Jannik Sinner Survives Huge Wimbledon Scare to Start Title Defence With Gritty Comeback

Jannik Sinner was made to work far harder than he would’ve expected, but the world number one showed his class to survive a huge Wimbledon scare and begin his title defence with a five-set comeback win over Miomir Kecmanovic.

The Italian was pushed to the brink by an impressive Kecmanovic, who looked on course for the biggest win of his career before Sinner dug deep to battle back and claim a 4-6 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 6-3 victory after a tense three-and-a-half-hour contest on Centre Court.

The reigning champion arrived at SW19 without playing a warm-up tournament on grass, meaning this was his first match since his dramatic French Open exit, where he let slip a two-set lead and a 5-1 advantage against Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo.

That collapse in Paris raised questions about how Sinner would respond, and those concerns briefly returned against Kecmanovic as he struggled to find his usual rhythm and looked uncomfortable at times.

There was a genuine moment of worry during the third set when Sinner slipped behind the baseline and stayed down for several seconds before getting back to his feet.

Things started to become even more concerning later in the match when blood appeared through Sinner’s right shoe during the penultimate set. Sinner later confirmed that he had been dealing with a troublesome toenail throughout the week and that it’s nothing to worry about.

After winning just one of his previous nine deciding sets, the 23-year-old produced his best tennis when he needed it most, refusing to let the occasion slip away and avoiding becoming only the third defending Wimbledon men’s champion to lose in the first round.

Reflecting on the battle afterwards, Sinner said: “I tried to stay there mentally, [but] also trying to enjoy the moment.

“Coming here, [playing in the] opening match on Centre Court, it’s a huge privilege.

“It has been an amazing, amazing day for me to feel this way at least once in my life.

“I think I handled the situation still quite well. It was very nervy, but I’m very happy that I found a way today.”

With Carlos Alcaraz missing the tournament through injury, Sinner began Wimbledon as an overwhelming favourite after defeating the Spaniard in last year’s final to lift his first Wimbledon trophy.

However, the opening set showed a rare glimpse of vulnerability from the usually ice-cold Italian.

Known for his incredible accuracy and consistency, Sinner was unusually loose early on, making 10 unforced errors in his first eight games. He managed to save two break points to stay level, but Kecmanovic kept applying pressure.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the ninth game when back-to-back double faults and another mistake from Sinner handed the Serbian the opening break. Kecmanovic showed no signs of nerves as he closed out the set comfortably.

The world number one immediately raised his level in the second set, cutting down on his errors and finding more control from the baseline. He was almost flawless behind his first serve, winning all 14 points, and despite another Kecmanovic challenge, he pulled the match level.

Having never beaten a top-10 player at a Grand Slam before, the Serbian played with freedom and belief. Even after falling 3-0 behind in the third-set tie-break, he fought back brilliantly and produce a huge moment by winning three straight points to take the set after Sinner had been ahead 6-5.

Despite the physical issues, including the problem with his foot, he reset and began to take control. He won four consecutive games on Kecmanovic’s serve to force a deciding set and shift the momentum back in his favour.

By the time the match entered its final stages, the difference between the two players became clear. Kecmanovic had given everything, but Sinner found another gear, winning four of the final five games to finally seal victory.

The numbers showed just how much he improved. After a messy opening, Sinner finished with 31 aces and 72 winners, while only making 10 unforced errors across the final two sets.

The title defence remains alive, and after surviving one of the toughest opening-round tests imaginable, he moves on to face Portugal’s Nuno Borges with confidence restored.