Tomic to play wildcard in Wimbledon opener

After a troubled build-up, Bernard Tomic will open his Wimbledon campaign against the young Belgian wildcard who worried Roger Federer at the French Open just three weeks ago.

Tomic has been drawn to play Belgian David Goffin, who took a set from the 16-time grand slam champion while reaching the fourth round at Roland Garros to break into the world's top 70 for the first time.

Goffin is playing in just his second grand slam main draw, having entered as a lucky loser from qualifying.

Tomic, the 20th seed and world No.27, was a qualifier himself just 12 months ago, when he blazed a spectacular path to a highly-competitive quarter final against eventual champion Novak Djokovic.

Also due for a Tuesday start is Australia's most recent champion, 2002 winner Lleyton Hewitt, who has drawn fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a marquee first-round match that is likely to feature on centre court.

As the highest ranked of the nine Australians in the main draw, fifth seed Sam Stosur will seek to improve her poor record at Wimbledon - just five wins from her 14 matches and a single venture past the second round in nine visits - in an opening round match against world no.38 Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain.

Stosur is seeded to meet third seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the quarter-finals and possibly her nemesis Maria Sharapova in the semis.

Sharapova opens against another Australian, Anastasia Rodionova, while 16-year-old wildcard Ashleigh Barty will meet former finalist Marion Bartoli.

Tomic has remained on England's south coast to finish his Wimbledon preparations following his disappointing loss from a winning position against claycourter Fabio Fognini at Eastbourne, where he said he was only 80 per cent recovered from the virus that had prompted his retirement seven games into his first round match at Halle against veteran Tommy Haas the previous week.

Defending men's champion Novak Djokovic has been drawn in the same half as six-time champion Roger Federer, again leaving Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray seeded to meet in the other semi-final.

Djokovic will start against Juan-Carlos Ferrero in a clash between current and former No.1s, while one of the spicier first-round contests will be between David Nalbanian and Janko Tipsarevic.

Former Wimbledon semi-finalist, Todd Woodbridge, hopes Stosur will be drawn either on centre court or court one, where the court surrounds are roomier, with Stosur's poor record at the grasscourt slam linked to the ball coming through low and fast and giving her less chance to set up her big forehand.

"I think that's important for Sam, particularly early in the tournament," said Woodbridge, now Tennis Australia's the head of professional tennis. "The last couple of years she's played on the outside courts, and when you're on a big court, you feel like you have more space and more time, and that's because those courts are huge: you've got bigger backdrops, bigger sides.

"It shouldn't be any different but it plays different, and that's one of the top players have in terms of experience over the lower ranked playes in the draw: they play there more often, they're more comfortable. I hope that she gets an opportunity to be on centre or No.1 because I think that will make a big difference to her game."