Wimbledon 2024: Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic are among the men to watch

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Here are some of the men to watch at Wimbledon, which starts at the All England Club on Monday:

Ranking: 1

Career-Best Ranking: 1

Country: Italy

Age: 22

2024 Record: 38-3

2024 Titles: 4

Career Titles: 14

Grand Slam Titles: 1 — Australian Open (2024)

Last 5 Wimbledons: 2023-Lost in the Semifinals, 2022-QF, 2021-1st, 2019-Did Not Play, 2018-DNP

Aces: Is the 29th man — and first Italian — to reach No. 1 in the ATP rankings. ... Won his first major championship at the Australian Open in January. ... Lost to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon each of the past two years. ... Won first grass-court title at Halle, Germany, in June.

He Said It: "In the beginning of the year, we said, ‘We are going hunting, and then we’ll see what we can catch.’"

Read All About It: Sinner looks ahead to Wimbledon after reaching No. 1

Ranking: 2

Career-Best Ranking: 1

Country: Serbia

Age: 37

2024 Record: 18-6

2024 Titles: Zero

Career Titles: 98

Grand Slam Titles: 24 — Wimbledon (7: 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), Australian Open (10: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023), French Open (3: 2016, 2021, 2023), U.S. Open (4: 2011, 2015, 2018, 2023)

Last 5 Wimbledons: 2023-Runner-Up, 2022-W, 2021-W, 2019-W, 2018-W

Aces: Pulled out of the French Open before the quarterfinals after tearing the meniscus in his right knee during a match there, then had surgery. ... Has been testing his knee at the All England Club, including a practice session with Jannik Sinner at Centre Court on Thursday. Djokovic wore a gray sleeve on his right leg during that session. ... Has not won a title — or even reached a tournament final — in 2024.

He Said It: “I’m going to do my best to be healthy and fit to return to the court as soon as possible.”

Read All About It: Djokovic withdraws from the French Open with a knee injury

Ranking: 3

Career-Best Ranking: 1

Country: Spain

Age: 21

2024 Record: 26-6

2024 Titles: 2

Career Titles: 14

Grand Slam Titles: 3 — Wimbledon (2023), French Open (2024), U.S. Open (2022)

Last 5 Wimbledons: 2023-W, 2022-4th, 2021-2nd, 2019-DNP, 2018-DNP

Aces: His French Open title made him, at 21, the youngest man to win a Grand Slam trophy on all three surfaces: hard, grass and clay courts. ... He first reached No. 1 at age 19. ... Defeated Novak Djokovic in five sets in last year's final at the All England Club.

He Said It: ““My game suits ... every surface, because I practice it.”

Read All About It: Alcaraz's 2023 Wimbledon title showed he's who everyone thought he was

Ranking: 5

Career-Best Ranking: 1

Country: Poland

Age: 27

2024 Record: 33-13

2024 Titles: 1

Career Titles: 8

Grand Slam Titles: None — Best: Semifinals, Wimbledon (2021)

Last 5 Wimbledons: 2023-4th, 2022-1st, 2021-SF, 2019-3rd, 2018-1st

Aces: Was the runner-up to Jannik Sinner at a grass-court tournament in Halle, Germany, in June. ... Was the last man to play Roger Federer, beating him in the Wimbledon quarterfinals three years ago. Federer announced his retirement more than a year later. ... Defeated Rafael Nadal on clay in Rome in May.

He Said It: “My serve has improved. ... I would (also) say my return, my knowledge about tennis, knowledge about myself. Also, physically, I think I’m a better player.”

Read All About It: Hurkacz was the last player to face — and beat — Federer

Ranking: 9

Career-Best Ranking: 7

Country: Australia

Age: 25

2024 Record: 33-12

2024 Titles: 2

Career Titles: 9

Grand Slam Titles: None — Best: Quarterfinals, French Open (2024), U.S. Open (2020)

Last 5 Wimbledons: 2023-2nd, 2022-4th, 2021-1st, 2019-2nd, 2018-3rd

Aces: Won a grass-court title in June at Den Bosch, Netherlands. ... Broke into the ATP's top 10 for the first time in January, the first man from Australia to get that high since Lleyton Hewitt in 2006. ... Recently moved all the way up to No. 7. ... Coming off a quarterfinal run at Roland Garros, a result he was surprised by because his game is better suited to grass or hard courts than clay.

He Said It: “Looks like I’ve converted myself into a clay specialist.”

Read All About It: A first French Open quarterfinal for de Minaur

Ranking: 12

Career-Best Ranking: 12

Country: United States

Age: 27

2024 Record: 27-10

2024 Titles: 2

Career Titles: 3

Grand Slam Titles: None — Best: Semifinals, Australian Open (2023)

Last 5 Wimbledons: 2023-3rd, 2022-4th, 2021-DNP, 2019-DNP, 2018-DNP

Aces: Rose to become the highest-ranked American man for the first time by winning the Queen's Club title on grass in June. He's the first man from the country to win that event since Sam Querrey in 2010. ... Reached first major semifinal at 2023 Australian Open before losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. ... Born in New Jersey; grew up in North Carolina; now based in Florida.

He Said It: “My goal starting the year was to win more tournaments, take home more trophies and try and get into the top 10.”

Read All About It: Paul's first Grand Slam semifinal came against Djokovic

Howard Fendrich has been the AP’s tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

United States' Tommy Paul plays a return to Italy's Lorenzo Musetti during their men's singles final match at The Queen's Club tennis tournament, in London, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Australia's Alex de Minaur returns the ball to Italy's Lorenzo Musetti during their men's singles match on day four of The Queen's Club tennis tournament, in London, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

Poland's Hubert Hurkacz serves the ball during his singles final match against Italy's Jannik Sinner, in Halle, Germany, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (Friso Gentsch/dpa via AP)

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz practises at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, ahead of the Wimbledon Championships, which begin on July 1st, in London, Thursday June 27, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

Novak Djokovic during a training session at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon ahead of the Wimbledon Championships, which begins on July 1st, on Tuesday June 25, 2024. (John Walton/PA via AP)

Italy's Jannik Sinner practices at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon ahead of the Wimbledon Championships, scheduled to begin on July, Wednesday June 26, 2024. (John Walton/PA via AP)

PARIS (AP) — Voters across mainland France began casting ballots Sunday in the first round of exceptional parliamentary election that could put France’s government in the hands of nationalist, far-right parties for the first time since the Nazi era.

The outcome of the two-round election, which will wrap up July 7, could impact European financial markets, Western support for Ukraine and how France’s nuclear arsenal and global military force are managed.

Many French voters are frustrated about inflation and economic concerns, as well as President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership, which they see as arrogant and out-of-touch with their lives. Marine Le Pen’s anti-immigration National Rally party has tapped and fueled that discontent, notably via online platforms like TikTok, and dominated all preelection opinion polls.

A new coalition on the left, the New Popular Front, is also posing a challenge to the pro-business Macron and his centrist alliance Together for the Republic.

There are 49.5 million registered voters who will choose 577 members of the National Assembly, France's lower house of parliament, during the two-round voting.

After a blitz campaign marred by rising hate speech, voting began early in France’s overseas territories, and polling stations opened in mainland France at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) Sunday. The first polling projections are expected at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT), when the final polling stations close, and early official results are expected later Sunday night.

In the restive French Pacific territory of New Caledonia, polls already closed at 5 p.m. local time due to an 8 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew that authorities on the archipelago have extended until July 8.

Nine people died during a two-week-long unrest in New Caledonia, where the Indigenous Kanak people have long sought to break free from France, which first took the Pacific territory in 1853. Violence flared on May 13 in response to attempts by Macron’s government to amend the French Constitution and change voting lists in New Caledonia, which Kanaks feared would further marginalize them.

Voters in France’s other overseas territories from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyana, French Polynesia and those voting in offices opened by embassies and consular posts across the Americas cast their ballots on Saturday.

Macron called the early election after his party was trounced in the European Parliament election earlier in June by the National Rally, which has historic ties to racism and antisemitism and is hostile toward France’s Muslim community. It was an audacious gamble that French voters who were complacent about the European Union election would be jolted into turning out for moderate forces in a national election to keep the far right out of power.

Instead, preelection polls suggest that the National Rally is gaining support and has a chance at winning a parliamentary majority. In that scenario, Macron would be expected to name 28-year-old National Rally President Jordan Bardella as prime minister in an awkward power-sharing system known as "cohabitation."

While Macron has said he won’t step down before his presidential term expires in 2027, cohabitation would weaken him at home and on the world stage.

The results of the first round will give a picture of overall voter sentiment, but not necessarily of the overall makeup of the next National Assembly. Predictions are extremely difficult because of the complicated voting system, and because parties will work between the two rounds to make alliances in some constituencies or pull out of others.

In the past such tactical maneuvers helped keep far-right candidates from power. But now support for Le Pen's party has spread deep and wide.

Bardella, who has no governing experience, says he would use the powers of prime minister to stop Macron from continuing to supply long-range weapons to Ukraine for the war with Russia. His party has historical ties to Russia.

The party has also questioned the right to citizenship for people born in France, and wants to curtail the rights of French citizens with dual nationality. Critics say this undermines fundamental human rights and is a threat to France's democratic ideals.

Meanwhile, huge public spending promises by the National Rally and especially the left-wing coalition have shaken markets and ignited worries about France's heavy debt, already criticized by EU watchdogs.

Follow AP's coverage of elections at https://apnews.com/hub/global-elections

A woman walks past campaign boards for the upcoming parliamentary elections in Paris, Thursday June 27, 2024. Voters will choose lawmakers for the National Assembly in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

People gather on the Republique Plaza during a rally in Paris, Thursday June 27, 2024. Anti-racism groups joined French unions and left-wing coalition in protests against the surging nationalist far right as French President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections following the defeat of his centrist alliance at European Union elections earlier this month. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

FILE - Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right National Front party, arrives at the Eurosatory Defense and security exhibition, Wednesday, June 19, 2024 in Villepinte, north of Paris. The perspective of a defeat in parliamentary elections mean he may have to share power with a prime minister from rival political party — that could possibly be far-right National Rally's president Jordan Bardella. Macron defeated twice the National Rally's leader Marine Le Pen in the presidential election, both in 2017 and 2022.( AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

FILE - French President Emmanuel Macron, right, meets French far-right Rassemblement National (National Rally) leader Marine Le Pen at the Elysee Palace on June 21, 2022 in Paris. The perspective of a defeat in parliamentary elections mean he may have to share power with a prime minister from rival political party — that could possibly be far-right National Rally's president Jordan Bardella. Macron defeated twice the National Rally's leader Marine Le Pen in the presidential election, both in 2017 and 2022. (Ludovic Marin/Pool photo via AP, File)