Jannik Sinner began the defence of his Wimbledon title with a hard-fought victory over Miomir Kecmanović, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(6), 6-2. But the scoreline tells only part of the story.
The Italian, the top seed and defending champion, alarmed Centre Court by dropping the first set. More concerning still, cameras caught a bloodied foot during the match, sparking a wave of worry among commentators and fans alike.
After losing the opening set, Sinner gradually raised his level. The second set saw the Italian regain control, breaking Kecmanović's serve to lead 6-3. The third set, the most contested of the match, went to a tiebreak, 7-6(6), where Sinner showed the mental steel that carried him to the title last year.
The fourth set was a formality, 6-2. Sinner stepped on the gas late in the match, finding his ball depth and timing on the grass. But questions linger. The image of the bloodied foot will remain one of the defining snapshots of a chaotic opening day.
In a context where , and were all eliminated in the first round, Sinner's survival takes on added significance. The defending champion is now one of the last favourites standing in the top half of the draw. His physical condition will be closely monitored in the coming rounds.
One central question remains: is the foot injury an isolated incident, or a recurring problem that could jeopardise his fortnight in London?
