Wimbledon 2017: Defending champion Andy Murray made top seed for first time as Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer leapfrog Rafa Nadal

Defending champion Andy Murray has been seeded number one at Wimbledon for the first time. The world number one, who beat Milos Raonic to win the title for the second time in 2016, leads a top four of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Andy Murray won Wimbledon for a second time last yearAndy Murray won Wimbledon for a second time last year
Andy Murray won Wimbledon for a second time last year

Wimbledon is the only grand slam tournament where the seedings do not automatically follow the rankings, with greater weight being given to recent results on grass in the men's event.

Djokovic and Federer are the main beneficiaries, with Djokovic, the champion in 2014 and 2015, seeded second despite having dropped to fourth in the rankings.

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Federer is ranked fifth but his ninth title in Halle last week was enough to earn him the number three seeding ahead of world number two Nadal, who has struggled on grass in recent years.

Novak Djokovic has been given the second seed spot despite dropping to number four in the world rankings (Photo: PA)Novak Djokovic has been given the second seed spot despite dropping to number four in the world rankings (Photo: PA)
Novak Djokovic has been given the second seed spot despite dropping to number four in the world rankings (Photo: PA)

It is the first time the 'big four' of men's tennis have been the top four seeds at a slam since Wimbledon 2014, with world number three Stan Wawrinka, who has never reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon, seeded fifth.

Raonic is sixth, with Marin Cilic, Dominic Thiem, Kei Nishikori and Alexander Zverev rounding off the top 10.

Grass-court lover Gilles Muller is the big mover, with the Luxembourger ranked 26th but seeded 16th.

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Yorkshire's Kyle Edmund is unseeded as he is ranked 48 in the world but has direct entry into the Wimbledon first round draw.

Novak Djokovic has been given the second seed spot despite dropping to number four in the world rankings (Photo: PA)Novak Djokovic has been given the second seed spot despite dropping to number four in the world rankings (Photo: PA)
Novak Djokovic has been given the second seed spot despite dropping to number four in the world rankings (Photo: PA)

The women's seedings match the rankings and are headed by world number one Angelique Kerber, who was beaten in the final by Serena Williams last year.

In the absence of the 23-time grand slam champion as she awaits the birth of her first child, Simona Halep is seeded second, Karolina Pliskova third and Elina Svitolina fourth.

Britain's Johanna Konta is seeded sixth - the highest for a British woman since Virginia Wade in 1979.

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Other notable names include five-time champion Venus Williams at 10, two-time winner and title favourite Petra Kvitova at 11 and French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko at 13.

Jamie Murray and his Brazilian partner Bruno Soares are seeded third in the men's doubles as they chase their first Wimbledon title.