Defending champion Jannik Sinner overcame a stern opening-round test to keep his Wimbledon title defence alive, while top seed Aryna Sabalenka made a commanding start and British hopes suffered a disastrous blow on a dramatic first day at the All England Club.
Sinner Fights Through Fatigue and Injury
The world No. 1 looked on the brink of a shock exit after dropping the first and third sets against Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic. Battling fatigue, a fall and a bloodied toenail, Sinner showed remarkable resilience to prevail 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-3 in a gripping three-and-a-half-hour contest. “It was a tough match and a difficult third set to swallow, but I’m happy I turned it around,” Sinner said after equalling Nicola Pietrangeli’s Italian record of 94 Grand Slam match victories.
Seeded Players Fall on Day One
Several seeded players were less fortunate. Casper Ruud fell to Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets, while Andrey Rublev squandered two match points before losing a marathon fifth-set tiebreak to fellow Russian Roman Safiullin.
Sabalenka Cruises Through
In the women’s draw, Sabalenka wasted little time dispatching Serbian qualifier Teodora Kostovic 6-2, 6-3 to book a second-round meeting with American McCartney Kessler. “I’m excited to be back and happy to get through in straight sets,” said Sabalenka, who is still chasing her first Wimbledon title.
British Hopes Suffer Major Blow
It proved a miserable day for the home contingent. Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper withdrew through injury, while Cameron Norrie and six other British players crashed out in the opening round.
Other Notable Results
Former U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev advanced comfortably, while rising stars Joao Fonseca of Brazil and Spain’s Rafael Jodar impressed with confident victories to announce themselves on Wimbledon’s biggest stage.
