Can anyone stop Sinner? Champion begins Wimbledon defence with Alcaraz out

LONDON, June 29 — Jannik Sinner starts his bid for a second successive Wimbledon title today, while Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka also take centre stage as the grass-court Grand Slam swings into action.

Twelve months after Sinner and women’s champion Iga Swiatek captivated Wimbledon with their respective triumphs, the All England Club storylines are richer and more varied than ever.

From Serena Williams’ astonishing return after four years in retirement to Djokovic’s relentless pursuit of Grand Slam history, not forgetting Sabalenka’s challenge for her first Wimbledon crown, the stars will be firmly in the spotlight over the next fortnight.

Sinner ended Carlos Alcaraz’s two-year reign as champion with a dynamic display of power hitting in the 2025 final.

That dramatic showdown, coming so soon after their epic French Open final, was expected to set the stage for a sustained period of dominance by the pair at Wimbledon.

But with 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 Wimbledon trophy.

The world number one is bidding for his fifth Grand Slam title and his first since his maiden victory at the All England Club last year.

But the 24-year-old Italian arrives in south-west London with a few concerns to banish.

He hasn’t reached a Grand Slam final this year and crashed out of the French Open in the second round, blowing a two-set lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo as he wilted in the stifling Paris heat.

For the first time in his career, Sinner has stayed away from the Wimbledon warm-up events, but he is confident the gamble will pay off.

“I feel good. I think grass is very different surface obviously. If you play a tournament before here, maybe it’s not going the way you would like to, you come here with some doubts. If you don’t play any tournament, you don’t have these doubts, you just go and play,” said Sinner, who will open this year’s Centre Court action against Serbian world number 51 Miomir Kecmanovic.

‘Truly inspirational’

In Alcaraz’s absence, seven-time Wimbledon champion Djokovic will be one of Sinner’s main rivals.

Djokovic, who opens his campaign against China’s Wu Yibing on Centre Court, is taking inspiration from fellow veteran Serena as he targets another slice of tennis history.

The 39-year-old Serb is chasing an all-time record of 25 Grand Slam singles titles among men and women.

Williams’ remarkable comeback aged 44 -- motivated by a desire to play in front of her two young daughters -- prompted him to seek out the American legend this week.

“For her to come back after years of being absent from the tour, two children later, and to give so much effort too, not just for her own satisfaction is remarkable,” Djokovic said.

“I told her that whatever happens, what she’s doing is truly inspirational for me personally, I’m sure for millions around the world.”

Djokovic’s most recent Wimbledon triumph came four years ago, he hasn’t won any Grand Slam since 2023 and no man of his age has won a major title in the Open era.

And as the sands of time run out on Djokovic’s transcendent career, he knows Wimbledon’s fast courts, which shorten draining rallies, offer him the best conditions to win that elusive 25th Grand Slam.

“I was planning to peak at Wimbledon after the injury of the shoulder that kept me away from the tour for several months,” he said.

“I have a very good score here, some history. That gives me, of course, a higher dose of confidence.”

Elsewhere on Wimbledon’s opening day, women’s world number one Sabalenka faces Serbia’s Teodora Kostovic.

Sabalenka is a four-time Grand Slam winner but the Belarusian has never reached the Wimbledon final.

Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva, the newly crowned French Open champion, meets Poland’s Magda Linette.

Serena’s eagerly-anticipated first match at Wimbledon in four years comes against Australia’s Maya Joint tomorrow. — AFP