Wimbledon: At least at the outset, before a tennis ball is struck, this edition of Wimbledon is as much about who and what is missing as who's here.
And that's even taking this into account: It is no small matter that the grass-court Grand Slam tournament marks the return of Serena Williams to singles play after a year away.
The No. 1-ranked man, Daniil Medvedev, was barred from competing by the All England Club, along with every other player from Russia and Belarus, because of the war in Ukraine. It's a mistake, International Tennis Hall of Fame member Martina Navratilova said about the ban. What are they supposed to do, leave the country? I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.
Novak Djokovic, the No. 1 seed and three-time defending champion who will play in the first match in Centre Court on Monday, looked at the situation this way: It's really hard to say what is right, what is wrong.
As a child of a war several wars, actually, during the '90s, I know what it feels like being in (the Ukrainians') position, the 35-year-old from Serbia said.
The two professional tours reacted by pulling their ranking points from Wimbledon, an unprecedented move in a sport built around the rankings in so many ways.
In turn, some athletes opted not to show up, including 2014 runner-up Eugenie Bouchard and four-time major champion Naomi Osaka.
For others, though, it was a no-doubt-about-it decision to show up. This is, after all, Wimbledon, with its unique surface and long-standing traditions, its powerful prestige and let's face it tens of millions in prize money.
There are other important names staying away for different reasons. Reigning women's champion Ash Barty retired in March at age 25.
Eight-time men's champion Roger Federer still has not returned from the latest in a series of knee operations; he has not participated in any tournament since last year's Wimbledon.
No. 2-ranked Alexander Zverev is sidelined after tearing ligaments in his right ankle at the French Open.
Also gone in 2022 at Wimbledon, for the first time in its lengthy history: a scheduled day off on the middle Sunday (so what had been a 13-day tournament becomes a full two-week event).
Ah, but guess who's back? Yes, Williams, thanks to a wild-card invitation, bringing enough star power to fill the spotlight for however long she remains in the bracket.
The owner of seven championships at the All England Club and 23 from all majors, a record for the professional era last competed in singles in June 2021, when she slipped on the slick Centre Court grass and injured her right hamstring, forcing her to stop in the first set of her first-round match.
Also around is Rafael Nadal, who is halfway to a calendar-year Grand Slam for the first time after winning the Australian Open in January and the French Open
this month.