Jannik Sinner returns to Wimbledon as the defending champion, stepping onto grass for the first time since lifting the trophy at last year’s Championships. It marks the first time the Italian has arrived at The All England Club without playing a tour-level grass-court event beforehand, but despite the differing build-up, the 24-year-old says he feels fully prepared to defend his crown.
“I feel good,” Sinner said in his pre-tournament press conference on Saturday. “I think grass is a very different surface. You come here trying to do your best. At the same time, if you play a tournament before here, maybe it’s not going the way you would like to, you come here with some doubts. If you don’t play any tournament, you don’t have these doubts, you just go and play.
“Last year I lost second round in Halle. I came here and I played very well. Every year is different. I try to have as much confidence as possible in my shots and in my abilities. First rounds, they’re always going to be very tough. I know that mentally. We are preparing in the best possible way.”