From Sinner to Serena: The most exciting first-round matches at Wimbledon

[h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/kecmanovic-m-MTQ5CPOR/sinner-j-6HdC3z4H/?mid=jJmsWr9E"]Jannik Sinner vs Miomir Kecmanovic[/a][/h2][p]After his physical collapse at Roland Garros, world number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sinner-jannik/6HdC3z4H/"]Jannik Sinner[/a] has largely recovered. His preparation for Wimbledon was minimal: only one exhibition match in Hurlingham against Cameron Norrie (6-3, 6-3) was on the schedule.[/p][p]As the defending champion, he is, of course, the man to beat again in 2026. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kecmanovic-miomir/MTQ5CPOR/"]Miomir Kecmanovic[/a] has faced the South Tyrolean four times so far and has lost every time.[/p][image alt="Given the current heatwave, Sinner needs to pay close attention to his fitness" id="4a3e2b13-3347-47b5-ba44-4ed1d84342c8" credit-line="Reuters / Andrew Couldridge" guid="184f9001-d384-4a7d-a991-800aaa4ca3fa" original-width="1230" original-height="820" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/blockx-a-xll0TzGG/zverev-a-dGbUhw9m/?mid=GKukMMct"]Alexander Blockx vs Alexander Zverev[/a][/h2][p]After [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zverev-alexander/dGbUhw9m/"]Alexander Zverev[/a] finally broke his Grand Slam curse at the French Open and claimed his first major title, he now wants to make a splash at Wimbledon as well. However, grass has not been his favourite surface so far.[/p][p]With [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Carlos Alcaraz[/a] absent, Zverev is seeded second. His first-round opponent is Belgian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/blockx-alexander/xll0TzGG/"]Alexander Blockx[/a], currently ranked No. 37 in the ATP rankings. In their previous two meetings, Sascha won both without dropping a set.[/p][image alt="Zverev and Blockx at their last meeting in Rome" id="e683acdf-568d-4571-8b24-825b7108c7d6" credit-line="Reuters" guid="ffa21b38-c53e-434d-bbe4-3a39afc071d8" original-width="1400" original-height="933" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/djokovic-n-AZg49Et9/wu-y-8ASNvPfK/?mid=rFXgSbJ0"]Wu Yibing vs Novak Djokovic[/a][/h2][p]It seems far from unrealistic that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/djokovic-novak/AZg49Et9/"]Novak Djokovic[/a] could secure his 25th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon and thus extend his own record. With another title, the Serbian veteran would also tie Wimbledon record-holder Roger Federer (eight titles).[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wu-yibing/8ASNvPfK/"]Wu Yibing[/a] is a massive underdog against the 39-year-old. The Chinese player has never made it past the first round at Wimbledon. For the world number 99, this is his first meeting with Nole.[/p][image alt="Djokovic doesn't let up" id="8d1071b4-0cf4-4248-a8af-55739e0a2674" credit-line="Reuters / Stephane Mahe" guid="d1eedb42-8b85-4fee-af2e-7e3f8d88adb1" original-width="2140" original-height="1479" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/draper-j-SWxNhpmK/fritz-t-UH09iaZ6/?mid=j7FnUKll"]Taylor Fritz vs Jack Draper[/a][/h2][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fritz-taylor/UH09iaZ6/"]Taylor Fritz[/a] boasts an outstanding serve and is considered one of the best grass-court players in the world. After reaching the semi-finals last year, the American faces a tough opening challenge at Wimbledon.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/draper-jack/SWxNhpmK/"]Jack Draper[/a] is gradually returning to top form after several persistent injuries. At the warm-up tournament in Eastbourne, the 24-year-old Brit made it to the semi-finals. He is a real crowd favourite and can count on strong support from the stands. In head-to-head, Draper leads 3-2.[/p][image alt="Draper was injured in his knee and left hitting arm, but has recovered" id="d10434a7-ea6d-4380-8cd8-b8f6fc8e5834" credit-line="Reuters / Isabel Infantes" guid="2d38cc56-d261-4db4-8f58-f723a9088c87" original-width="1230" original-height="804" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/cilic-m-nLoK5syL/medvedev-d-O8qG0Nhb/?mid=WKmHVC8e"]Marin Cilic vs Daniil Medvedev[/a][/h2][p]Veteran [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cilic-marin/nLoK5syL/"]Marin Cilic[/a] is known as a hard-court specialist, but the 37-year-old Croatian has also proven himself on grass, as his run to the Wimbledon final in 2017 shows.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/medvedev-daniil/O8qG0Nhb/"]Daniil Medvedev[/a], on the other hand, crashed out in the first round at the All England Club last year. The current world number nine faces a very tough opening hurdle. In their head-to-head, the Russian leads 4-1.[/p][image alt="Most recently, Medvedev lost to Daniel Altmaier in Halle" id="2ccb52e2-1d0e-49a0-8620-23a84622bb6a" credit-line="REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer" guid="44e81309-3520-41d3-8140-bab09117da3f" original-width="1230" original-height="816" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/berrettini-m-OhwtM7N8/wawrinka-s-Uo9lu6le/?mid=lUastHY7"]Stan Wawrinka vs Matteo Berrettini[/a][/h2][p]The farewell tour of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wawrinka-stan/Uo9lu6le/"]Stan Wawrinka[/a] continues. The 41-year-old Swiss will once again compete in the main draw at Wimbledon thanks to a wildcard, which is absolutely understandable given his three Grand Slam titles.[/p][p]Italian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/berrettini-matteo/OhwtM7N8/"]Matteo Berrettini[/a] returns to the site of his greatest success so far. In 2021, he reached the final at the grass-court classic. However, he lost their only previous meeting, an exhibition match in Saudi Arabia in 2022, to Wawrinka. They have never played each other on the ATP Tour.[/p][image alt="Berrettini should never be underestimated on grass" id="7cdb4850-f83b-4f46-b8b7-a91bf0ec2aa4" credit-line="Reuters / Stephanie Lecocq" guid="06474240-31db-487b-88ee-cea0ef0f65f2" original-width="2767" original-height="1900" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/swiatek-i-jNyZsXZe/townsend-t-Y9jUuHka/?mid=CG8xIzSr"]Taylor Townsend vs Iga Swiatek[/a][/h2][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/swiatek-iga/jNyZsXZe/"]Iga Swiatek[/a] is considered an absolute clay-court specialist, but last year she stormed to the Wimbledon title. Currently, the former world number one is struggling with a dip in form and has yet to win a trophy this year.[/p][p]Nevertheless, the 25-year-old Pole is still among the favourites. Her first opponent is [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/townsend-taylor/Y9jUuHka/"]Taylor Townsend[/a]. For the 30-year-old American, it is her first meeting with Swiatek.[/p][image alt="Swiatek won last year's final against Anisimova 6-0, 6-0" id="c661b833-9e22-44d3-b123-89e0185d6a16" credit-line="ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA / The Mega Agency / Profimedia" guid="2390936f-39e9-4f24-a090-db0d45e11ac3" original-width="1400" original-height="933" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/kostovic-t-Mep3VSso/sabalenka-a-vyhksgUB/?mid=fJxFV3vQ"]Aryna Sabalenka vs Teodora Kostovic[/a][/h2][p]Things look very clear in the match between world number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Aryna Sabalenka[/a] and Serbian qualifier [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kostovic-teodora/Mep3VSso/"]Teodora Kostovic[/a].[/p][p]However, the underdog could benefit from the fact that Sabalenka doesn't feel particularly comfortable on grass. She has never won a title on grass, and at Wimbledon, the Belarusian has never made it past the semi-finals.[/p][image alt="Sabalenka finally wants to win the title at Wimbledon" id="bb22bafc-ae43-4455-a50a-e82585c53f00" credit-line="Reuters / Andrew Couldridge" guid="cfafbd08-bfc9-4170-9ab5-53fc09716a2f" original-width="1500" original-height="1000" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/gauff-c-f5BXmEH6/korpatsch-t-KhTa5tH1/?mid=txt5D4Is"]Tamara Korpatsch vs Coco Gauff[/a][/h2][p]Wimbledon has not been a happy hunting ground for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gauff-coco/f5BXmEH6/"]Coco Gauff[/a] so far. She has consistently failed to get past the round of 16. Disappointingly, the 22-year-old lost her only warm-up match, falling to Paula Badosa in Berlin (6-1, 2-6, 2-6).[/p][p]As a result, Hamburg native [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/korpatsch-tamara/KhTa5tH1/"]Tamara Korpatsch[/a] can realistically hope for an upset. Grass is not the 31-year-old's favourite surface, but she performed well at the most recent Grand Slam in Roland Garros, reaching the third round. Still, Gauff remains the clear favourite.[/p][image alt="Gauff is not a grass-court specialist" id="fd8096b5-2501-4d41-bb49-0ea7d320d236" credit-line="Reuters / Fabrizio Bensch" guid="0ff8cded-d56b-4be9-b4d8-2e0954e6dbab" original-width="1230" original-height="832" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/joint-m-AqLslEIk/williams-s-ttsu68nH/?mid=00707pEN"]Serena Williams vs Maya Joint[/a][/h2][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-serena/ttsu68nH/"]Serena Williams[/a] has avoided a blockbuster clash in her singles comeback for now. Still, the 44-year-old faces a tough challenge. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joint-maya/AqLslEIk/"]Maya Joint[/a] is considered a rising talent on the WTA Tour.[/p][p]The 20-year-old Australian is likely to make life very difficult for the 23-time Grand Slam champion. However, Williams can count on the crowd's support - seven titles have certainly left their mark at Wimbledon.[/p][image alt="Williams has so far only played doubles, here alongside Muchova" id="0321e0a1-d430-4d35-a444-3553b8438e0e" credit-line="Reuters / Fabrizio Bensch" guid="ce195a29-c090-4d44-8fef-42bd97d1945d" original-width="1230" original-height="823" /][h2]View the full [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/tennis/atp-singles/wimbledon/"]men's draw at Wimbledon here[/a], and the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/tennis/wta-singles/wimbledon/"]women's here.[/a][/h2]