Defending champion Sinner opens Wimbledon against Kecmanovic as Sabalenka and Djokovic also feature on Day 1

Defending champion returns after Paris setback

Jannik Sinner steps back onto grass for the first time since losing to Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round of Roland Garros a month ago. The Italian world No.1, who skipped the pre-Wimbledon grass events, has used the break to rest and plays an exhibition match against Cameron Norrie last Wednesday. He admits the conditions will be a test.

It won't be easy.

The 24-year-old holds a 4-0 record against his first-round opponent Miomir Kecmanovic, including a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory here two years ago.

Sabalenka and Djokovic headline the opening day

Aryna Sabalenka, the women's top seed, faces Teodora Kostovic on Centre Court immediately after Sinner’s match. The Belarusian could lose her No.1 ranking to Elena Rybakina after recent defeats in Paris and Berlin. Novak Djokovic, still chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title, meets China’s Wu Yibing later in the day. The 38-year-old says he feels better prepared than he was at Roland Garros, where he fell to Joao Fonseca in the third round.

Italian contingent and a late withdrawal

Luciano Darderi (14th seed) takes on American Ethan Quinn, while Elisabetta Cocciaretto begins against Wang Xinyu. Mattia Bellucci, ranked 65, withdrew after injuring himself in training and was replaced by lucky loser Pablo Llamas Ruiz. Serena Williams, a 44-year-old wild card and seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, faces Maya Joint on Tuesday. Williams acknowledged it could be her final appearance.

Who knows if I’ll ever get here again. It might be the last time so I told myself to give it a go. I’ll enjoy the experience.

Sinner’s projected path through the draw

With Carlos Alcaraz absent due to a right wrist injury, Sinner arrives as the overwhelming favourite. His potential route includes Nuno Borges or Tristan Boyer in the second round, Ignacio Buse (31st seed) in the third, and a possible last-16 meeting with Darderi, Rafael Jodar or Denis Shapovalov. Daniil Medvedev looms in the quarter-finals, while a semi-final could set up a rematch of last year’s clash with Djokovic. Alexander Zverev, the Roland Garros champion, is the projected final opponent from the other half of the draw.

Wimbledon’s rules and the grass factor

Sinner’s game suits grass, his low centre of gravity, flat strokes and powerful serve-return combination play well on the surface. However, his career win rate on grass (72%) is slightly below his clay percentage (73%). The All England Club enforces its Heat Stress Index: when the thermometer reaches 30.1°C, women take a 10-minute break before the third set and men before the fourth. The defending champion’s first match on Centre Court remains one of the tournament’s most cherished rituals.

Grass

72

Clay

73

Grass

72 %

Clay

73 %