Jannik Sinner survived a dramatic first-round scare at Wimbledon on Monday to begin his title defence with a five-set victory over Miomir Kecmanović, while Serena Williams made a long-awaited return to singles competition at the All England Club.

The defending champion twice came from a set down before sealing a 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-3 win on Centre Court, a match punctuated by a worrying tumble on the grass that left him fortunate to escape unscathed . Sinner admitted afterwards that he had been “lucky to escape unscathed” after the fall, which briefly raised concerns over his fitness ahead of a potential clash with Carlos Alcaraz, the Spaniard’s absence through injury leaving the Italian as the tournament’s pre-eminent favourite .

Williams, 44, marked her first singles appearance at Wimbledon since 2022 with a straight-sets victory over a qualifier, her return one of the most anticipated moments of the opening day . The seven-time champion’s presence drew global attention, underscoring the significance of her comeback after years away from singles competition.

Elsewhere on the opening day, Novak Djokovic required four sets to overcome China’s Wu Yibing 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, while Stefanos Tsitsipas eased past Hugo Gaston 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in a statement of intent ahead of a potential second-round meeting with Djokovic . The Greek third seed, who parted ways with his father-coach Apostolos Tsitsipas ahead of the tournament, said he was rediscovering the mindset that once fuelled his best Grand Slam runs .

Top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Świątek both progressed without difficulty, though the tournament’s marquee draw saw British hopes dashed early, with Cameron Norrie and Harriet Dart both eliminated in the first round. Meanwhile, rising Turkish player Zeynep Sönmez fought back from a set down to defeat Ann Li 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 and reach the second round .

The opening day also saw players end their protest over prize money, agreeing to lift restrictions on media appearances after Wimbledon announced a record prize pool . The decision followed days of negotiations and reflects the growing influence of player power in shaping the sport’s commercial landscape.

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Articles

Serena Williams will make her return to singles tennis for the first time in four years when she steps onto Centre Court at Wimbledon on Tuesday, while Polands Iga Swiatek starts her title defense u.afp.com/SKwE

bluesky_AFP English · about 2 hours ago

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cnbc · about 2 hours ago

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il fatto quotidiano · about 2 hours ago

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telegraph · about 3 hours ago

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bbc sport · about 3 hours ago

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die presse · about 3 hours ago

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bbc sport · about 3 hours ago

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bluesky_AFP English · about 4 hours ago

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bluesky_The Guardian · about 4 hours ago

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japantoday · about 4 hours ago

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japantoday · about 4 hours ago

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postimees · about 4 hours ago

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protothema · about 4 hours ago

TV tonight: warm up for Wimbledon with this lively look at tennis legends

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bbc sport · about 4 hours ago

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bbc sport · about 4 hours ago

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japantoday · about 5 hours ago

Sinner says he was lucky to escape unscathed after Wimbledon fall reut.rs/4wmYqLj

bluesky_Reuters · about 5 hours ago

Djokovic sees off inspired Wu to reach Wimbledon second round reut.rs/4v68vex

bluesky_Reuters · about 5 hours ago

Sinner and Sabalenka answer doubters on Wimbledon Day one Naomi Osaka impresses with her outfit and performance, while British hopes are dashed on first day of championship.

aljazeera · about 5 hours ago

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protothema · about 5 hours ago

Sinner avoids scare to start Wimbledon defence with a win Jannik Sinner overcomes a scary slip and an injured foot to come from behind to beat Miomir Kecmanovic in five sets to progress from the first round at Wimbledon 2026.

bbc sport · about 6 hours ago