Injury scare for Jannik Sinner ahead of second round at Wimbledon 2026
Sinner kickstarted his title defense with a hard-fought five setter win over Miomir Kecmanovic.
Defending champion Jannik Sinner was supposed to begin with a statement win. Instead, it began with a fall, a bloody shoe, and an unexpected five-set battle that had Centre Court holding its breath for the better part of three hours and thirty minutes.
Sinner, the overwhelming favourite for the title after Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal through injury, was made to fight hard to open his account at Wimbledon 2026, by Miomir Kecmanovic, and the World No. 1 made it considerably harder for himself.
The Italian came back from a 1-2 set deficit to eventually win 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-3, but had he not done so, it would have been his second straight early exit at a Grand Slam, following his shocking second-round defeat at Roland-Garros.
The match’s defining moment came in the third set. Sinner suffered a spectacular slip on the Centre Court grass midway through the set, remaining on the ground for a few moments before resuming play without calling for the trainer.
What followed was far more alarming as blood began seeping visibly through his white Nike trainer throughout the remainder of the match, prompting immediate concern from the commentary box.
Sinner, though, showcased tremendous sportsmanship spirit, as he never once called the trainer and never showed a flicker of distress.
After the match, he laughed it off in his on-court interview, joking that he was amazed the umpires had allowed him to keep playing given that his all-white outfit had turned “a little red,” before clarifying it was simply a nail issue and that he was feeling fine.
Sinner will now turn his attention to fixing his foot ahead of his second-round match against Nuno Borges on Wednesday, and while his insistence that the injury is minor will be taken at face value for now, his medical team will be monitoring the situation closely.
Focus will also be on improving his accuracy, and reducing the unforced error count, as the Italian hopes to once again return to winning ways. His next match against Portugal’s Borges will be held on July 1 at Centre Court.
What injury did Jannik Sinner suffer in the opening round at Wimbledon 2026?
During his match against Miomir Kecmanovic, Sinner slipped and fell midway through the third set and later blood was seen seeping visibly through his white Nike trainers.
Did Jannik Sinner win his first-round match at Wimbledon 2026?
Yes, he did win. But the defending champion needed to fight back from 1-2 down to defeat Kecmanovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-3.
Will Jannik Sinner be fit for his second-round match against Nuno Borges on Wednesday?
While there is no confirmation on the extent of the injury, Sinner brushed away any major concerns post his victory, saying that it was simply a “nail issue” and that he “was feeling fine.”
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Aniruddh Seshadri Iyer is a passionate sports journalist at Khel Now, specializing in tennis and Olympic sports. An engineer by training, he found his storytelling passion through iconic Grand Slam and Olympic moments. Known for sharp analysis and insightful coverage, he draws inspiration from Novak Djokovic’s resilience. Outside journalism, he enjoys reading, traveling, and playing the guitar.