Djokovic, Sinner Eye Wimbledon Third Round Berths

Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov (R) speaks with Italy's Jannik Sinner (L) after getting injured during their men's singles fourth round tennis match on the eighth day of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 7, 2025. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE

Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner will look to avoid another scare when they return to action in the second round of Wimbledon on Wednesday after surviving difficult opening matches.

Djokovic’s pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam singles title began with a hard-fought victory over Wu Yibing, and the Serbian admitted he had to dig deep to progress.

“I was really hanging on the ropes in the fourth. I probably should have lost that set to be honest,” he said.

Advertisement

“I managed to fight and stay focused till the end. It’s one of these matches that we have to dig deep.”

The 39-year-old, who is bidding to become the oldest men’s Grand Slam champion in the Open era, will face Stefanos Tsitsipas on Centre Court.

Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner. Credit: Channels TV.

Djokovic has won his last 11 meetings against Tsitsipas, including victories in the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open finals.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner also endured a nervous start after recovering from a two-sets-to-one deficit against Wu Yibing following an awkward fall that left him with a bloodied foot.

The world number one, playing his first match since a surprise second-round exit at the French Open, will next face Portugal’s Nuno Borges.

In the women’s draw, French Open champion Mirra Andreeva will take on former Wimbledon winner Barbora Krejcikova.

The pair previously met at Wimbledon in 2023, when Krejcikova retired injured with Andreeva leading 6-3, 4-0.

Andreeva, now 19, arrives at the All England Club as a Grand Slam champion after winning the French Open, while Krejcikova has slipped to 38th in the world rankings following an injury-hit season.

Elsewhere, Naomi Osaka defeated Russia’s Anastasia Gasanova 6-3, 6-2 to reach the second round.

“Tomorrow is my daughter’s birthday and I just wanted to be here for longer,” the Japanese star said.

“I didn’t want to make her get on a plane on her birthday so I was really happy with today.”

Osaka will face either Janice Tjen or Daria Kasatkina as she seeks to reach the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time.

Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko also advanced after defeating Antonia Ruzic and will next meet either world number one Aryna Sabalenka or McCartney Kessler.

Author

  • Toyibat Ajose

    Toyibat is a highly motivated Mass Communication major and results-oriented professional with a robust foundation in media, education, and communication. Leveraging years of hands-on experience in journalism, she has honed her ability to craft compelling narratives, conduct thorough research, and deliver accurate and engaging content that resonates with diverse audiences.

Share the Story
Advertisement

Keep Up to Date with the Most Important News

Weekly roundups. Sharp analysis. Zero noise.
The NewsCentral TV Newsletter delivers the headlines that matter—straight to your inbox, keeping you updated regularly.