World number one Jannik Sinner survived a major first-round scare to launch the defence of his Wimbledon title with a hard-fought five-set victory over Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic.
Just one month after a shock second-round exit at the French Open, the four-time Grand Slam champion recovered from a sluggish start and an awkward fall to defeat the world No. 50, 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, 6-3, in a gripping three-and-a-half-hour contest on Centre Court.
Sinner arrived at Wimbledon without playing a warm-up grass-court event, making this his first competitive outing since his stunning collapse against Argentina's Juan Manuel Cerundolo at Roland Garros, where he squandered a two-set lead and a 5-1 advantage before crashing out.
Having struggled physically in the sweltering Paris conditions, the Italian's resilience was once again pushed to the limit by the inspired Kecmanovic. There was a moment of concern during the third set when Sinner slipped behind the baseline and stayed on the ground briefly, prompting the chair umpire to check on his condition.
The drama continued in the fourth set when blood was seen seeping through Sinner's shoe. The defending champion later revealed the issue was caused by a damaged toenail.
Despite entering the match with just one win from his previous nine five-set encounters, Sinner elevated his game when it mattered most, holding off Kecmanovic's challenge to avoid becoming only the third defending Wimbledon men's singles champion to lose in the opening round.
Opening play on Centre Court as reigning champion after defeating Carlos Alcaraz in last year's final, Sinner admitted the occasion had been emotionally demanding.
"I tried to stay there mentally, but also to enjoy the moment," he said.
"Coming here and playing the opening match on Centre Court is a huge privilege.
"It has been an amazing day for me to experience this, at least once in my life.
"I think I handled the situation quite well. It was very nervy, but I'm very happy that I found a way today."
