WIMBLEDON 2012:
Capsules on top men's players

[June 23, 2012]  (AP) -- Men to watch at Wimbledon, which begins Monday:

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

Seeded: 1

Ranked: 1

Age: 25

Country: Serbia

2012 Match Record: 36-6

2012 Singles Titles: 2

Career Singles Titles: 30

Major Titles: 5 -- Wimbledon ('11), U.S. Open ('11), Australian Open ('08, '11, '12)

Last 5 Wimbledons: '11-Won Championship, '10-Lost in Semifinals, '09-QF, '08-2nd, '07-SF

Topspin: Defending champion at Wimbledon for the first time, and also making debut as No. 1-seeded player at the All England Club. ... Aims to start a new Grand Slam winning streak after his 27-match run ended with a loss to Rafael Nadal in the French Open final. ... Had won three consecutive major titles; fell one match short of becoming the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win four in a row.

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RAFAEL NADAL

Seeded: 2

Ranked: 2

Age: 26

Country: Spain

2012 Match Record: 41-5

2012 Singles Titles: 4

Career Singles Titles: 50

Major Titles: 11 -- Wimbledon ('08, '10), U.S. Open ('10), Australian Open ('09), French Open ('05, '06, '07, '08, '10, '11, '12)

Last 5 Wimbledons: '11-Lost in Final, '10-W, '09-Did Not Play, '08-W, '07-F

Topspin: Ended a three-match losing streak in Grand Slam finals, all against Djokovic, by beating the Serb to win a record seventh French Open title this month. ... Has reached the final each of the past five times he entered Wimbledon, taking the titles in 2008 and 2010. ... After losing his Wimbledon title and No. 1 ranking to Djokovic a year ago, Nadal acknowledged he had a mental block against his new rival. But Nadal has won their past three head-to-head matches.

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ROGER FEDERER

Seeded: 3

Ranked: 3

Age: 30

Country: Switzerland

2012 Match Record: 39-6

2012 Singles Titles: 4

Career Singles Titles: 74

Major Titles: 16 -- Wimbledon ('03, '04, '05, '06, '07, '09), U.S. Open ('04, '05, '06, '07, '08), Australian Open ('04, '06, '07, '10), French Open ('09)

Last 5 Wimbledons: '11-QF, '10-QF, '09-W, '08-F, '07-W

Topspin: Owns record 16 Grand Slam singles titles but has gone about 2 1/2 years without one, by far his longest drought since he won his first at Wimbledon in 2003. ... Has won six Wimbledon championships; trying to join Pete Sampras and Willie Renshaw (who played in the 1800s) as the only men to win seven singles titles at the tournament. ... Has reached at least the quarterfinals at a record 32 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments. ... No man 30 or older has won a major title since Andre Agassi at the 2003 Australian Open.

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ANDY MURRAY

Seeded: 4

Ranked: 4

Age: 25

Country: Britain

2012 Match Record: 26-9

2012 Singles Titles: 1

Career Singles Titles: 22

Major Titles: 0 -- Best: F, at U.S. Open in '08, Australian Open in '10, '11

Last 5 Wimbledons: '11-SF, '10-SF, '09-SF, '08-QF, '07-DNP

Topspin: Streak of reaching semifinals at five Grand Slam tournaments in a row ended with quarterfinal exit against David Ferrer at French Open. ... Coached now by Ivan Lendl, who famously never won Wimbledon. ... The Scot seems to thrive under -- not shy away from -- the tremendous scrutiny and pressure he's subject to at the All England Club as Britain hopes for its first male champion at Wimbledon -- or any Grand Slam tennis tournament -- since 1936.

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JO-WILFRIED TSONGA

Seeded: 5

Ranked: 5

Age: 27

Country: France

2012 Match Record: 29-12

2012 Singles Titles: 1

Career Singles Titles: 8

Major Titles: Major Titles: 0 -- Best: F, at Australian Open in '08

Last 5 Wimbledons: '11-SF, '10-QF, '09-3rd, '08-DNP, '07-4th

Topspin: Upset Federer in quarterfinals en route to semifinal debut at Wimbledon last year. ... Held four match points but failed to convert any in French Open quarterfinals against Djokovic this month. ... Booming serve and forehand, along with court speed, give him the tools to succeed on grass courts. ... Ranks eighth on tour this season in aces.

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JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO

Seeded: 9

Ranked: 9

Age: 23

Country: Argentina

2012 Match Record: 37-9

2012 Singles Titles: 2

Career Singles Titles: 11

Major Titles: Major Titles: 1 -- U.S. Open ('09)

Last 5 Wimbledons: '11-4th, '10-DNP, '09-2nd, '08-2nd, '07-2nd

Topspin: With a powerful serve and flat forehand, and 6-foot-6 worth of court coverage, was thought to be a rising star before wrist surgery sidetracked him. Appeared to be rounding back into shape until knee slowed him at French Open, where he blew two-set lead against Federer. ... Yet to produce a deep run at Wimbledon, but skills could take him far.

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JOHN ISNER

Seeded: 11

Ranked: 10

Age: 27

Country: United States

2012 Match Record: 23-11

2012 Singles Titles: 0

Career Singles Titles: 3

Major Titles: Major Titles: 0 -- Best: QF, at U.S. Open in '11

Last 5 Wimbledons: '11-2nd, '10-2nd, '09-DNP, '08-1st, '07-DNP

Topspin: The 6-foot-9 American ranks second on the ATP World Tour in aces this season (477). ... Lost in the second round at the French Open, 18-16 in the fifth set -- not nearly as long as his record-breaking 70-68 victory in a fifth set against Nicolas Mahut in the first round at Wimbledon in 2010.

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MILOS RAONIC

Seeded: 21

Ranked: 22

Age: 21

Country: Canada

2012 Match Record: 26-9

2012 Singles Titles: 2

Career Singles Titles: 3

Major Titles: Major Titles: 0 -- Best: 4th Round, at Australian Open in '11

Last 5 Wimbledons: '11-2nd, '10-DNP, '09-DNP, '08-DNP, '07-DNP

Topspin: A player many, including John McEnroe, point to as the next big thing in tennis, because of his serve and size (6-feet-5). ... Leads ATP World Tour in four key serving categories this season: aces (533 in 35 matches, an average of 15.2); percentage of service games won (94); percentage of first-serve points won (83); percentage of break points saved (76). ... Born in Montenegro, moved with his family to Canada at age 3. ... Coached by former player Galo Blanco.

[Associated Press; By HOWARD FENDRICH]

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