Women top seeds get seemingly easy first rounds at Wimbledon

LONDON: Who are the women handed the task of taking down Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka in the first round at Wimbledon which starts on Monday?

Serena Williams (USA) v Mandy Minella
Minella is 27 and ranked 92 in the world. Has fallen twice in qualifying for Wimbledon and lost her only first round appearance. Not the best preparation to face Williams who is fresh from her 16th major at the French Open and on a 31-match winning streak.

Maria Joao Koehler (POR) v Victoria Azarenka
21-year-old Koehler is making her Wimbledon debut after losing in qualifying in 2012. She has not won a match since making the second round of the Australian Open in January.

Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) v Maria Sharapova
At 39 in the world, the tall Mladenovic has been a semi-finalist twice
this year, at Paris and Memphis. Lost in the first round on her Wimbledon debut last year, the 20-year-old will be facing Sharapova for the first time. (AFP)