Wimbledon 2026 Day One Recap

The opening day of Wimbledon 2026 didn’t fairly have the thrill that grass court docket tennis appeared to supply from yesteryear, however there was loads of drama, with defending champion Jannik Sinner surviving an enormous scare on Centre Courtroom earlier than finally battling previous Miomir Kecmanovic in 5 units.

Elsewhere, Novak Djokovic appeared ropey in his opener towards Yibing Wu earlier than successful in 4 units, whereas Andrey Rublev grew to become the best seed to fall after a five-set defeat to Roman Safiullin, who saved two match factors in a dramatic deciding-set tie-break.

It was additionally a depressing begin for the house contingent. British hopes had already taken a serious hit earlier than a ball was struck following Jack Draper’s withdrawal from the Championships, and issues solely worsened on court docket as Cameron Norrie suffered a shock five-set defeat to qualifier Michael Zheng. Felix Gill, Max Basing and Oliver Tarvet additionally exited.

In whole, 10 British gamers throughout the lads’s and ladies’s singles attracts exited on Monday (whereas taking residence a mixed £800,000 earlier than tax), leaving the house problem already, however considerably expectedly, trying significantly thinner.

Play was finally delivered to an in depth with two first-round matches nonetheless unfinished. Brandon Nakashima’s conflict with British wildcard Jack Pinnington Jones and the assembly between Jesper de Jong and Rinky Hijikata had been each suspended due to fading mild and can resume on Tuesday.

Day One Wimbledon 2026 Spherical of 128 Outcomes

Winner
Loser
Rating

Jannik Sinner [1]
Miomir Kecmanovic
4-6 6-3 6-7(6) 6-2 6-3

Nuno Borges
Tristan Boyer (Q)
6-3 7-5 7-5

Jenson Brooksby
Aleksandar Vukic
7-6(7) 6-1 6-1

Ignacio Buse [31]
Emilio Nava
7-6(3) 3-6 7-5 6-0

Rafael Jodar [23]
Felix Gill (WC)
6-3 6-3 7-5

Pablo Carreno Busta
Denis Shapovalov
6-3 7-6(7) Ret.

Shintaro Mochizuki (Q)
Max Basing (Q)
6-3 6-0 6-0

Ethan Quinn
Luciano Darderi [14]
7-6(7) 7-5 6-2

Hubert Hurkacz
Casper Ruud [11]
6-4 6-2 7-6(7)

Sebastian Ofner
Hamad Medjedovic
1-6 6-2 4-6 6-3 6-4

Soonwoo Kwon (Q)
Martin Landaluce
6-4 6-3 6-3

Tommy Paul [21] 
Alexandre Muller
6-1 6-2 6-1

Brandon Nakashima [28] /Jack Pinnington Jones (WC)
Brandon Nakashima [28] /Jack Pinnington Jones (WC)
TBF

Jan-Lennard Struff
Sebastian Baez
6-1 7-6(4) 4-6 2-6 7-5

Daniel Merida
Camilo Ugo Carabelli
4-6 3-6 6-2 3-0 Ret.

Daniil Medvedev [8]
Marin Cilic
6-1 6-2 6-4

Felix Auger-Aliassime [3]
Aleksandr Shevchenko
6-3 6-1 6-4

Adam Walton
Dino Prizmic
4-6 7-6(3) 6-4 6-2

Nicolás Mejía (Q)
Daniel Vallejo
4-6 6-4 7-5 7-6(2)

Michael Zheng (Q)
Cameron Norrie [26]
6-7(7) 6-2 6-7(2) 6-3 7-6(4)

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina [22]
Juan Manuel Cerundolo
6-4 6-4 7-6(2)

Fabian Marozsan
Thiago Tirante
7-5 6-3 6-4

Marton Fucsovics
Luca Van Assche
6-3 4-0 Ret.

Learner Tien [16]
Dalibor Svrcina
6-1 6-4 6-7(4) 6-3

Roman Safiullin (Q)
Andrey Rublev [12]
6-4 6-7(6) 3-6 6-3 7-6(12)

Botic van de Zandschulp
Aleksandar Kovacevic
6-3 6-7(2) 6-4 6-0

Jesper de Jong / Rinky Hijikata
Jesper de Jong / Rinky Hijikata
TBF

Joao Fonseca [24]
Roberto Bautista Agut
7-6(4) 6-4 6-3

Arthur Rinderknech [25]
Oliver Tarvet (Q)
7-6(4) 7-6(4) 4-6 7-5

Martin Damm
Marco Trungelliti
7-6(5) 6-7(5) 7-6(2) 7-6(5)

Stefanos Tsitsipas
Hugo Gaston (Q)
6-1 6-4 6-2

Novak Djokovic [7]
Yibing Wu
6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4

Key Match Recap

Jannik Sinner def. Miomir Kecmanovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-3 (3h 29m)

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner wanted 5 units to get previous a fired-up Miomir Kecmanovic in a tense Centre Courtroom opener.

The Serbian took the primary set and pushed Sinner laborious, particularly after Sinner had a worrying slip and fall at 2-2 within the third set however prevented any severe damage.

Sinner admitted he felt tight in his first official grass match of the yr after a protracted break post-Roland Garros. He hit 52 unforced errors however discovered his rhythm within the later units to shut it out.

Is it only a rusty begin, or is the Italian now trying beatable after trying invincible for the primary half of the season? Trendy-day grass courts won’t be like those of outdated, however in the course of the first week they’re nonetheless fairly slick and a number of these robot-type gamers battle to maneuver on them.

Subsequent up: Portugal’s Nuno Borges. It was a gritty escape moderately than an announcement, however the champion is thru.

I had my possibilities within the third set. I couldn’t use them… I attempted to remain there mentally, making an attempt additionally to benefit from the second as a result of it has been an incredible day for me and my crew… Coming right here, opening match on Centre Courtroom, it’s an enormous privilege. One fall is a tricky one as a result of you will get injured… Grass courts are like this. Particularly within the first couple of matches, when the grass may be very new, you slip a bit extra. I received fortunate there… I’m very glad nothing occurred Sinner on his First Spherical Win.

Roman Safiullin def. Andrey Rublev (12) 6-4, 6-7(6), 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(12) (3h 58m)

Roman Safiullin saved two match factors in a marathon final-set tie-break to knock out twelfth seed Andrey Rublev. 

I had Rublev going fairly far at SW19, however Safiullin has performed effectively at Wimbledon earlier than, so whereas it’s an upset, we all know Andrey can stumble early when he runs into the improper sort of opponent.

Novak Djokovic def. Wu Yibing 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 (3h 11m)

Djokovic’s twenty first Wimbledon started within the sunshine however ended beneath the Centre Courtroom roof in an entertaining night match that appeared prefer it was going to 5 units.

Wu performed fearlessly, hammering forehands and delighting the Pimms-fueled crowd who responded with loads of “Wuuuuuu” chants.

Djokovic confirmed his trademark resilience, saving a number of break factors within the fourth set and enhancing to 21-0 in Wimbledon first rounds.

Nevertheless, he didn’t look in nice nick, stretching his total physique between factors, and it didn’t appear to be his legs had been in sync together with his thoughts.

If it wasn’t for Wu gifting the final sport with two catastrophic errors, together with a reasonably routine overhead on match level, it might have been a Tuesday end for Djokovic because the 11 pm curfew would probably have come into play had the Chinese language compelled a deciding set.

Anyway, he’s by means of and can subsequent face Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Michael Zheng (Q) def. Cameron Norrie [26] 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-3, 7-6(10-4) (4h+)

Qualifier Michael Zheng produced the efficiency of his profession to beat British No. 1 Cameron Norrie on No. 2 Courtroom. The 22-year-old American fired 21 aces, stayed mentally robust by means of a number of tie-breaks, and sealed it in a match tie-break. Norrie’s Wimbledon run ends early once more.

Different Matches of Observe

Daniil Medvedev [8] def. Marin Cilic 6-1, 6-2, 6-4: Scientific and managed from Medvedev on No. 1 Courtroom. He barely put a foot improper in what most individuals assumed could possibly be a difficult opener towards the previous Wimbledon finalist.

Hubert Hurkacz def. Casper Ruud (11) 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(7): The previous semi-finalist appeared harmful on grass, dispatching the Norwegian in straight units. Ruud reveals zero curiosity in grass, which is moderately lame contemplating it’s the purest floor on the market.

Joao Fonseca def. Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(4), 6-4, 6-3: The 19-year-old Brazilian expertise (contemporary off a Roland Garros quarter-final) impressed in straight units towards the Spaniard who’s received grass pedigree. This was probably Bautista Agut’s ultimate Wimbledon look earlier than retirement.

Rafael Jodar def. Felix Gill (WC) 6-3, 6-3, 7-5: The 19-year-old Spaniard (twenty third seed) made a assured tour-level grass debut, successful in straight units towards the British wild card. One to observe.

Tommy Paul (21) def. Alexandre Muller 6-1, 6-2, 6-1: Dominant and environment friendly from the American who ought to fancy a deep run.

Stefanos Tsitsipas def. Hugo Gaston 6-1, 6-4, 6-2: Snug straight-sets win for the Greek who has break up together with his father as coach. In all probability required if he has any ambitions of returning to the highest.

Nuno Borges def. Tristan Boyer 6-3, 7-5, 7-5: Units up an intriguing second-round conflict with Sinner.

Highlights

Wimbledon 2026 Day 2 Spherical of 128 Matches