World number one Jannik Sinner made a commanding start to his Wimbledon campaign on Tuesday, dispatching fellow Italian Luca Nardi in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-0, in just one hour and 48 minutes on Court One.
Unbothered by the sweltering heat, Sinner barely broke a sweat as he booked his place in the second round.
“I’m very happy to come back here — it’s a special place for me,” Sinner said after the match. “Playing a fellow Italian is unfortunate, but one of us had to go through. Fortunately, it was me.”
The top seed’s dominant performance came just days after his surprising decision to part ways with long-time fitness trainer Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio, who had been with him since September 2024. The move followed his heartbreaking loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final, where he squandered a two-set lead and three match points.
Despite concerns the shake-up might derail his title bid, Sinner insisted the change was a positive step. He continues to work with coaches Darren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi.
“After Halle, we worked a lot on my serve,” Sinner said. “And in important moments today, I felt I was serving very well. The first match is never easy, so I’m happy with the performance. It’s a new tournament, new challenges.”
The 23-year-old, who returned from a three-month doping ban in May, is aiming to capture his first Wimbledon title. His best showing at the All England Club came last year, when he reached the semi-finals.
Sinner has now won three of the last six Grand Slam titles and began the season by defending his Australian Open crown. But his preparation for Wimbledon took a slight knock after a surprise last-16 loss to Alexander Bublik at the Halle grass-court event.
Facing world number 95 Nardi for the first time, Sinner showed no signs of lingering disappointment from Roland Garros. He dictated play with authority and dropped just seven games in total.
Off the court, Sinner recently collaborated with legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli on a duet titled Polvere e Gloria — Dust and Glory — a fitting metaphor as he seeks to turn heartbreak into triumph at SW19.
AFP
