Top seed Sinner eases into Wimbledon second round
Unfazed by the searing heat, Sinner barely broke sweat in a 6-4, 6-3, 6-0 victory lasting just one hour and 48 minutes on Court One.
'I'm very happy to come back here to such a special place for me,' Sinner said.
'Playing an Italian is very unfortunate but one has to go through and luckily it was me.'
Sinner last week insisted his surprise decision to part with two of his coaching staff on the eve of Wimbledon would not affect his bid to win the tournament for the first time.
He opted to move on from Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio, his trainer and physiotherapist, as he looks for a new direction following his painful French Open final loss to Carlos Alcaraz.
The pair had been employed by Sinner since September 2024, helping him retain the Australian Open crown in January and reach the Roland Garros showpiece in June.
Asked if the decision might jeopardise his Wimbledon challenge over the next fortnight, Sinner was adamant it would be beneficial, with coaches Simone Vagnozzi and Darren Cahill still on his staff.
On the evidence of his dominant display against Nardi the world number one, who returned from a three-month doping ban in May, will be just fine regardless of the coaching shake-up.
'We worked a lot after Halle (grass-court tournament) on the serve and in important moments I felt I was serving very well,' Sinner said.
'First matches are never easy, so I'm very happy with the performance. It's a new tournament, new challenges.
'If you don't enjoy to play on these courts, I don't know where you will enjoy. I will try to keep going.'
Sinner has won three of the past six Grand Slams, but the 23-year-old blew a two-set lead and wasted three match points as Alcaraz staged a comeback for the ages to win the French Open final.
Sinner has failed to reach the Wimbledon final in his four visits, with a last-four appearance in 2023 ranking as his best effort.
The Italian's Wimbledon preparations were also dented by a shock last-16 defeat against Alexander Bublik at Halle.
Playing world number 95 Nardi for the first time, Sinner had little trouble dispatching the 21-year-old in his first Grand Slam match since that bitter defeat at Roland Garros.
Sinner recently released a duet titled Polvere e Gloria, which means Dust and Glory, with renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli.
The Italian will hope he continues hitting all the right notes in his Wimbledon title bid.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
13 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Wimbledon's AI judges receive mixed reviews from players and fans
LONDON, July 2 — The All England Club's decision to replace line judges with artificial intelligence technology at Wimbledon has received mixed reviews from players and fans alike. This week has marked the first time the tournament has been played without meticulously dressed judges determining whether the ball is in or out. The 300 line judges have been cut to 80 who are instead assisting chair umpires and interceding should the latest Hawk-Eye Electronic Line Calling (ELC) system, fail. The system uses AI to analyse footage from up to 18 cameras to track the progress of the ball and decide if it is in or out. Sally Bolton, the Chief Executive of the All England Club, said the new system was brought in to ensure the calls were accurate and not to cut costs. 'It's not a money-saving exercise; it's about evolving the tournament and making sure that we're providing the most effective possible line calling,' she said. World number one Jannik Sinner told a press conference after his victory over fellow Italian and close friend Luca Nardi: 'As tennis tries to get better for the umpire it's very difficult to see, especially when first serves are over 200km per hour, so it's very difficult to see in a small space if they're in or out, so for sure the technology helps, especially here on grass.' However, other players found problems with the technology. On Monday, China's Yuan Yue complained that the system was too quiet for her to hear its decision. There were small protests outside the grounds against the technology, while some fans expressed sadness about the absence of line judges — a tradition that goes back to the 1870s - and the drama that often accompanies a player's challenge. 'Tennis is a physical sport, but it's also a mental game and at a professional level I think that idea of challenging a call is really part of the game,' Jess from Oxford told Reuters. 'As a spectator when they review the footage and everybody is clapping, and it's the whole thing that this decision comes out and there's uproar or whatever. 'It's sad that part of the atmosphere is gone, because you can't challenge the calls now. It's AI, it's resolute.' Ivan from Northern Ireland raised concerns that the technology may have some teething problems. 'It was strange not having a line judge. We watched a game on Court Two and a couple of times a ball from where we were sitting, which was close to the line, was out. 'The player pointed to it and stopped and looked to the umpire, and he just ignored it, and the player accepted it. But I expected to see the replay. 'There were a couple of other times when it was obviously out and obviously in and the replay came up. So the replays were not consistent.' — Reuters
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
British amateur Tarvet eyes Wimbledon upset against Alcaraz
BRITISH amateur Oliver Tarvet is preparing for the match of his life as he takes on two-time Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz in the second round. The 21-year-old, ranked 733rd in the world, has already earned £99,000 ($136,000) from his qualifying run but must navigate strict amateur rules to keep his US college eligibility. 'I've got to find £60,000, £70,000 of expenses. Tennis is an expensive sport. So, hopefully, I can make that happen. Just pay my coaches a little bit extra. I don't know. We'll figure something out. Fly business class!' Tarvet said. Despite his underdog status, he remains confident. 'I'm quietly confident that I can win against anyone. Alcaraz isn't an exception to that.' Meanwhile, British number one Emma Raducanu faces a tough test against 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova. Raducanu, still managing a back issue, has tempered expectations. 'I don't expect much,' she admitted. Vondrousova, fresh from winning the Berlin Open, is relieved to be pain-free. 'When you are playing with pain, it's crazy. You just think about it all the time,' she said. Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, making his Wimbledon debut, is drawing inspiration from Roger Federer. 'His style, his slice, coming to net, chip and charge. It was complete. That's what I want,' said Fonseca after his straight-sets win.
Free Malaysia Today
3 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Top seed Sinner eases into Wimbledon second round
Jannik Sinner has won three of the past six Grand Slams. (AP pic) LONDON : Top seed Jannik Sinner eased into the Wimbledon second round today, brushing aside fellow Italian Luca Nardi in straight sets. Unfazed by the searing heat, Sinner barely broke sweat in a 6-4, 6-3, 6-0 victory lasting just 1 hour and 48 minutes on Court 1. 'I'm very happy to come back here to such a special place for me,' Sinner said. 'Playing an Italian is very unfortunate but one has to go through and luckily it was me.' Sinner last week insisted his surprise decision to part with two of his coaching staff on the eve of Wimbledon would not affect his bid to win the tournament for the first time. He opted to move on from Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio, his trainer and physiotherapist, as he looks for a new direction following his painful French Open final loss to Carlos Alcaraz. The pair had been employed by Sinner since September 2024, helping him retain the Australian Open crown in January and reach the Roland Garros showpiece in June. Asked if the decision might jeopardise his Wimbledon challenge over the next fortnight, Sinner was adamant it would be beneficial, with coaches Simone Vagnozzi and Darren Cahill still on his staff. On the evidence of his dominant display against Nardi the world No 1, who returned from a three-month doping ban in May, will be just fine regardless of the coaching shake-up. 'We worked a lot after Halle (grass-court tournament) on the serve and in important moments I felt I was serving very well,' Sinner said. 'First matches are never easy, so I'm very happy with the performance. It's a new tournament, new challenges. 'If you don't enjoy to play on these courts, I don't know where you will enjoy. I will try to keep going.' Sinner has won three of the past six Grand Slams, but the 23-year-old blew a two-set lead and wasted three match points as Alcaraz staged a comeback for the ages to win the French Open final. Sinner has failed to reach the Wimbledon final in his four visits, with a last four appearance in 2023 ranking as his best effort. The Italian's Wimbledon preparations were also dented by a shock last 16 defeat against Alexander Bublik at Halle. Playing world No 95 Nardi for the first time, Sinner had little trouble dispatching the 21-year-old in his first Grand Slam match since that bitter defeat at Roland Garros. Sinner recently released a duet titled Polvere e Gloria, which means Dust and Glory, with renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli. The Italian will hope he continues hitting all the right notes in his Wimbledon title bid.
