Following a challenging month marked by a significant career setback, Jannik Sinner faced scrutiny over his resilience. His performance in warm conditions had raised doubts, and his five-set record of six victories against 12 losses seemed unworthy of a player of his caliber.
It was only appropriate that Sinner found himself in yet another fifth set as he returned to competitive play. This time, however, the world No. 1 maintained his composure, ultimately overcoming a two-sets-to-one deficit against Miomir Kecmanovic, securing a 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-3 victory on Centre Court.
Previously, Sinner’s last tournament spiraled into chaos. He entered the French Open as a heavy favorite, second only to Rafael Nadal in his prime. However, he faltered dramatically, losing 18 of the final 20 games after leading Juan Manuel Cerúndolo 6-3, 6-2, 5-1 in the second round. Since then, he has dedicated time to assessments and adjustments in his game to prevent a repeat of that experience.
For months, opponents of Sinner compared his relentless style to that of a machine. His performance at the French Open, however, highlighted his humanity and the difficulty of consistently delivering top-level play under varying conditions.
Choosing not to participate in any grass-court events prior to Wimbledon left Sinner’s game feeling somewhat rusty. Nevertheless, he managed to regroup from being down two sets to one and find a way through the match.
“I always enjoyed this moment because what emotions I felt last year, it was the first time that I felt in this way, in a very happy way,” he remarked. “Coming back here and opening and play on Centre Court, this year was a year where nobody practised on it before, so it was brand new. Mentally, you know it. “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 very happy that I found a way.”
“I’m good. It just seems much worse than it is. Very surprised that they let me keep playing because, you know, all white, it turned into a little red. But I didn’t want to disturb Miomir. I thought we both had a good rhythm, it was a great match from both of us so I didn’t want to take any time.”
Despite his tense demeanor and lack of confidence during the opening set, Sinner initially held a 40-0 advantage while serving at 4-4 before stumbling. He recorded his first two double faults consecutively and, following a series of unforced errors, lost the set as Kecmanovic surged ahead by winning nine straight points.
A shaky start in a best-of-five contest is not typically disastrous, especially for Sinner in his first grass-court match of the season.
Even after claiming the second set, he struggled to find his rhythm, with a rising error count and a tentative approach during critical moments. His confidence took a hit following a bad fall at the beginning of the third set, which resulted in visible blood on his right foot.
Despite the blood on his shoe, Sinner reassured fans that he was fine.
“I was a little tight at the beginning, I didn’t play my very best,”
While Sinner struggled with his nerves, Kecmanovic displayed boldness, especially during the tense moments of a dramatic tie-break. As the possibility of an upset loomed, the Serbian player took control, striking early and redirecting shots effectively, leading two sets to one.
After taking a brief pause between sets, Sinner returned to the court and gradually regained his footing. He served impressively at the start of the fourth set, which helped him to restore his rhythm and timing in his strokes.
Uncharacteristically animated, Sinner combined fist pumps with audible shouts of “I tried to get into it, it was my first official match on grass. This also is very important – happy that I turned it around because the third set was a very tough one to swallow.” that resonated throughout Centre Court.
He dominated the concluding stages of the match, showcasing significant improvements in his serve with a career-high of 31 aces, while his confidence steadily reemerged.
“I was a little tight at the beginning, I didn’t play my very best,” he acknowledged. “I tried to get into it, it was my first official match on grass. This also is very important – happy that I turned it around because the third set was a very tough one to swallow.”
