Bloodied Sinner wins Wimbledon opener in 5 sets
Key takeaways
- Lleyton Hewitt, the 2002 champion, remains the only Wimbledon men's singles winner in the professional era (since 1968) to have lost in the first round the following year.
- The match with Kecmanovic was played in ideal conditions, with sunny skies and the temperature 75 degrees.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
LONDON -- Defending champion Jannik Sinner had to come back from a set down twice and regain his composure following a worrisome tumble to the grass in a five-set victory over 50th-ranked Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round of Wimbledon on Monday.
A month after his French Open meltdown, the top-ranked Sinner produced a 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-3 win that lasted 3 hours and 30 minutes in the honorary opening match on Centre Court reserved for the past year's men's singles champion.
Lleyton Hewitt, the 2002 champion, remains the only Wimbledon men's singles winner in the professional era (since 1968) to have lost in the first round the following year. The Australian was defeated by Ivo Karlovic in his 2003 opener.