Jannik Sinner will arrive at Wimbledon as the firm favourite to retain his men's singles title.
A year ago, Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz once again went toe to toe in a Grand Slam final and on that occasion the Italian came out on top in four sets.
With Alcaraz not at Wimbledon this year due to a wrist injury, Sinner has a big chance to go back to back at SW19 and in doing so claim his fifth major title.
However, last month's events at Roland Garros were a reminder that there is no such thing as a certainty at this level of professional sport.
Sinner was expected to cruise through the French Open draw, but instead wilted in the Paris heat and fell to a shock second-round defeat.
Standard Sport takes a look at five players who could challenge Sinner for the Wimbledon title in 2026.
Novak Djokovic
If there is to be a 25th Grand Slam title for Novak Djokovic, the grass courts of Wimbledon are surely his best hope.
Only twice since 2008 has Djokovic failed to make at least the semi-finals at SW19, where he is a seven-time champion.
He was beaten by Sinner in the last four at Wimbledon last year, but victory over the Italian in an epic five-set encounter at the Australian Open in January will have renewed Djokovic's belief that he can still compete with the world's best.
However, it is now three years since he claimed one of tennis' biggest prizes and the 39-year-old has also only played 12 matches this year.
Nobody in the draw is more confident on grass, but there are still big doubts over whether Djokovic has it in him to last the distance over the fortnight.
Alexander Zverev
After three painful final defeats, Alexander Zverev finally became a Grand Slam champion with victory at the French Open.
Having struggled under pressure so often, reaching the summit of that particular mountain could well release the tension from him and take his game to another level.
However, there are some clear obstacles standing between Zverev and a Wimbledon title.
His record against Sinner is a terrible one, with the Italian winning all of the last nine matches between them. That includes six consecutive straight-sets victories.
Zverev has also never particularly looked comfortable on grass. He is yet to make it beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon in nine appearances and last year was sent packing in the first round as the third seed.
Taylor Fritz
Taylor Fritz is currently the world No7 but his chances of Wimbledon success appear far higher than that.
The American's big serve lends itself nicely to grass and he has enjoyed plenty of success on the surface.
Fritz has won the Eastbourne title four times. In the build-up to this year's Wimbledon, he reached the final both in Stuttgart and in Halle.
The 28-year-old has reached at least the quarter-finals in three of the last four years at SW19 and last year made it to the last four, where he was beaten by Alcaraz.
How Fritz's body fares will be key. He was battling knee tendonitis earlier in the season and while that appears to be resolved, it has been a hectic schedule in recent weeks.
After making deep runs at Stuttgart and Halle, Fritz was set to be the top seed at Eastbourne but pulled out just before his opening match in order to prioritise Wimbledon. He is a big threat but only if he can stay fully fit.
Ben Shelton
Another American with genuine hope of a deep run is fourth seed Ben Shelton.
He beat Fritz in the Stuttgart Open final to win his first title on grass and it was the third trophy he has lifted this year.
Shelton moves well on grass and has spoken of how much he enjoys the surface, which can be half the battle. The 23-year-old reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year for the first time.
Shelton is playing the best tennis of his career but would have a significant psychological hurdle to get over if he faces Sinner again, even if the American is a confident character.
Sinner is on a nine-match winning run against Shelton and has knocked him out of Wimbledon in each of the last two years. He also beat Shelton in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open this year.
Daniil Medvedev
This one could end in tears very quickly.
Daniil Medvedev is capable of unravelling and losing in the first round, but it could also click for the Russian, who has the potential to be a nightmare opponent for anyone.
He reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2023 and 2024, losing to Carlos Alcaraz on both occasions.
In the build-up to this year's tournament, Medvedev has reached a quarter-final and a semi-final on grass without really being at his best.
Like most in the draw, Medvedev has had his fair share of defeats to Sinner, but there have been some signs of encouragement.
He took the Italian to a deciding set in the Italian Open in May, having lost to Sinner in two tight tie-breaks in the Indian Wells final. Medvedev's unpredictability makes him a dangerous prospect as the eighth seed.
