by Bob Stockton

Nobody sent Miomir Kecmanovic the memo that this was supposed to be a routine opener.

Jannik Sinner, the defending champion and world No. 1, walked onto Centre Court on Monday afternoon as the heavy favourite to cruise past the Serbian ranked 50th in the world. By the end of a sweaty, nerve-shredding afternoon, Sinner had survived a genuine five-set battle, eventually prevailing 4–6, 6–3, 6–7(6), 6–2, 6–3 — but not before the Wimbledon crowd witnessed one of the day’s most compelling matches.

A Stumbling Start

From the very first games, something felt off. Sinner was able to hold until late in the first set, but he didn’t give himself many chances to break Kecmanovic. The Italian, returning to tour-level competition for the first time since his stunning second-round exit to Juan Manuel Cerundolo at Roland Garros, looked rusty and underpowered. Too many mistakes crept into his game, and he lost five points in a row in one crucial game to hand a break to the Serbian. Kecmanovic, cool and composed, closed out the first set without fuss.

Set one to the underdog. Centre Court stirred.

Sinner Hits Back — Then Stumbles Again

The Italian raced to a two-love lead in the second set, producing four winners and just one unforced error to take charge. He broke early and held comfortably to level the match. Normal service seemed to be resuming.

But the third set threw everything back up in the air. Sinner uncharacteristically kept hitting as many unforced errors as winners — especially from his forehand — unable to put Kecmanovic away when given plenty of opportunities. The drop shot, a weapon he deploys with surgical precision on good days, was a mess. The set finished in a tense tiebreak that Sinner kept making errors in, and the Serbian took it 8–6.

Suddenly, shockingly, the defending Wimbledon champion was one set from elimination.

The Comeback

The fourth set appeared to change the narrative. Sinner stopped making so many unusual errors and was able to break Kecmanovic twice in the process of an efficient 6–2 set win. The tension that had gripped the court began to ease — a little.

The final set wasn’t as one-sided as the fourth, but Sinner was holding much more easily. At 3–2, he got the crucial break and won the fifth set 6–3. He wore down Kecmanovic with powerful shots directed at the baseline, ultimately overwhelming the Serbian, who sent a final ball long.

Title defence: alive.

Context Is Everything

This was Sinner’s first tour-level match since his second-round defeat at Roland Garros — and his first grass-court match since winning Wimbledon 12 months ago. The rust was visible. So was the champion’s resolve when it mattered.

Kecmanovic, a three-time tour-level champion, was aiming to become the first World No. 1 he’d ever defeated in his career. He came closer than most expected. He was getting the better of Sinner on longer rallies, and the Serbian ranked 50th in the world was, for long stretches, playing better than the ATP No. 1.

Kecmanovic deserves to feel good about how he played — but the better player won the match, a much tougher one than anyone expected.

What’s Next

Sinner will next face Nuno Borges in the second round — a player who defeated Tristan Boyer in his opener, but who carries a career losing record on grass. On paper, a more comfortable afternoon awaits. But after today, nobody will be taking anything for granted.