LONDON – Wimbledon commenced Monday with defending champion Jannik Sinner pursuing a fifth Grand Slam title and women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka seeking her first major victory of the year. In the absence of rival and two-time Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner enters as the clear favorite, though the Italian must navigate challenging weather conditions and limited preparation ahead of his grass-court campaign.
Following his second-round French Open defeat from a commanding position when he cramped in extreme heat, the 24-year-old Sinner opted out of pre-tournament exhibitions. Speaking Saturday ahead of his opening match against Serbian qualifier Miomir Kecmanovic, Sinner suggested his unconventional approach could prove advantageous.
“If you play a tournament before here, maybe it’s not going the way you would like to, you come here with some doubts,” Sinner said. “If you don’t play any tournament, you don’t have these doubts, you just go and play.”
Sabalenka, who has held the WTA No. 1 ranking since late 2024, aims to break through for her first Grand Slam title following four finals appearances. The Belarusian overcame previous struggles, including a collapse against Diana Shnaider at the French Open and subsequent retirement from a semi-final in Berlin, to reach Wimbledon in strong form.
“I felt really good throughout the tournament there. I struggled a little bit here and there, but overall I feel like things are clicking back together,” said Sabalenka, who faces Serbian qualifier Teodora Kostovic in her opener.
The four-time major champion has reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in each of the past three years but has yet to claim the title.
DJOKOVIC CHASES HISTORY
Novak Djokovic continues his pursuit of a 25th major title, which would surpass Margaret Court’s record. Since winning his seventh Wimbledon crown in 2022, the 39-year-old Serb has reached two finals and one semi-final at the All England Club. Djokovic, who recently lost a five-setter to Joao Fonseca at Roland Garros, indicated he is better prepared for Wimbledon’s demands.
“Playing on grass, compared to clay, you don’t need to exert as much physical effort. That’s better for me,” Djokovic remarked. “I always loved playing on grass. I have a very good record here, a good history at Wimbledon. That gives me a higher dose of confidence coming into the tournament.”
MONDAY’S SCHEDULE
Centre Court (Play begins at 12:30 GMT)
1-Jannik Sinner (Italy) vs Miomir Kecmanovic (Serbia)
1-Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) vs Teodora Kostovic (Serbia)
Wu Yibing (China) vs 7-Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
Court Number One (Play begins at 12:00 GMT)
Antonia Ruzic (Croatia) vs 30-Emma Raducanu (Britain)
Marin Cilic (Croatia) vs 8-Daniil Medvedev (Russia)
Magda Linette (Poland) vs 5-Mirra Andreeva (Russia)
Court Number Two (Play begins at 10:00 GMT)
4-Jessica Pegula (US) vs Darja Vidmanova (Czech Republic)
Michael Zheng (US) vs 26-Cameron Norrie (Britain)
3-Felix Auger-Aliassime (Canada) vs Aleksandr Shevchenko (Kazakhstan)
Tamara Korpatsch (Germany) vs 7-Coco Gauff (US)
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