Jannik Sinner, the world number one and defending Wimbledon champion, is set to open his 2026 title defense against Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic on June 29 at the All England Club [1, 2, 3].

Sinner’s build-up to Wimbledon follows a shock early exit at the French Open in May, where he lost in the second round despite leading by two sets and 5-1 in the third. That loss ended a 30-match winning streak dating back to February, during which Sinner claimed five consecutive Masters 1000 titles [4, 5, 6, 7, 3].

Physical and heat-related issues, including cramps, were cited as factors in his dramatic collapse at Roland Garros. Tennis great Mats Wilander said, "It's just a physical issue. He played a lot in the two months leading up to Roland Garros with little recovery...Now I see he is rested, so we will see him in great shape when he returns... but at Roland Garros, I think that he had a better chance. Grass can always be tricky" [4]. Andy Roddick added, "I don't hate that he didn't make the semi-finals of Roland Garros... I guarantee you, he knows this is his shot... Djokovic's going 'Hmmm, I could be the best grasscourt player at this tournament'" [4].

Since his French Open loss, Sinner has undergone health tests and adjusted his training to better prepare for hot playing conditions expected at Wimbledon. He said, "All tests were really good, even though we are very sure we need to practise in hotter conditions... Every year it's getting warmer and warmer. So it's a very important topic, but at the same time I'm happy with the work we're doing" [1]. He also told reporters, "You cannot simulate 100% what you feel in a match... But we did some changes. It's a long process... I'm very happy with the work we did in the last 2-1/2 weeks" [2].

Last year’s Wimbledon runner-up Carlos Alcaraz will miss the tournament due to a wrist injury, removing one of Sinner’s main rivals [4, 3]. Novak Djokovic, who seeks his eighth Wimbledon title to tie Roger Federer and 25th Grand Slam overall, remains a top contender despite an early French Open exit himself. Djokovic and Sinner are slated to meet again in the Wimbledon semifinals, a rematch of last year’s semifinal which Sinner won. Sinner leads Djokovic 6-5 in their head-to-head prior to Wimbledon 2026 [3].

Alexander Zverev, this year’s French Open champion, is also among the favorites for the title [4, 6, 8, 3].

Sinner has declined to comment on players’ unrest over prize money distribution at Grand Slams. Some players plan to limit post-match media appearances to 15 minutes during the first week of Wimbledon to symbolize these concerns [1, 2].

Wimbledon 2026 officially begins on June 29, with all eyes on Sinner’s opening match against Kecmanovic to see if he can regain his top form.