At Wimbledon 2016, Novak Djokovic ascendant, Serena Williams in decline

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At Wimbledon 2016, Novak Djokovic ascendant, Serena Williams in decline image

Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams will open Wimbledon, which begins Monday, as favorites to retain their singles titles, yet much has changed for both players since their triumphs last year.

Djokovic arrived the All England Club 12 months ago having a third French Open final defeat in four years. His hopes of completing a career Grand Slam were ended by an inspired Stan Wawrinka.

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He hasn't lost a match in a major tournament since then. Having won at Roland Garros earlier this month, Djokovic holds all four major titles and is the first man to do so since Rod Laver in 1969.

Few would bet against another men's singles title for him on July 10.

But while Djokovic appears to be at the peak of his powers, Williams faces a challenge to re-assert her dominance in women's tennis.

Williams completed a second "Serena Slam" by beating Garbine Muguruza at Wimbledon last year to secure possession of every Slam crown.

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She hasn't won a major title since then. She lost in New York, Melbourne and Paris — at the respective hands of Roberta Vinci, Angelique Kerber and Muguruza. And, Williams, 34, remains one short of Steffi Graf's Open Era record of 22 slams.

Nevertheless, it would take a brave person to bet against Williams over the coming fortnight, as she seeks a seventh Wimbledon title and fifth in eight years.

Her powerful game is ideally suited to grass, while the pain of her losses in finals to Kerber and Muguruza will surely provide plentiful motivation.

Friday's draw saw Kerber, Simona Halep and Venus Williams join Muguruza in the opposite half of the draw to Serena, who will start her campaign against a qualifier.

Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova and Agnieszka Radwanska — the beaten women's finalist four years ago — represent Williams' potential quarterfinal and semifinal opponents.

Djokovic defeated world No. 2 Andy Murray in the finals of the Australian Open and French Open, and it appears likely they will meet again with a title on the line.

Murray is back with Ivan Lendl, the coach who guided him to Wimbledon glory in 2013. He past three slam finals ended in losses to Djokovic.

With Roger Federer, 34, hampered by injuries and Rafael Nadal absent because of a bum wrist, Canada's Milos Raonic has a chance to excel under tutelage of John McEnroe. Raonic was a 2014 Wimbledon semifinalist.

Yet it is hard to look past another Djokovic-Murray final.

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