Sinner overcomes Kecmanovic to begin Wimbledon title defense

World number one Jannik Sinner commenced his Wimbledon title defense on Monday, battling through an early scare to overcome Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic in a grueling five-set match. The Italian secured his place in the second round with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-3 victory.

The match was far from a straightforward start for Sinner, who lost the opening set, raising concerns among fans following his early exit at the French Open last month. However, the 24-year-old quickly regained composure, leveling the match in the second set with a powerful ace. Despite the comeback, further tense moments ensued.

Sinner experienced a fall during the third set, grimacing in pain, and later appeared to have bloodstains on his shoe, indicating a separate issue. Though he continued to play, he faltered in a tiebreak that seemed within his grasp. Undeterred, the four-time Grand Slam champion roared back in the fourth set, dominating play to force a decider.

In the final set, Sinner took full control, ultimately prevailing to book his second-round encounter against Portugal's Nuno Borges. This hard-fought victory also marked Sinner's 94th win at Grand Slams, drawing him level with Nicola Pietrangeli for the most Grand Slam wins by an Italian player.