Defending champ Djokovic gets top billing

Defending Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic has been confirmed as the top seed in this year’s mens’ singles competition while French Open winner Maria Sharapova is the top seed in the womens’ singles.

Serbia’s Djokovic, the current world number one, was beaten by Rafael Nadal in the French Open final earlier this month, but he retains the top seeding ahead of the second seeded Spaniard. 

Six-time All England champion champion Roger Federer is seeded third as he seeks to win a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2010 Australian Open.

Britain’s Andy Murray, a loser in the Wimbledon semifinals for the last three years, is the fourth seed, while France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a beaten semifinalist at Wimbledon last year, is seeded fifth.

Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, who lost to Nadal in the 2010 Wimbledon final, is bumped up to the sixth seed, one place above Spain’s David Ferrer, who is ranked higher but drops down to seventh seed due to his inferior grass-court record.

Big-serving American Mardy Fish, back in action after serious health issues, is promoted to 10th ahead of John Isner and Nicolas Almagro. 

In the womens’ singles, the seedings reflect the current WTA Tour rankings, with world number one Sharapova selected to be the top seed ahead of reigning Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic.

Kvitova, who defeated Sharapova in last year’s Wimbledon final, is the fourth seed behind world number two Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, who is seeded third.

Australia’s Sam Stosur, the current US Open champion, is the fifth seed.