(June 29, 2026) Defending Wimbledon Champion Jannik Sinner survived a first-round scare from Miomir Kecmanovic, besting him 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-3 in three hours and 30 minutes. This was Sinner’s first match since falling in the second round of the French Open.
“It’s such a huge honor to start the tournament,” the 24-year-old Italian said in his on-court interview. “I was a little tight in the beginning. I didn’t play my very best, but I tried to get into it. It was my first official match on grass. I’m happy that I turned it around. The third set was a very tough one to swallow.”
Sinner looked to have avoided a serious injury after slipping on the grass in the third set, looking as though he had possibly injured his hip.
“One fall is a tough one because you can get injured,” Sinner said to media.
“It’s the most normal thing. Grass courts are like this. Especially the first couple of matches when the grass is very new, you slip a bit more.
“I got lucky there because things can go wrong very quickly. I try to still trust in my movement. Also the third, fourth and fifth sets were very important to keep moving in a natural way, which I did. I’m very glad nothing happened.”
The seven-time Wimbledon winner Novak Djokovic overcame a talented Wu Yibing from China 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. The Serbian is attempting to win his 25th major title.
Along with an entertaining match, the No. 7 seed witnessed a marriage proposal and celebrity sightings, including singer Bad Bunny, who sat in his box.
Djokovic yelled at the couple, “I want an invitation to the wedding.”
Djokovic will face Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round. The two met in the 2021 Roland Garros final. Djokovic rallied from two sets down to win the match.
Aryna Sabalenka advanced easily into the second round with a 6-2, 6-3 win over qualifier No. 184th ranked Teodora Kostovic.
Kostovic said after she qualified for the tournament that she wanted to face Sabalenka in the main draw, questioning if the Belarusian could handle her power.
At her news conference, the world No. 1 said to the media: “It’s good that she has that self-belief.”
“It’s a good thing to have.”
No. 7 seed Coco Gauff made quick work of Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch 6-2, 6-1in less than an hour. The win snaps her four-match losing streak on grass. She last won a match at Wimbledon in 2024.
Naomi Osaka of Japan ahead of her match against Elsa Jacquemot of France during the Ladies’ Singles on day one of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London. Picture date: Monday June 29, 2026. (Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)
Naomi Osaka, who has never advanced past the third round of Wimbledon, arrived for her match on Court 3 wearing a white kimono, inspired by Japanese culture and the “Kill Bill” movie.
For me, my Japanese heritage means a lot,” the 14th seed said in her on-court interview. “They say all white at Wimbledon, and I thought it would be really cool to come out in a kimono. I just get inspired by a lot of different things, and for me, one of my favorite movies is “Kill Bill.”
Osaka won the match 6-1, 7-5 over Elsa Jacquemot.
For Great Britain, Wimbledon could not have started any worse for their top players. Emma Raducanu withdrew from the tournament before it began with a stress fracture, and on Monday, Jack Draper sent his regrets due to a diagnosis of a long-term arm injury.
Draper was scheduled to play Taylor Fritz on Tuesday on Centre Court.
In a statement, Draper said: “I’m devastated to share that I have had to withdraw from my first-round match due to a recurrence of my arm injury.
“There have been a lot of painful moments in the last 12 months but this one is definitely the absolute worst as there is no greater honor for a British player than playing at Wimbledon.
“I will continue to persevere through this. Thank you for the support!!”
More carnage came for the Brits on Monday as Harriet Dart, Felix Gill, Mika Stojsavljevic, Max Basing, Alicia Dudeney and 26th-seeded Cam Norrie all lost.
