WIMBLEDON — The defending champion was bleeding through his right shoe, his pristine white trainer stained red, and he trailed by two sets to one on Centre Court. For a moment, it looked as though Jannik Sinner might become the first defending men's champion to lose his opening match at Wimbledon since Lleyton Hewitt in 2003.
Instead, the world No 1 fought back to beat Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic in five sets, dropping just five games in the final two sets after the blood first appeared late in the third. The source of the blood was a broken nail — not a serious injury — but the sight of the crimson-soaked shoe had the crowd fearing the worst.
“Jannik Sinner played on with a bloodied foot to overcome Miomir Kecmanovic in a five-set Wimbledon thriller.”
“I’m surprised they let me keep playing,” Sinner joked on court afterwards, referencing Wimbledon’s strict all-white dress code. “All white turned into a little red. It’s just a nail and I didn’t want to disturb Miomir. I think we both had good rhythm. I didn’t want to take any time [out]. It’s all good.”
His decision to play on without a medical timeout drew appreciation from the crowd, who had sensed a rare upset on the opening day. Sinner had not played a competitive match on grass since lifting the trophy last year, and the rust showed. He slipped several times at the back of the court, and one nasty fall left him wincing in the third set. The cobwebs and nerves were compounded by the occasion.
“It was a very different feeling,” Sinner said. “There is a lot of nerves when you go down the stairs, also mentally knowing it’s such a prestigious and historical court. Coming back here as defending champion means a lot to me even though every year is different and every year can be very tough. To win the first one, of course we want to aim for a couple of improvements for the next match, but I can be very happy.”
No player had practised on Centre Court in the build-up to the grand slam, leaving the surface green and pristine as Sinner and Kecmanovic walked out. The Italian had not played since his shock second-round loss at the French Open, but he steadied himself after the blood appeared, winning the fourth and deciding sets with authority. The scare is over, but the defending champion’s route to a second title looks far from straightforward.