LONDON — Jannik Sinner, the reigning champion, displayed exceptional resilience by fighting back from a set down not once, but twice, overcoming a harrowing fall on the grass to secure a five-set victory against Miomir Kecmanovic, ranked 50th, in the opening round of Wimbledon on Monday.
Just a month after his distressing exit at the French Open, the top-seeded Sinner rallied to a 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-3 triumph that spanned over three hours and thirty minutes. This thrilling encounter kicked off the prestigious Centre Court, traditionally reserved for the previous year’s men’s singles champion.
Sinner admitted to feeling “a bit tight at first,” marking his initial match on grass this season.
“I’m pleased I managed to turn it around,” Sinner reflected.
Interestingly, Lleyton Hewitt remains the only Wimbledon men’s singles champion in the professional era to exit in the first round the following year, facing defeat at the hands of Ivo Karlovic in 2003.
In another exciting match on Centre Court, seven-time champion Novak Djokovic had epic support from Bad Bunny, achieving a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory over 102nd-ranked Wu Yibing. This match was illuminated by the retractable roof due to encroaching darkness, marking Djokovic’s flawless record of 21-0 in first-round matches at Wimbledon.
Serena Williams is set to make her long-awaited return to singles on Tuesday against Australia’s 20-year-old Maya Joint, marking her first singles match in nearly four years.
Since struggling with dizziness during a sweltering French Open, where he had a match point but ultimately lost to Juan Manuel Cerundolo, Sinner was eager to perform well at Wimbledon.
The atmosphere during the match with Kecmanovic was perfect, characterized by sunny skies and a comfortable temperature of 24 degrees Celsius.
Sinner is a strong contender to defend his Wimbledon title, primarily since his top rival, Carlos Alcaraz, is absent due to a wrist injury.
Feeling the weight of his champion’s title, Sinner remarked, “It was a very, very different feeling. There’s a lot of nerves when you go down the stairs behind the court. Plus, mentally, you’re aware of the prestige and history of this court.”
Early in the third set, a crowd-pleasing moment occurred when Sinner executed a sliced stop-volley drop shot so exquisite that Kecmanovic didn’t even chase it. However, a misstep caused Sinner to tumble to the grass, landing on his back while clutching his left hip. He was quick to rise, demonstrating remarkable determination.
As the match progressed, it became apparent that Sinner was dealing with an issue, as he seemed to be bleeding through his right shoe.
“I’m alright,” Sinner reassured, “It looks worse than it is. Just a nail issue.”
In a tense moment during the third-set tiebreaker, Kecmanovic saved a set point in a chaotic point that left Sinner on the ground after an extravagant retrieval. They exchanged fist bumps on the changeover, clearly acknowledging each other’s efforts.
However, a long backhand from Sinner later in the tiebreaker handed Kecmanovic a two-sets-to-one advantage.
“The third set was quite tough to absorb,” Sinner admitted.
Nevertheless, Sinner refined his skills in the final two sets, achieving his first five-set victory since his epic comeback against Daniil Medvedev for his inaugural Grand Slam title at the 2024 Australian Open.
When he established a 5-2 lead in the fifth set, celebrity David Beckham was spotted in the Royal Box joining the crowd for a wave.
With this victory, Sinner now holds an undefeated record against Kecmanovic, but this match was far from straightforward compared to their previous encounter, leading to a warm exchange at the net afterward.
Sinner unleashed 72 winners compared to Kecmanovic’s 20, though he also accumulated a concerning 52 unforced errors against Kecmanovic’s 33—his serve remained a formidable asset, recording 31 aces to Kecmanovic’s solitary ace.
“We’ll aim to make a few improvements for the next match,” Sinner noted.
Kecmanovic is in the process of regrouping after Viktor Troicki left to coach another Serbian player—none other than Novak Djokovic.
In other matches, Medvedev triumphed over Marin Cilic 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 in a showdown of Grand Slam champions, while 12th-seeded Andrey Rublev fell to Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-7 (6), 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (12). Additionally, the promising Spanish teen Rafael Jodar, in his Wimbledon debut, bested Felix Gill 6-3, 6-3, 7-5.
In women’s competition, Naomi Osaka dazzled in a flowing kimono during her entrance, ultimately winning 6-1, 7-5 against Elsa Jacquemot. Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka bested Teodora Kostovic 6-2, 6-3, while Coco Gauff quickly defeated Tamara Korpatsch 6-2, 6-1 in just 54 minutes. French Open champion Mirra Andreeva also secured a victory, taking down Magda Linette 7-5, 6-4.
French Open finalist Maja Chwalinska, who needed a wild card to enter, faced a tough character in Mananchaya Sawangkaew, falling 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.
