Tennis-Five top contenders for the Wimbledon men's crown

NOVAK DJOKOVIC (SERBIA) * World ranking: 2 Despite turning 36 in May, Djokovic has shown no signs of slowing down after winning a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam title at the French Open. With Roger Federer retired and Rafa Nadal nursing an ageing body battered by over two decades on the Tour, Djokovic is the last of the 'Big Three' keeping the door firmly shut on a new generation of players looking to upset the established order.

Five top contenders for the men's title at Wimbledon, which begins on Monday. NOVAK DJOKOVIC (SERBIA)

* World ranking: 2 Despite turning 36 in May, Djokovic has shown no signs of slowing down after winning a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam title at the French Open.

With Roger Federer retired and Rafa Nadal nursing an ageing body battered by over two decades on the Tour, Djokovic is the last of the 'Big Three' keeping the door firmly shut on a new generation of players looking to upset the established order. The Serbian has struggled with hamstring and elbow issues this year but shown that pain thresholds are not insurmountable while his mental resilience shines through when he is backed into a corner.

Having won the Wimbledon title at the last four editions to take his tally to seven, Djokovic will be gunning for Federer's record of eight men's wins at the All England Club. CARLOS ALCARAZ (SPAIN)

* World ranking: 1 Alcaraz played only one grasscourt tournament last year but his electric performances in the first week of Wimbledon showed the claycourt specialist can adapt quickly to the unfamiliar surface.

The Spaniard was the top seed at the Queen's Club Championships and was seen gingerly adapting to the slippery surface before making it his own in his ultimately successful quest for the title and the world number one ranking. For a player who was competing in just his third grasscourt tournament, the 20-year-old showed that he has an aggressive net game to thrive on grass.

"I started the week not too well, but I adapted my movement and I ended the week with a lot of energy," he said. "To know that I'm (capable of) a good level on grass, obviously (to be) champion of every tournament feels special."

FRANCES TIAFOE (UNITED STATES) * World ranking: 10

Tiafoe's rise up the rankings in recent years culminated with his first foray into the top 10 this month when he won his maiden grasscourt title at the Stuttgart Open. The 25-year-old American, along with another emerging contender Taylor Fritz, has given the country a glimmer of hope that they could finally see a Grand Slam champion for the first time since Andy Roddick 20 years ago.

Brash and cocky without being arrogant, there was never a question that Tiafoe had the speed and athleticism to make it as a tennis player. But to reach the top he has had to refine his game while he loves feeding off the crowd's energy to take things up a notch.

"I'm going to remember that (breaking into the top 10) forever. And hopefully, I can ride that for a long time," he said. DANIIL MEDVEDEV (RUSSIA)

* World ranking: 3 If there was one player who was glad his claycourt season was over despite winning a title in Rome, it was Medvedev who has never come to grips with the slow surface.

"I don't know if people like to have clay in their bags, in their shoes, white socks, you can throw them into the garbage after the clay season. Maybe some people like it, I don't," he had said after his French Open exit. Medvedev was unable to play at Wimbledon last year due to the ban on Russian and Belarusian players despite being world number two at the time.

At the tune-up tournament in Halle he became the first player to rack up 40 tour-level wins this year, sounding a warning to the rest of the field. CAMERON NORRIE

* World ranking: 13 With Andy Murray missing out on a seeding at Wimbledon, local hopes again rest on Britain's highest-ranked player - Cameron Norrie, who impressed in his quarter-final run at Queen's.

The well-travelled 27-year-old, who was born in South Africa, grew up in New Zealand and attended college in Texas, made Britain his home in 2013 when he was 17 and has since represented them in the Davis Cup. A counter-puncher with a net game to boot, Norrie became only the fourth Briton to reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon in the Open era, where he fell to Djokovic in four sets last year.