Defending champion Jannik Sinner is in trouble to start his Wimbledon defence, with the men’s No 1 trailing Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic on Centre Court in what is his first competitive match since last month’s shock second-round French Open exit.
Meanwhile, Jack Draper has pulled out of Wimbledon just 24 hours before he was due to play his first-round match, citing a recurrence of the painful arm injury which has hampered him over the last 12 months.
He had been scheduled to play Taylor Fritz on Centre Court on Tuesday but now joins compatriot Emma Raducanu, who pulled out of Wimbledon late Sunday night after confirming an injury “niggle” in her lower right leg “developed into a stress fracture”.
It marks the second time in four years that Raducanu has missed her home grand slam due to injury, while Draper’s withdrawal is another major setback for a player who was seeded fourth this time last year but has subsequently been ravaged by injuries.
After Draper and Raducanu’s withdrawals, several British players will have the chance to shine on day one, including men’s No 1 Cameron Norrie and women’s No 3 Fran Jones. There were early defeats, though, for Harriet Dart, Mika Stojsavljevic, Felix Gill and Max Basing.
Follow latest scores and updates from Wimbledon, below:
Jannik Sinner in trouble on start of Wimbledon defence
This is not what Jannik Sinner wanted to start his Wimbledon defence. We’re approaching two and a half hours, the sun has just come out from behind the clouds, and he will need to win two consecutive sets to beat Miomir Kecmanovic, who is looking confident and with nothing to lose.
Could we see the unthinkable here? For the second Sinner match in a row? 1-1 to start the fourth as Sinner puts a drop shot into the net.
Miomir Kecmanovic wins the third set to lead Jannik Sinner!
Winner down the line for Miomir Kecmanovic! Now it’s his turn for set point! Sinner can’t find a serve, hitting lets!
Long point… SINNER GOES LONG! Kecmanovic wins the third set and leads the defending champion!
Jannik Sinner and Miomir Kecmanovic serve up a treat
Incredibly, it’s Miomir Kecmanovic who is out-hitting and out-lasting Jannik Sinner in the rallies! In the third-set tiebreak, Kecmanovic wins two points in a row to lead 5-4.
Sinner responds with a forehand winner and an ace to get to set point….. UNREAL! What a rally, perhaps point of the tournament! Sinner was scrambling left and right, but Kecmanovic is there to put the volley over!
Sinner and Kecmanovic exchange a high-five. 6-6!
Jannik Sinner and Miomir Kecmanovic serve up a treat
Incredibly, it’s Miomir Kecmanovic who is out-hitting and out-lasting Jannik Sinner in the rallies! In the third-set tiebreak, Kecmanovic wins two points in a row to lead 5-4.
Sinner responds with a forehand winner and an ace to get to set point….. UNREAL! What a rally, perhaps point of the tournament! Sinner was scrambling left and right, but Kecmanovic is there to put the volley over!
Sinner and Kecmanovic exchange a high-five. 6-6!
Cameron Norrie heading to a fifth set
This has been impressive stuff from Michael Zheng, the American who is making his Wimbledon debut today as a qualifier against British No 1 Cameron Norrie.
And the American, still in college at the age of 22, wins the fourth set to enter the fifth. Norrie loves a five-set epic. But he has a real fight on his hands here!
Miomir Kecmanovic holds against Jannik Sinner
At 5-5 in the third set, that was a huge hold of serve from Miomir Kecmanovic. Jannik Sinner was unable to convert his break points and the defending champion has made almost 40 unforced errors so far. Can he escape to win the third set?
Jelena Ostapenko ends Harriet Dart’s tournament
“I know I’m probably not the one you wanted to win but thank you guys, it was a really nice atmosphere,” Ostapenko says.
“First rounds are always tough especially when you play someone from here. I probably was not playing my best but I think it really matters when you win the match not playing your best. I’m proud of the way I fought today, it was a bit of a rollercoaster.
“I feel like I’m angry inside in a good way,” she adds when asked about how she used the crowd’s support for Dart to fuel her. “You guys should support me the next match!” she laughs.
She’ll play either Antonia Ruzic, Emma Raducanu’s original opponent, or Darja Semenistaja in the second round.
Harriet Dart out of Wimbledon
That was some fightback by Harriet Dart after shipping the first four games and needing a medical timeout in between. But it all comes to an end as Ostapenko breaks one more time, another winner just kissing the line as she wins 6-3 3-6 6-4 in two hours and 26 minutes.
Dart covers her face with a towel and puts up a hand to the crowd in acknowledgement as she leaves. That’ll be a bitter disappointment after she fought so well.
Jannik Sinner not looking comfortable on Centre Court
Jannik Sinner is learning about the difficulty of opening play on Centre Court. The defending men’s champion has fallen a couple of times after losing his footing on the grass, and has not looked overly comfortable after getting back to his feet.
Miomir Kecmanovic has been steady, though. It’s on serve in the third set, and Sinner is serving to stay in it.
Harriet Dart in deciding set
On Court 1, Harriet Dart is locked in an almighty tussle against Jelena Ostapenko.
From 4-2 down the Brit has fought back to 4-4, but both are struggling on serve and this feels absolutely on a knife edge.
The crowd are absolutely behind Dart though and Ostapenko – famously quite a combustible character – has been quite het up all match, shouting at her box when things go wrong.
