30 June,2026 09:55 AM IST | London | Agencies
Italy’s Jannik Sinner celebrates a point against Miomir Kecmanovic at Wimbledon in London on Monday. Pics/AFP
Reigning champion Jannik Sinner twice fought back from a set down to battle past Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic and avoid a huge shock in the Wimbledon first round on Monday.
The World No. 1 was in danger of suffering a second successive early Grand Slam exit, after his second-round loss at the French Open last month, but he recovered to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 6-3 on Centre Court.
Sinner would have been the first defending champion to lose in the Wimbledon first round since Lleyton Hewitt in 2003, but he will instead face Portugal's Nuno Borges on Wednesday for a place in the last 32.
"It was a very, very different feeling. There were a lot of nerves when I went down the stairs to the court, knowing that it's such a prestigious court. Coming here as defending champion means a lot to me," Sinner said in his on-court interview when asked how starting his Wimbledon title defence compared to a regular match.
It is the Italian's first tournament since collapsing from two sets and 5-1 up to lose to Juan Manuel Cerundolo at Roland Garros. "I was a little tight in the first set and it was my first match on grass of the season," he added.
Meanwhile, Norway's World No. 11 Casper Ruud suffered a shock defeat to Poland's Hubert Hurkacz by a 4-6, 2-6, 6-7 (9) margin.
In women's singles, French Open runner-up Maja Chwalinska crashed out in the opening round after a 2-6, 7-5, 2-6 loss to Thailand's qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew.
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