World number one and defending champion Sir Andy Murray has been named as the top seed in the men's singles competition for this year's Wimbledon Championships ©Getty Images

Sir Andy Murray has been confirmed as the men’s singles top seed for this year’s Wimbledon Championships.

The 30-year-old Briton enters this year’s tournament, due to start on Monday (July 3), as the reigning champion and is also the world number one.

Sir Andy, the London 2012 and double Olympic Games gold medallist, pulled out of an exhibition match against France’s Lucas Pouille yesterday at London’s Hurlingham Club due to a hip injury but is expected to play there on Friday (July 30).

Joining him in the top four seeds for the men’s singles draw are Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer of Switzerland and Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who collectively have won the title at the All England Club 12 times.

Collectively referred as "The Big Four", it is first time since the 2014 edition of Wimbledon that they have made up the top four seed places of a Grand Slam.

It means they will not play each other until the semi-finals, should they reach that stage.

Federer, a seven-time champion at Wimbledon, won his first Slam since 2012 earlier this won with his success at the Australian Open.

Nadal, a double Wimbledon winner, claimed his 10th French Open crown this month, breaking his own record for the most men’s singles titles at Roland Garros.

The man Nadal defeated in the final, Switzerland’s Stanislav Wawrinka, is seeded fifth.

Germany's Angelique Kerber is the top seed in the women's singles ©Getty Images
Germany's Angelique Kerber is the top seed in the women's singles ©Getty Images

In the women’s singles draw, world number one Angelique Kerber of Germany is top of the seeding list.

She is followed by Romania’s Simona Halep, beaten to the French Open title this year by Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, who is seeded 13th for Wimbledon.

The Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova, winner of her first title on Sunday (June 25) at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham after recovering from being stabbed in the hand at her apartment in December, has been confirmed as the 11th seed at the tournament.

Last year’s winner, Serena Williams, is not defending her title as the American is on maternity leave after announcing she was pregnant following her success at the Australian Open in January.

A qualifying competition is currently taking place at the Bank of England Sports Centre in Roehampton with the draw for the Grand Slam due to take place on Friday (June 30).

The women’s singles final is scheduled to happen on July 15 with the men following the next day.