Wimbledon 2026 results: Jannik Sinner survives five-set scare against Miomir Kecmanovic
With his main rival Carlos Alcaraz still injured, Sinner started the major race once again as a strong favorite for the championship.
Known for his devastating precision, Sinner made an uncharacteristic 10 unforced errors in the first eight matches but saved two break points to avoid an early defeat.
But back-to-back double faults and another miss from the Italian gifted Kecmanovic his breakthrough in the ninth game, and the Serb did not hold back as he served the first set to love.
Sinner, who had won all four of her previous meetings with Kecmanovic, including a clear victory in just seven games of defeat two years ago, was below her clinical best but reacted instantly in the second set to quickly start her campaign.
Sinner, who reduced her error count and won all 14 points after her first serve, leveled the match – but only after holding on to a break point as Kecmanovic continued to probe.
Seeking his first win against a top-10 player at a major, Kecmanovic continued to frustrate Sinner deep into the third set, rallying from 3-0 down in the tiebreak and earning a standing ovation after winning three straight points to clinch the score from 6-5.
The sinner quickly resets, as he often does. Despite blood oozing through his white shoes, he proceeded to tie the match for the second time on his opponent’s serve for the fourth consecutive game.
The shock was still there for Kecmanovic as Sinner left the court before the deciding set; He was probably aware that his opponent had managed to win only one of the last nine five-set matches he had participated in.
However, as the match approached its fourth hour, it was Sinner who made the final move towards the finish line and survived four of the last five games.
After an inconsistent start, he ended the match with 31 aces and 72 winners and will continue his next match against Portugal’s Nuno Borges on a positive note after committing just 10 of his 52 unforced errors in the final two sets.
