Wimbledon 2012: Can Novak Djokovic Defend His Title?

Wimbledon 2012: Matches To Watch On Day One

The fortnight has begun! Perhaps tennis's two most celebrated weeks kick off Monday morning (ESPN2 coverage starts at 6:30 a.m. ET). Here are 10 matches to track as Wimbledon's first day unfolds.

Wimbledon 2012 Live TV Schedule For Monday

Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova are both in action at Wimbledon as the tournament gets underway on Monday.

Maria Sharapova Determined To Win 5th Slam At Wimbledon

Four years passed between Slam No. 3 and Slam No. 4 for Maria Sharapova. Four weeks will have passed by the time the finals are played at Wimbledon. The world's top Russian is gunning for Slam No. 5 and she thinks she'll get it at the All-England Club.

From SuperSport.com:

"I'm certainly very happy with what I achieved, but that doesn't make me less eager to want to achieve more," Sharapova said. "Obviously when I was coming to the French for the last three years, it's been the one that I hadn't won, so that was sort of the storyline. Maybe there will be a new one to focus on here. There's so much out there to achieve."

Plagued by a reoccurring shoulder injury, 2009 and 2010 seemed like the rehabilitation and rediscovery years. By 2011, Sharapova was back in the top 10. She regained her position at the top of the rankings in 2012.

She earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament and will face Anastasia Rodionova in the opening round.

"I think it's the toughest to win back to back, no doubt," Sharapova said. "Especially if you're coming off a French Open win or a final it's the toughest turnaround. As much as you want to celebrate and enjoy winning in Paris, you come here and it's like a whole new ballgame. But that's the beauty of tennis.

"It's certainly an adjustment. The first two days you're like, 'Wait, I can't really slide that much'. So you have to take a few more steps. I kind of got used to it. It's such a different balance, a fast game. But I enjoy it. I really do."

Don't forget, in 2011, one half of the Wimbledon final featured Ms. Sharapova.

Wimbledon 2012: Bill Connelly Breaks Down The Men's And Women's Draws

The draws for the 2012 Championship at Wimbledon were released Friday morning. Per usual, there are some interesting matchups ahead at the All England Club. As Bill Connelly points out in his analysis of the men's and women's sides of the bracket, some superstars may have a much easier road to the finals than others.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic hopes to rebound from his finals loss to Rafael Nadal at the French Open. To get there, he may have to go through a gauntlet of former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, up-and-coming American No. 52 Ryan Harrison, and No. 7 Tomas Berdych.

On the women's side, veterans Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams could make a lot of noise at this year's Wimbledon. Both enter the tournament unseeded, but Clijsters has won three of the last seven slams she has entered and Wiliams has made the final at Wimbledon eight times in her career.

For lots more on Wimbledon and everything else in the world of tennis, please stay tuned toSB Nation's dedicated tennis hub.

Wimbledon 2012 Men's Draw: Andy Murray Faces Tough Opponent In 1st Round

The third Grand Slam event of the year is set to begin on Monday, as the 2012 Championships at Wimbledon get underway. The field has been set for the prestigious grass-court tournament, as all draws have been announced for the opening round of play. No. 1 men's seed Novak Djokovic will return to defend his title and may be in line for a French Open rematch against Rafael Nadal in the finals.

Although he is expected to make it deep into the tournament with relative ease, Djokovic's first round opponent will not exactly be a pushover, as he has drawn former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero. This will be the first meeting between the two players in five years. When last they met, Djokovic was a decidedly different player. If all favorites win out for the first four rounds, Djokovic looks set to face Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals.

Roger Federer will be taking on Albert Ramos in the opening round as he attempts to pick up his seventh career Wimbledon championship. Federer appears to be on a path toward a quarterfinal matchup against the No. 10-seeded American John Isner. Isner may have another rough day in Round 2, as he could be facing Nicolas Mahut. Isner and Mahut, of course, battled one another in the longest match in tennis history back in 2010.

Rafael Nadal will face Thomaz Bellucci in the opening round, while No. 4 seed Andy Murray has drawn Nikolay Davydenko in what may be the toughest first round match among the top seeds. Many will be hoping that Murray and Nadal will meet up in the semifinals on the bottom half of the bracket.

You can view the full men's seedings and bracket at the official Wimbledon website.

For lots more on Wimbledon and everything else in the world of tennis, please stay tuned to SB Nation's dedicated tennis hub.

Wimbledon 2012 Women's Draw: Kim Clijsters Faces Jelena Jankovic In Tough 1st Round Match

The 2012 Championships at Wimbledon begin on Monday, as the third Grand Slam event of the year -- and arguably the most famous -- will get underway. The full draws have been announced for the tournament.

Defending champion Petra Kvitova will return and will face Uzbekistan's Akgul Amanmuradova in the opening round. Serena Williams looks to rebound from the Franch Open, in which she was eliminated from a Grand Slam event in the first round for the first time in her career. She meets Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in the first round at Wimbledon. Serena and her sister, Venus Williams, are on opposite sides of the bracket, so if the sisters are to meet in the tournament, it would have to be in the finals.

Perhaps the most compelling match-up in the first round will feature Kim Clijsters taking on the No. 20-seeded Jelena Jankovic. It will be a tricky matchup for both women. As this year is meant to be Clijsters' final run at Wimbledon, she may find herself headed home sooner rather than later.

No. 1 women's seed Maria Sharapova will take on Australian player Anatasia Radionova in the first round. This is a rough year for Radionova, as she has drawn the top seed in the first round of two Grand Slam events already this season.

Former No. 1 seed Victoria Azarenka will take on American Irena Falconi in the first round and looks primed to meet Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals. Wozniacki has drawn Tamira Paszek of Austria in the first round.

You can view the full women's seedings and bracket at the official Wimbledon website.

For lots more on Wimbledon and everything else in the world of tennis, please stay tuned to SB Nation's dedicated tennis hub.

Wimbledon 2012: Defending Champ Petra Kvitova Thinks 'Life Would Be Boring Without Pressure'

Wimbledon 2012: Seeds Announced; Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova Are No. 1s

The fulls seedings have been announced for Wimbledon 2012. Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova will be the top men's and women's seeds, respectively.