
— Eight-time champion seedings. Last year’s run-
Roger Federer was seed- ner-up, Kevin Anderson,
ed No. 2 for Wimbledon, was seeded No. 4, even
one spot ahead of Rafael though he is ranked only
Nadal, reversing their po- No. 8 this week; 2018 semi-
sitions in the ATP rankings finalist John Isner is seed-
and creating a debate ed No. 9, ranked No. 12;
about whether the All Eng- 2017 runner-up Marin Cilic
land Club’s seeding system is seeded No. 13, ranked
should be changed. No. 18. This year’s women’s
Top-ranked Novak Djokov- seedings at the All England
ic, the defending cham- Club strictly follow the WTA
pion, was seeded No. 1 on rankings, so French Open
Wednesday at the grass- champion Ash Barty is at
court Grand Slam tourna- No. 1.
ment, where recent results Naomi Osaka is No. 2, fol-
on the surface are used to lowed by Karolina Pliskova.
help determine seedings. In this June 7, 2019, file photo, Spain’s Rafael Nadal grimaces after scoring against Switzerland’s Seven-time Wimbledon
The other majors do not do Roger Federer during their semifinal match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland champion Serena Wil-
that. Nadal told a Spanish Garros stadium in Paris. liams is seeded 11th, the
TV station that he doesn’t Associated Press same place she holds in
think it makes sense that The ATP’s top 32 men are Nadal is coming off his re- from 2006-11, he had not this week’s rankings. A year
Wimbledon is the only tour- seeded at Wimbledon, but cord 12th title at the French been so successful of late ago, early in her return
nament that uses its own the order is based on a for- Open, which is played on until a run to the semifinals to the tour after having a
seeding system. Former U.S. mula that gives players ad- clay, and he did not enter last year. From 2012-17, baby, Williams was ranked
Davis Cup captain Patrick ditional credit for ranking any sort of tuneup event Nadal never made it past just 183rd but seeded 25th.
McEnroe and former play- points earned at tourna- on grass this year. He rare- the fourth round at the All She wound up reaching the
er and coach Brad Gilbert ments played on grass over ly does. While Nadal did England Club, including final before losing to cham-
tweeted that they thought the preceding two years. reach the Wimbledon final one exit in the first round pion Angelique Kerber.
Nadal should have been That allowed Federer, who in five consecutive appear- and a pair in the second. The draw is Friday; play be-
seeded No. 2. won his 10th title at Halle, ances in the tournament There were other examples gins Monday.q