Bloodied but unbowed: Sinner avoids shock exit at start of Wimbledon title defence
Jannik Sinner survived a major scare and a bloodied foot to open his Wimbledon title defence with a five-set victory over Miomir Kecmanovic, while Aryna Sabalenka made a blistering start to her bid for a maiden All England Club crown. Sinner was pushed to the brink of becoming only the third male defending champion to […] The post Bloodied but unbowed: Sinner avoids shock exit at start of Wimbledon title defence appeared first on The Namibian .
Jannik Sinner survived a major scare and a bloodied foot to open his Wimbledon title defence with a five-set victory over Miomir Kecmanovic, while Aryna Sabalenka made a blistering start to her bid for a maiden All England Club crown.
Sinner was pushed to the brink of becoming only the third male defending champion to lose in the Wimbledon first round before battling back to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 6-3 on Monday.
Trailing by two sets to one, the Italian world number one dug deep to win his first five-set match in his last six attempts.
Sinner’s gutsy victory in three hours and 28 minutes was all the more commendable after he injured his right foot in an awkward fall that left his shoe covered in blood.
He let out a shriek of pain and was motionless for several moments before gingerly resuming play.
With two-time Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz still sidelined by a wrist injury sustained in Barcelona in April, Sinner is the clear favourite to become the 10th man in the Open era to retain the trophy.
