World number one Jannik Sinner avoided an early exit at Wimbledon, rallying from two sets down to defeat Miomir Kecmanovic 4-6 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 6-3 in a three-and-a-half hour battle on Centre Court. The Italian showed signs of rust early, committing 10 unforced errors in his first eight games and struggling with an awkward fall during the third set.

Blood seeped through Sinner's shoe from a problematic toenail, adding to concerns after his recent collapse at Roland Garros where he lost to Juan Manuel Cerundolo despite leading by two sets and 5-1. Ranked 50th, Kecmanovic pushed the defending champion deep, recovering from 3-0 down in the third-set tie-break before forcing a fifth set.

Sinner raised his level when it mattered most, finishing with 31 aces and 72 winners while committing just 10 of his 52 unforced errors in the final two sets. His victory preserved his record as the strong title favourite with Carlos Alcaraz sidelined through injury.

The win sets up a second-round clash with Portugal's Nuno Borges, giving Sinner valuable match practice after skipping grass court warm-up events. He improved his poor recent five-set record to avoid becoming only the third defending men's champion to lose in the opening round.