Sinner drops first set on Wimbledon day one as Norrie and Dart play
Jannik Sinner began his Wimbledon title defence on Centre Court on Monday, 29 June 2026, but dropped the opening set 6-4 to Miomir Kecmanovic as Britain's Cameron Norrie and Harriet Dart also took to the grass on day one at the All England Club. Sinner was chasing a quick response in the second set while home fans tracked Norrie on No 2 Court and Dart against Jelena Ostapenko on Court One.
Day one of the 2026 Championships delivered immediate drama for the defending men's champion. Sinner opened proceedings on Centre Court against Serbia's Kecmanovic, with top seed Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic scheduled later on the show courts.
Key Takeaways
- Jannik Sinner lost the first set 6-4 to Miomir Kecmanovic in his Wimbledon title defence opener on Centre Court.
- British No 1 Cameron Norrie won the first set 7-6 (9-7) against Michael Zheng but dropped the second 6-2 on No 2 Court.
- Harriet Dart recovered from a 3-6 first set to take the second 6-0 against Jelena Ostapenko on Court One.
- Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu both withdrew before their scheduled first-round ties because of injury setbacks.
- Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic were still due on Centre Court later on Monday's opening day.
How did Sinner start his Wimbledon title defence?
Sinner opened Centre Court on the first Monday of Wimbledon 2026 as the defending men's champion. He faced Kecmanovic in a first-round tie that quickly turned tense when the Serbian broke late in the set.
According to live updates, Sinner looked to be finding rhythm at 4-3 before double faults and baseline errors opened the door. Kecmanovic punished a string of mistakes to seal the opener 6-4, handing Sinner the first set defeat of his title defence.
The Italian responded in the second set, breaking early and moving ahead as he tried to steady his serve. The shaky start made his opening match the headline act on day one at the All England Club.
How are Britain's Norrie and Dart faring?
Home interest on Monday centred on Cameron Norrie, Britain's number one, and Harriet Dart on the outer courts. Norrie faced American Michael Zheng on No 2 Court and took the opener 7-6 (9-7) after a tight tie-break.
The momentum shifted in the second set as Zheng levelled the match 6-2. Norrie's task was to reset quickly in a best-of-five opener that can swing on small margins at SW19.
On Court One, Dart fell 3-6 to Ostapenko in the first set but roared back to win the second 6-0. That turnaround kept British hopes alive in her first-round meeting with the Latvian.
What else stood out on Wimbledon day one?
Monday's schedule also promised star power later on Centre Court, with Sabalenka opening her campaign against Teodora Kostovic before Djokovic faced Yibing Wu. US fourth seed Jessica Pegula had already advanced, while Britain's Mika Stojsavljevic, Felix Gill and Max Basing suffered first-round defeats.
Off court, injury news dominated British headlines. Jack Draper withdrew after a relapse of the arm injury that had sidelined him for much of the past year, pulling out of a widely anticipated first-round meeting with Taylor Fritz scheduled for Tuesday.
Emma Raducanu also withdrew with a stress fracture, removing her from a planned Court One tie against Antonia Ruzic. For more live sports coverage, see our Celebrity Breaking News hub.
Why does Sinner's opening set matter?
A slow start rarely ends a Wimbledon campaign for a top seed, but it raises the stakes early for Sinner. The Italian is defending his All England Club title and carries heavy expectation on the grass.
His first-set loss to Kecmanovic was a reminder that even the defending champion can look vulnerable on day one. How Sinner closes out the match will shape the narrative around his defence before Sabalenka, Djokovic and the rest of the draw push on through the fortnight.
For full live scores and updates, follow the BBC Sport Wimbledon live blog.