Jannik Sinner explains the game with blood on his shoe after a nasty fall at Wimbledon

Jannik Sinner insisted there was no cause for concern after a bleeding leg threatened to overshadow his gritty opening-round win over Miomir Kecmanovic at Wimbledon 2026 on Center Court on Monday (June 29).

The defending champion fought from two sets to one beat the Serb 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-3 in a thrilling contest for three hours and 30 minutes and avoided what would have been one of the biggest upsets of the opening day.

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The dramatic moment came in the third set when Sinner slipped behind the baseline while changing directions and injured his toe. Blood seeped through his white shoe, causing concern among spectators as the world number one continued without a lengthy medical break.

Having already lost the opening set and then a third-set tiebreak, Sinner refused to let injury derail his title defense and roared back to dominate the final two sets.

‘It was just a nail’

Despite the alarming scenes, Sinner dismissed injury concerns after the match.

“No, no, I’m good. It just looked a lot worse than it really was. I’m actually very surprised they let me play on because of the all-white dress code, it got a little red. It was just a nail,” Sinner said during his on-court interview.

The Italian also explained why he chose not to stop the game for treatment, despite the visible bleeding.

“I didn’t want to disturb Miomir because I think we both had a really good rhythm. It was a great match from both of us and I didn’t want to take any time from him. Everything is good. Thank you,” he added.

Sinner’s reaction on the court reflected the resilience that defined his season. After Kecmanovic overcame a third-set tiebreak to move within a set of victory, Sinner raised his level to take the fourth set before an even picture emerged in the decider. He relied on a superb serve, finishing with a career-best 31 aces and controlling key baseline exchanges to take the fifth set.

Sinner will face Portugal’s Nuno Borges in the second round, looking to follow up another breakout event that has cemented his reputation as one of the toughest competitors on the ATP Tour.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

June 29, 2026 10:43 PM IST