Jannik Sinner narrowly avoided a huge upset on day one of the Wimbledon Championships against Miomir Kecmanovic.
The Italian was two sets to one down in the clash with the Serb, but fought back to triumph 4-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2, 6-3.
Sinner‘s victory was his first in a five-setter since the 2024 Australian Open final, where he beat Daniil Medvedev to clinch a maiden Grand Slam crown.
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After surviving the near scare, the defending Wimbledon champion had high praise for his opponent, Kecmanovic.
Jannik Sinner reacts after winning his first match at Wimbledon
Asked what he struggled with most in his post-match press conference, Sinner said of Kecmanovic: “I think he’s a very, very good player on all surfaces, but especially on grass because his ball is very flat, so it goes through the court really well.
“His first shot after the serve was very, very strong. Even when I returned well, he was almost always able to play that first ball well, and I struggled a bit with that. That’s something we need to improve.
“Now we have a day off tomorrow, which hopefully gives us a bit of time to find the right rhythm before the next match.
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“It’s also a little bit different playing the first match on Centre Court because the ball is slightly slower than on the practice courts.
“At the beginning, I struggled a bit with my forehand. I knew that before the match. I just need a couple of matches.
“Hopefully, I’ll get the chance to play a few more matches, and then we’ll see how I progress.”
Jannik Sinner reveals what he was thinking after the third set
The upset looked like it was well and truly on the cards after Kecmanovic took the third set to go 2-1 up.
“I had my chances in the third set,” said Sinner. “I couldn’t take them. There were a couple of points in the tiebreak that I just had to accept.
“I tried to reset myself as quickly as I could. Holding serve in those first couple of service games was very, very important because if he breaks you straight away, it’s tough to come back.
“That was it. It wasn’t an ideal position, but I tried to stay there mentally. I also tried to enjoy the moment because it had been an amazing day for me and my team as well. Coming here and opening Centre Court is a huge privilege.”
In the second round of Wimbledon, Sinner will take on Portuguese star Nuno Borges.
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