Defending Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner edged past Miomir Kecmanovic in a grueling five-set match to advance to the second round of the tournament on Monday. The top-ranked Italian, playing the first match on Centre Court reserved for the previous year’s men’s singles winner, overcame a slow start and a challenging fall on the grass to secure a 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-3 victory that lasted three hours and 30 minutes.
Sinner faced early difficulties, losing the opening set and then dropping the third in a close tiebreak before rallying through the final two sets. He attributed his initial tightness to it being his first competitive match on grass this season and expressed relief at regaining composure. This match marked Sinner’s first official contest since his difficult exit at the French Open, where he suffered dizziness amid a heatwave and eventually lost in five sets to Juan Manuel Cerundolo.
The match unfolded under clear skies and mild temperatures of around 24 degrees Celsius (75 Fahrenheit), conditions that contrasted with the harsh heat Sinner contended with in Paris. His victory positions him as a leading contender to retain the Wimbledon title, especially with the absence of main rival Carlos Alcaraz, who is sidelined due to a right wrist injury. Sinner acknowledged the pressure and nerves associated with playing the prestige-laden opening match on Wimbledon’s historic Centre Court.
Historically, only one defending men’s singles champion at Wimbledon has been eliminated in the first round the following year: Lleyton Hewitt in 2003.
Elsewhere in men’s singles, 12th seed Andrey Rublev was upset by Roman Safiullin in a five-set thriller, while rising Spanish player Rafael Jodar earned a straight-sets win in his Wimbledon debut against Felix Gill.
On the women’s side, Naomi Osaka advanced with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Elsa Jacquemot, marking another notable entrance with a flowing kimono during her walk-on. Fourth seed Jessica Pegula defeated Darja Vidmanova 7-5, 6-3. Mananchaya Sawangkaew upset French Open finalist Maja Chwalinska, who entered the tournament on a wild-card, with a 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory.
Upcoming matches on Centre Court include top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka facing Teodora Kostovic, followed by seven-time champion Novak Djokovic against Wu Yibing. Serena Williams is scheduled to make her long-awaited singles return on Tuesday against Australia’s Maya Joint, marking her first singles appearance in almost four years. Williams will also compete in doubles alongside her sister Venus later in the tournament.