Wimbledon 2026 Men’s Day 1

Jannik Sinner needed a comeback on Monday as the defending champion opened play with a dramatic 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-3 over stubborn Serb Miomir Kecmanic at Wimbledon.

The Italian trailed two sets to one in an opening match where he suffered bleeding which seeped through his right shoe from a toenail and a frightening second-set slip on the grass which left him briefly favouring his  hip.

The world No. 1 overcame the unavoidable niggles of a season-first match on grass to prevail in three and a half hours.

“This was not just another match, it’s a very different feeling (opening as defending champion here),” Sinner said after setting up match points with his 31st ace.

“There is a different feeling of nerves going onto such an historical court. I was happy to win the first round

“I will aim for improvement in the next match, but I can be very happy.”

Sinner ended with 72 winners and 52 unforced errors as he held off his burly opponent.

“A few mistakes are normal, I will try and raise my level for the next match,” the winner said.

The Italian earned his 94th win at a major as he beat Kecmanovic for the fifth time, including here in straight sets two years ago.

“I didn’t play my best,” Sinner said. “But I tried to get into the match. my first of the season on grass.

“The third set – he led 3-0 in the tiebreaker only to lose it – was hard to swallow. But I’m glad I could turn it around.”

Casper Ruud, seeded 11th, became a major victim as the Norwegian fell 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7) to Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz. No. 12 Andrey Rublev met a similar first-round fate, losing to 132nd-ranked qualifier Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-7 (6), 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (12) in four hours.

Ruud, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up, has never been past the second round here in six Wimbledon appearances, losing three times in the first round.

The event suffered a first injury retirement as Frenchman Luca Van Assche stopped with a second-set back injury as former quarter-finalist Marton Fucsovics went through 6-4, 4-0.

Rising Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar made a winning Wimbledon debut as the 19-year-old played his first official match on grass.

The 23rd seed showed no nerves in a 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 defeat of British qualifier Felix Gill.

“I had a good feeling the whole match,” the winner  said. “Playing on grass at Wimbledon is special. 

“My game is suited for this surface, I just have to get used to it. That’s why I came early to get a few more days of preparation.

“I’m super-happy with the performance, now I need to think about the next match.”

This month’s Queen’s Club finalist Tommy Paul had little trouble as he crushed Alexnadre Muller of France 6-1, 6-2, 6-1 in just over an hour.

Paul was joined as a winner by US compatriot Learner Tien, who defeated Czech Dalibor Svrcina 6-1, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-3.

Main photo:-Jannik Sinner (ITA) takes a fall during first round match with Miomir Kecmanovic – by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd