Following the pressure to give Serena Williams a seeding at this year’s Championships, the AELTC Committee has broken away from their usual formula of just following the WTA rankings for the women’s draw and followed their approach to the men’s where they adjust in accordance to the player’s record on grass.

I think it’s just not fair. I have tried and I should be seeded. Dominika Cibulkova

However, while Serena Williams is a seven-time champion at SW19, and didn’t defend her title last year because of her pregnancy, the authorities are now looking more favourably at returning mothers and not just acknowledging the protected ranking rule.

This year the American icon, who is currently ranked 183, is being included in the 32 seeds at 25 thereby displacing the player who would have come in at 32, namely Dominika Cibulkova.

“I don’t think it’s the right thing to do,” Cibulkova said to the BBC before the seedings were released. “I think it’s just not fair. I have tried and I should be seeded. If they put her in front of me then I will lose my spot that I am supposed to have.”

Williams could actually face Cibulkova in the first round, but will not meet a seed in the top eight until the third round.

On the men’s front defending champion and 8-time winner Roger Federer returns as the top seed for a 7th time. Rafael Nadal, the current World No.1 who did not play a grass warm-up event is second, followed by Queen’s champion and 2017 runner-up Marin Cilic.

2018 WIMBLEDON SEEDINGS
Men
1. FEDERER, Roger (SUI)
2. NADAL, Rafael (ESP)
3. CILIC, Marin (CRO)
4. ZVEREV, Alexander (GER)
5. DEL POTRO, Juan Martin (ARG)
6. DIMITROV, Grigor (BUL)
7. THIEM, Dominic (AUT)
8. ANDERSON, Kevin (RSA)
9. ISNER, John (USA)
10. GOFFIN, David (BEL)
11. QUERREY, Sam (USA)
12. DJOKOVIC, Novak (SRB)
13. RAONIC, Milos (CAN)
14. BAUTISTA AGUT, Roberto (ESP)
15. SCHWARTZMAN, Diego (ARG)
16. KYRGIOS, Nick (AUS)
17. CORIC, Borna (CRO)
18. POUILLE, Lucas (FRA)
19. SOCK, Jack (USA)
20. FOGNINI, Fabio (ITA)
21. CARRENO BUSTA, Pablo (ESP)
22. EDMUND, Kyle (GBR)
23. MANNARINO, Adrian (FRA)
24. GASQUET, Richard (FRA)
25. NISHIKORI, Kei (JPN)
26. CHUNG, Hyeon (KOR)
27. KOHLSCHREIBER, Philipp (GER)
28. SHAPOVALOV, Denis (CAN)
29. DZUMHUR, Damir (BIH)
30. KRAJINOVIC, Filip (SRB)
31. CECCHINATO, Marco (ITA)
32. VERDASCO, Fernando (ESP)

Women
1. HALEP, Simona (ROU)
2. WOZNIACKI, Caroline (DEN)
3. MUGURUZA, Garbiñe (ESP)
4. STEPHENS, Sloane (USA)
5. SVITOLINA, Elina (UKR)
6. GARCIA, Caroline (FRA)
7. PLISKOVA, Karolina (CZE)
8. KVITOVA, Petra (CZE)
9. WILLIAMS, Venus (USA)
10. KEYS, Madison (USA)
11. KERBER, Angelique (GER)
12. OSTAPENKO, Jelena (LAT)
13. GOERGES, Julia (GER)
14. KASATKINA, Daria (RUS)
15. MERTENS, Elise (BEL)
16. VANDEWEGHE, Coco (USA)
17. BARTY, Ashleigh (AUS)
18. OSAKA, Naomi (JPN)
19. RYBARIKOVA, Magdalena (SVK)
20. BERTENS, Kiki (NED)
21. SEVASTOVA, Anastasija (LAT)
22. KONTA, Johanna (GBR)
23. STRYCOVA, Barbora (CZE)
24. SHARAPOVA, Maria (RUS)
25. WILLIAMS, Serena (USA)
26. GAVRILOVA, Daria (AUS)
27. SUAREZ NAVARRO, Carla (ESP)
28. KONTAVEIT, Anett (EST)
29. BUZARNESCU, Mihaela (ROU)
30. PAVLYUCHENKOVA, Anastasia (RUS)
31. ZHANG, Shuai (CHN)
32. RADWANSKA, Agnieszka (POL)