“I haven’t called him ‘Sir’ yet. That’s not gonna happen. Andy is truthfully one of my biggest inspirations…” Draper said in his on-court interview after his win over Marcos Giron.

Murray was knighted in 2016 for his contribution to the sport while representing the Union Jack. In an era dominated by the seemingly invincible Big Three, Murray was able to snag three Majors, two Olympic golds, and the year-end No.1 ranking — not bad for a man who overcame two major hip surgeries. The Briton’s tale had a visible impact on his protégé.

Draper started well against Giron, winning the first set 6-4 in clinical fashion. With a 5-2 lead in the second set, it looked like a forgone conclusion in favor of the Brit, but he got broken and went 1-3 down in the tiebreak. This is where the young Brit showed his ability to “win ugly” and secure the victory, something for which he gave Murray the credit, and not without reason.

Problem-solving and gritting out matches through defensive masterclasses were Murray’s specialties. The British player notched several victories throughout his career with his style, including winning his first Major at the 2012 US Open. Against a formidable Novak Djokovic in the final, Murray played patient tennis and maintained a high level of baseline accuracy. He beat the Serb, earning his first Grand Slam and becoming the first British man to win the title in 76 years.

Murray employed the same tactic against Fernando Verdasco the following year at Wimbledon, beating the Spaniard after losing the first two sets. That win served as the catalyst for his eventual triumph over Djokovic in the final. But while the magnitude of Murray’s wins can be revisited in many ways, Draper will hope to imbibe the grit that made them possible.

Jack Draper on having Andy Murray in his coaching box

“I haven’t called him ‘Sir’ yet. That’s not gonna happen . Andy is truthfully one of my biggest inspirations…”

“Today’s performance was a bit like what he used to do, wining ugly” pic.twitter.com/zsfUOj8W9v

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 22, 2026

With Murray himself admitting that Draper is “a quick learner” and “a more complete player” than he had expected, the collaboration seems more focused on the mental side. Draper already has a ferocious left-handed forehand and a solid serve, but to keep winning ugly would require long matches and superior athletic ability, both of which have been lacking in his game so far.

Jack Draper will look to make the most of it with Murray at helm

The budding partnership between Jack Draper and Andy Murray is not for a long period, as Murray has prioritized balance between family and coaching life. The tennis life is hectic enough, with a lot of travel to foreign locations, which the former three-time Major champion was not willing to entertain, given the hectic stint he had with Novak Djokovic last year.

“I really like Jack, and I wanted to help him when he asked if I could. But I was very clear about my limitations, said Murray in a Telegraph interview. “Traveling every week during the season is not feasible for me right now, and that’s why coaching positions are rare”.

On the technical side of things, Murray was impressed with Draper’s playing levels, despite coming back after a lengthy injury layoff. That’s why Murray emphasized the importance of getting matches under his belt to regain his physical conditioning and return to contention for the biggest events.

Murray was on point with the injuries that had struck Draper big time before the US Open last year, as he suffered a bone bruising before the New York Major, forcing him to withdraw in the second round. That injury left him sidelined at the Australian Open this year. He did play a few matches in Dubai, Indian Wells, and Miami, but just when he looked like getting into the rhythm, a knee injury in Barcelona saw him out of action at the French Open.

However, despite these injuries, Draper has shown glimpses of his ceiling, winning the title at Indian Wells last year and finishing runner-up at Madrid. He has also shown defiance against the sport’s current giants, having beaten Djokovic in a thriller at Indian Wells this year and Alcaraz twice in best-of-three-set matches.

With Wimbledon a week away, Draper will look to get as many matches in as possible without flaring up any old injury, as he will now face Jack Pinnington Jones in the second round in Eastbourne. He will be determined to improve his record at his home Slam, where he has never reached the third round.

The post ‘Not Gonna Happen’: Jack Draper Says He’s Not Going to Call Andy Murray ‘Sir’ After Comeback Victory appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“It’s neither here nor there if they gave me a wildcard. I love the tournament, but I am no more motivated to win matches here because I didn’t get the wildcard. A lot of people have run with that story. It’s untrue. I’m really happy that I ended up playing qualifying, to get a chance to come and play in this atmosphere,” Evans said. 

“I play tennis for myself, not to prove other people wrong, and I’ve done that throughout my career,” he added. The Wimbledon wildcard story had developed much more than what Evans had reported, and it wasn’t a story he wished to be a part of in his days as a pro. 

He still has a good relationship with the tournament despite the controversy. Evans was granted a doubles wild card with Henry Searle, whom he started pairing with in January, and admitted as much. 

“They gave me one in doubles and I am appreciative of that. It’s nothing to do with the All England Club giving or not giving me a wildcard.” That disappointment in June was real and publicly stated. However, on Monday, the Brit clarified he was not there at Roehampton to make a statement. 

The emotional weight of qualifying, however, was something Evans didn’t hide. He said the experience of playing in front of a packed house at Roehampton took him aback. 

“I was very nervous at the start and especially at the end. I made the decision to retire and I’m happy with that, but I’m not going to lie, in the matches on the grass, it’s been difficult to keep my mind on the job. I’m really happy and proud of how I’ve come through that,” he said. 

The nerves at Roehampton only increased the significance of his arrival at the tournament for a player who has reached the third round of Wimbledon three times, won two ATP Tour titles, and reached a career-high ranking of No.21. 

Evans will next face 28th seed Tristan Schoolkate of Australia, who beat Britain’s Johannus Monday 7-5, 6-3 in the first round. He needs to win two more qualifying matches to earn a place in the Wimbledon main draw for what would be the final singles appearance of his career. 

Evans’ qualifying run sets up a fitting farewell

The bigger story behind Evans’ qualifying bid is one that British tennis will be closely following. There was a feeling of the home side doing its bit on the first day of qualifying at Roehampton as Billy Harris, Oliver Tarvet, Paul Jubb, Max Basing, and Henry Searle all qualified for the second round.

The 36-year-old was the emotional centerpiece of that opening day, in front of a packed house, and carrying the burden of a retirement announcement, which has been the headline of every match he has played since he made it public. He won the 2015 Davis Cup with Great Britain and has represented his country in 28 Davis Cup ties. Whatever the All England Club’s thinking behind its decision about wildcards, the crowd at Roehampton on Monday made its feelings about Evans clear. 

In 2024, he gave up the 500 ranking points he had earned at the Washington Open to partner Andy Murray at the Paris Olympics in Murray’s final professional match. He wanted to honor and support his long-time compatriot. But the sacrifice contributed significantly to his ranking, sliding to world No. 297. It was a gesture of loyalty to British tennis over his own interests. That was the best demonstration of what Evans has been throughout his career. He did not ask for credit then, and he is not asking for it now.  

The post “Play Tennis For Myself”- Dan Evans Clears Stance on Slamming Wimbledon After Wildcard Snub appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Kyrgios was having problems with his right knee once again at the Mallorca Championships and took a medical timeout after the first set. The physio was seen treating the area around his knee. While Kyrgios’ strong serve somehow kept him afloat during the second set, Walton eventually got the crucial break that he needed. Despite the treatment, the 31-year-old was visibly struggling with his knee and was even hobbling between points. Two breaks of serve would be enough for Walton as he wrapped up the match in 73 minutes.

Kyrgios’ right knee has been a big problem for the past few years. He has undergone four knee surgeries since his high-flying 2022 grass-court season. That’s why he has been absent from the tour for long periods. The knee has also severely hampered his chances of making a successful return to tennis.

Adam Walton defeats Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 6-4 to reach the 2nd round in Mallorca.

Kyrgios will play only doubles at Wimbledon with Alexander Bublik.

But looks far from 100%. pic.twitter.com/JNYDJutgRC

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) June 22, 2026

Kyrgios could only rack up one singles victory during the season: the win over Moutet in the first round. He was eliminated in the second round with a 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 defeat against Sho Shimabukuro in Stuttgart. He was then scheduled to play Ben Shelton in the first round of the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle, but had to pull out just hours before the match.

The former World No. 13 had again sustained an issue on his right knee while training with his doubles partner Mattia Belucci. As a result, he had to withdraw from the doubles draw as well. Things worsened for Kyrgios as he wasn’t given a wildcard for the singles draw at Wimbledon.

The SW19 initially announced six names who will be given direct entry into the main draw of the men’s singles event. Many anticipated Kyrgios to get one of the remaining two wildcards, but Britain’s Harry Wendelken and Felix Gill got them instead.

However, Kyrgios will be in action on the iconic grass courts of London, as he has earned a wildcard entry into the men’s doubles draw. He will pair with Alexander Bublik for the tournament. But it is unclear whether Kyrgios will achieve match fitness before the Grand Slam, which starts on June 29.

Fans concerned after Nick Kyrgios’ early exit in Mallorca

A fan claimed, “Kyrgios’ knee has let him down his movements were actually good and better than the last match.”

Another fan was confident that Kyrgios had damaged his knee further during his clash against Walton. “His knee is cooked.”

One fan lauded Kyrgios for not hesitating to play in Mallorca even though he was not even close to being fully fit: “Hand it to him for going out there and trying.”

A fan urged Kyrgios to work on his fitness and also praised Walton for his impressive performance. “Tough one today Kyrgios. Get that body right mate. Credit to Adam Walton.”

One fan felt Kyrgios shouldn’t have played if he knew that he wasn’t fit enough: “Don’t know why is he even playing.”

Kyrgios will aim to conclude his grass swing on a positive note with a promising performance alongside Bublik in the doubles draw at Wimbledon.

The post “Tough One”: Nick Kyrgios’ Injury Raises Serious Concerns for Fans Days Ahead of Wimbledon appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“I think they just leave me alone with what I need to do,” he told Vogue in a June 22 interview when asked how his parents decide which events to come to and whether he’s superstitious about their early arrival. “I have my job, and they have their jobs, you know. I know what’s best for me and what I need to do. They know tennis, of course, but not as much as I do because they’ve never played.

“This is also just how we are as a family. We like to support each other, but we also give each other space. And when we’re at home, we never mention tennis—we always talk about different things.”

Despite being busy, Sinner’s parents have supported his dreams since he was 14, when he decided to pursue tennis as a career. They lead normal lives and thus stay away from the spotlight. They missed the 2025 ATP Finals to run their family guesthouse in the Italian Dolomites.

Sinner’s father, Johann, nicknamed Hanspeter, does not get the time to attend his matches, as he is a professional chef with over 40 years of experience. Even during Sinner’s five-hour, 29-minute epic battle with Carlos Alvarez at the French Open final, he was busy working at a restaurant in a ski lodge in the Dolomites. However, Jannik revealed in a 2023 interview with Tennis Channel that his father became his chef on his tour so that they could spend some father-son quality time together. Johann has attended a few of Sinner’s tournaments here and there but does not react much, sitting quietly in the player’s box.

Sinner’s mother, Siglinde, a former server, rarely attends his matches as she finds them highly stressful. She prefers walking and watching Sinner’s matches to sitting in the player’s box. That is why she walked out of Foro stadium during Sinner’s semifinal against Tommy Paul. She walked by the Tiber River to relieve her stress, waiting for the match to end.

Although Johann couldn’t reach Roland Garros, Siglinde was famously present, watching the match nervously from the stands. She became visibly emotional at one stage, as Sinner was on the cusp of his maiden triumph at the French Open. However, he failed to cross the finish line and wasted three match points, allowing Alcaraz to claw his way back and eventually lift the trophy. It was the finest French Open final of the modern era.

Siglinde was also at the Italian Open last month, but it proved to be too much for her.

Jannik Sinner’s mother left midway through his match against Daniil Medvedev

Sinner’s first real test at the Foro Italico came against Daniil Medvedev. After winning the first set comfortably, the Italian suddenly started suffering from health issues.

Sinner’s condition worsened as Medvedev took a 3-0 lead in the second set. He was struggling to catch his breath and appeared to suffer a panic attack during one of the changeovers. He started throwing up on the side of the court and could barely stand because of fatigue.

Siglinde couldn’t bear to see his son suffer so much and left the court somewhere during the second set. However, Hanspeter didn’t accompany her and continued watching the tense encounter from the player’s box.

Sinner lost the second set, but fought back brilliantly in the decider. After rain suspended play during the third set, the two players would return to the Campo Centrale the next day to complete their match. Despite giving it his all, Medvedev wasn’t able to break Sinner’s winning streak as he marched into the final with a hard-fought 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory.

The World No. 1 went on to rack up a comfortable 6-4, 6-4 win over Casper Ruud in the final and clinched his third title of the clay swing. This was his fifth title victory of the season and his sixth consecutive Masters 1000 title triumph. And despite health conditions and work commitments, both his parents were there to support him.

The post “They Just Leave Me Alone”- Jannik Sinner Addresses Absence of Family During His Matches Ahead of Wimbledon appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“At 44 years of age its much more difficult,” he said on his podcast Off Court with Greg Rusedski. “You have to win seven matches in two weeks. She doesn’t even have a warm-up tournament. Doubles, to be quite frank, is not a singles warm-up; it’s totally different.”

While Rusedski does believe that Serena isn’t well-prepared for her upcoming singles campaign at the SW19, he still stressed that underestimating her wouldn’t be a wise choice.

“With Serena you never know what to expect. We knew about the wild card for doubles, but looking at her training at Wimbledon in the last week she seemed focused exclusively on singles. I can’t make predictions. But if she has trained for six months; it means that she is taking it very seriously,” he added.

While Serena may have only played doubles since making her return a few weeks ago, it cannot be denied that grass remains Serena’s preferred surface. She has a win rate of 87% on the surface was considered as one of the best grass-court players of her generation. So, she still has the potential to rack up positive results at the Grand Slam.

Another thing that cannot be ignored is Serena’s sensational singles record at Wimbledon. She currently boasts a win-loss record of 98-14 and has won the coveted SW19 title on seven occasions.

The All England Club had already handed seven out of the eight wildcards for the women’s singles draw in the initial list itself, but they had deliberately kept the eighth spot open until Serena made her final decision. And their patience eventually paid off as Serena officially announced her singles return on Monday.

It wasn’t any surprise that Serena was handed the wildcard for Wimbledon. The All England Club is known to hand wildcards to former champions and recognizable names, who can bring an increase in the tournament’s viewership and can attract big crowds even if their ranking has dropped significantly.

But the singles draw won’t be Serena’s only concern at Wimbledon, as she will also be playing doubles alongside her sister, Venus Williams. This will be the first time since 2016 that the Williams sisters will be teaming up at the SW19. The two have won the doubles title on six occasions and have only recorded a total of three losses in the tournament so far.

As Serena prepares to make her first Grand Slam appearance after the long four-year hiatus, she has opted to train with a method that she has barely used in her career.

Serena Williams uses unusual training method to prepare

Serena had arrived at the All England Club a few days ago to train for her upcoming campaign at the SW19. However, in her practice session, she was spotted hitting alongside Maria Sakkari.

For the majority of Williams’ glorious career, she wasn’t known to practice with other players on the tour. She used to practice only with her coaching team and frequently used male hitting partners. Hence, this change in her preparation comes as a big change to many. Although during the start of her comeback talks, she was also spotted hitting with Alycia Parks, which means that this change is not specific to Wimbledon.

She comes with a star-studded and familiar coaching team by her side, and she was seen training with her coach, Rennae Stubbs, and hitting partner David Quayle while she was preparing for her recent doubles campaigns at the Queen’s Club and Berlin.

The post ‘Much More Difficult’: Serena Williams’ Wimbledon Comeback Raises Serious Doubts From Ex-Pro appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“If someone would have showed up at my house,” said the former pro speaking on the Served Podcast. “And my hour is 5 to 6, and they say, oh, you know what? I’m going to show up at 1 o’clock in the afternoon, I would say, get lost. Or I would call someone to say, hey, listen, I just want this on record. This is not the time.”

The American even explained the mechanics of the testing protocol, especially the whereabouts rules, from a player’s perspective. At the same time, he also acknowledged that it is indeed very stressful but time-bound.

“The way that it works when you’re a player is that you have to provide an hour to be tested, and you don’t know when that test is coming. You don’t know if you’re going to get tested back-to-back days. You don’t know if it’s going to be six months in between at-home tests. So during my career, it was 5 to 6 a.m. That was what you gave for every day period,” Roddick explained.

Vondrousova explained to the Board that she had acute stress, pointing to the home invasion suffered by her compatriot and Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in 2016 as the reason for her fear, but it was not enough. Following the ban, Vondrousova also penned a heartbreaking note detailing her side of the story.

Roddick was clear that the inflexibility of the testing window applies to both sides, and it’s this inflexibility that, in his opinion, is what makes or breaks the refusal by Vondrousova. Whether the tester came in before or after Vondrousova’s designated testing time is the basis of the entire case for her.

Roddick says his opinion hinges entirely on the timing

The former American world No. 1 was careful not to make any hasty assumptions and emphasized that his backing is based on facts that have yet to be independently confirmed outside of Marketa Vondrousova’s version of events. 

“What I want to know, and I think she said it wasn’t during the time allotted. If it’s not during the time that she had given or the hour that she had given, then they’re wrong. Vondrousova said it at this point, we have no reason not to believe what she’s saying,” he said. 

He then laid out the scenario that would change his mind entirely. “If they go outside of that, and let’s say her hour is 7 to 8 a.m. and someone knocks on her door at 8.30 at night, story is totally plausible. My opinion changes if it’s during the hour that she’s given. It’s that simple to me,” Roddick stated. 

The ITIA’s own declaration did not mention the timing as a point of contention. Instead, CEO Karen Moorhouse emphasized the importance of unpredictable testing to ensure the protection of clean sport. Roddick’s framing brings the focus directly back to that procedural detail, and until it’s clarified, the debate he has reignited remains unresolved.

The post ‘I Would Say, Get Lost’: Andy Roddick Breaks Silence on Marketa Vondrousova’s 4 Year Doping Ban appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“We don’t actually know for sure,” Arnaldi said while playing qualifiers at the Eastbourne Open. “I never did analysis or anything, but we think it was a virus or something, because on the day of the match, I wasn’t feeling okay, and then the day after as well, I wasn’t at my best, and then I flew back home. [I didn’t eat for] 2 full days, and breakfast in the morning. So it was pretty bad. I don’t know why.”

Unfortunately, back at the French Open, the story was sad, even from a non-Arnaldi fan perspective. After having dinner the evening before the SF, his condition suddenly became much worse. 

He started vomiting, couldn’t sleep properly, developed a fever, and every time he tried to eat or drink, he had to rush back to the washroom. Even a doctor from the clay court tournament was called to his hotel room to treat him. However, the medication only helped for a short period.

 

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A post shared by Matteo Arnaldi (@mattearnalds)

As the SF approached, the Italian was barely able to stand. Even then, he waited until the very last moment before the match against Flavio Cobolli, hoping his body would somehow recover in time. Sadly, his body never responded the way he hoped.

Now, when asked whether it was food poisoning or an illness, the 25-year-old pointed to the fever and chills while comparing to what happened at the Acapulco Open 2025, where several top ATP players became ill.  “It was something similar. Every time I would drink or I would try to eat, I would go vomit again. It wasn’t the best, but what can you do?”

Although he has now moved past that horrible Paris experience, the grass-court season has also not gone the way he wanted. 

Matteo Arnaldi voices frustration over playing ATP 250 qualifiers after French Open heroics

Just last month, the former world No. 30 found himself outside the world’s top 100. He had already accepted that a return to the Challenger Tour was probably unavoidable.

However, everything changed after his outstanding run at Roland Garros. Although the Parisian Slam ended in heartbreak, the on-court performance until the semis also earned admiration.

Now, the Italian is closing in on his once career-high ranking of world No. 30. Still, the transition was far from easy. Going from a Grand Slam SF to qualifying for an ATP 250 event in Eastbourne was not something he had expected. “It definitely wasn’t easy to go from the semi-final of Roland Garros to play qualies here. I had to use some mental strength,” the Italian said before facing Giles Hussey today.

He returned to action at the ATP 250 tournament on June 20th, while he still had to play qualifying matches. That unusual situation happened because the tournament’s entry deadline came while he was still outside the top 100. 

Despite the setback in Paris, the Italian has quickly shifted his focus towards the ATP Finals. At the moment, he sits at world No. 24 in the ATP Live rankings, which only counts points earned during this season. The top eight players qualify for the prestigious year-end event in Turin.

And with SW19 just around the corner, Arnaldi now has another big opportunity waiting. Do you think he can produce another deep Grand Slam run and move one step closer to qualifying for the ATP Finals? Share your thoughts below!

The post ‘Didn’t Eat for 2 Full Days’: 25YO ATP Pro Breaks Silence on Mysterious Illness That Ended His French Open Run appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Djokovic and Sinner will be headlining the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic. The event will be held from June 23 to 27 on the grass courts of the Hurlingham Club in London. While Djokovic will be taking on Karen Khachanov, Sinner will battle it out against Cameron Norrie in the first round. Both of these matches are scheduled for June 24.

The exhibition event has selected a pretty impressive lineup for its 32nd edition. Fans will be able to see some of the best players in action at the tournament, which concludes just two days before Wimbledon. For Djokovic and Sinner, this will be a great way to kickstart prepping for Wimbledon without the pressure of ranking points.

Aside from Djokovic and Sinner, the likes of Flavio Cobolli, Ben Shelton, Casper Ruud, Tommy Paul, Jiri Lehecka, and Stan Wawrinka will also be playing at the Hurlingham Club. The tournament will kick off with the clash between Learner Tien and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

The exhibition will also feature multiple tennis greats playing doubles. This includes the likes of Marcos Baghdatis, Mansour Bahrami, Michael Chang, Monica Puig, David Ferrer, Flavia Pennetta, and more.

Coming back, this tournament will provide some much-needed match practice for Djokovic and Sinner. Despite being an exhibition event, the two will be able to come up against high-ranked players, which will only help them in their preparations for Wimbledon. Both of them will be aiming to bounce back from their underwhelming French Open campaigns that came to an end last month.

Djokovic had suffered a shock defeat to Joao Fonseca in the third round of the Roland Garros. The Serb had comfortably been ahead by two sets at one stage but lost his composure in the third set as the young Brazilian mounted a terrific comeback. Fonseca dramatically won the match 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5.

On the other hand, Sinner had suffered from a similar kind of capitulation in the second round against Juan Manuel Cerundolo. The Italian appeared to be cruising towards victory after he had won the first two sets and was leading 5-1 in the third. It was here that he started feeling dizzy all of a sudden, and he also seemed to be in discomfort.

Cerundolo capitalized on his opponent’s misfortune and won 15 points in a row to get back into the contest. He then made light work of Sinner in the final two sets to win the match 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1. This was the Italian’s first defeat in over three months and brought an end to his 30-match winning streak.

An early exit at the upcoming SW19 would see both Djokovic and Sinner lose a massive number of points in the rankings. While the former had reached the semis last season, the latter had gone on to clinch the title. Both of them have been training hard for the Grand Slam that is set to begin on June 29.

How are Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner preparing for Wimbledon?

Like the last few years, Djokovic has been having private training sessions ahead of Wimbledon. He had recently landed at the All England Club to continue his preparations for the tournament.

As he had his first practice session before the SW19, Djokovic also caught up with his good friend, Aryna Sabalenka. The two were seen having a brief conversation at Aorangi Park before getting back to their respective training sessions.

On the other hand, Sinner had initially started his preparations for Wimbledon in Monte Carlo. He practiced on the hard courts instead of diving straight into the grass. The Italian had arrived at the All England Club a few days ago and was seen having a joint training session with Arthur Fils.

However, Sinner’s fans were left worried when he was seen practicing with a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) sensor attached to his left arm. It is a device that is used to track glucose levels in the body and helps in showing how glucose levels change throughout the day.

It remains to be seen how Djokovic and Sinner will fare at the upcoming Wimbledon Championships.

The post Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner Confirm Participation in First Grass Event Days Before Wimbledon appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“I haven’t played any matches on grass, so the first match—or the first few matches—are going to be difficult. But if I’m able to get through them, I know the confidence on grass can come back and the good feelings as well. At the moment, we’re just trying to get a good rhythm on grass, and then we’ll see how the tournament goes,” he said in an interview with Vogue.

Following his labored second-round exit against Juan Manuel Cerundolo at the French Open, questions were raised regarding his fitness. He arrived on a 30-match winning streak and was the overwhelming favorite to become the second man to win every significant annual trophy, after Novak Djokovic. Yet by the third set, he was a spent force, with his legs wobbling, followed by a request to vomit off-court. After the defeat, the Italian refused to blame the heat and sought refuge away from the court — adding a gap in his schedule.

Over the past two years, Sinner had prefaced his Wimbledon arrival with the Halle Open. The grass court served as a warm-up to the best-of-five sets event, and not without success. Sinner won the tournament in 2024 and reached the semi-finals last year before his triumph at the SW19. This year, however, a three-week break after Roland Garros meant he skipped all grass-court events before Wimbledon. Yet Sinner has refused to arrive with a cautious and meek game plan.

“I approach it in the same way,” he added. “I always say we don’t defend, we always try to go for it, and hopefully we can do that. I know it’s a long tournament. How I start is going to be very important.”

Jannik Sinner if returning to Wimbledon as the defending champion changes anything

“I approach it in the same way. I always say we don’t defend, we always try to go for it, and hopefully we can do that. I know it’s a long tournament. How I start is going to be very important.… pic.twitter.com/UqTEllW3KX

— jannik sinner files (@jannik_files) June 22, 2026

Having not played on grass this season, Sinner may have difficulty adapting to the surface’s demands. His playstyle doesn’t quite suit grass as he isn’t a serve-and-volleyer. On top of this, Sinner will have to adapt to the speed of the grass courts, which is significantly higher than that of clay. But as things stand, a statement performance is the need of the hour.

The 24-year-old’s main goal now will be to have another solid run at SW19, as an early exit would cost him a massive number of points. Sinner will be dropping 2,000 points when he enters the tournament. While he currently has a huge 3,990-point lead over Alcaraz in second place, he will look to increase that gap at Wimbledon.

Despite having no match practice, Sinner is optimistic about his chances in the tournament due to his revised training, but will that be enough?

Can Jannik Sinner repeat Wimbledon triumph?

Skipping grass court competitions ahead of Wimbledon may raise some doubts, but the Italian clearly had health issues to address.

“I feel good. We’ve worked a lot in recent weeks, so physically I’m in very good shape. I’ve played a lot these past months, so a good training period was really necessary for my body to regain strength, and I’ve recovered well,” he further said.

His methods have been extensive, with Frenchman Arthur Fils serving as his training partner at the All England Club. Fils has been on the sidelines since the Italian Open last month and is expected to make his return to the SW19. The two were recently spotted having a joint session, with Sinner also monitoring his progress — literally.

The Italian has been seen working with a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) sensor on his left arm. The device measures glucose levels and reveals spikes and drops throughout the day, adding another layer to his recovery. But there’s more to his return than training shifts, as Sinner can rely on past precedence.

The four-time Grand Slam winner currently has a phenomenal record of 20-4 at the Wimbledon Championships. Despite grass not being his preferred surface, he has delivered some sensational performances at the SW19 in the last few years. And he isn’t the only top player to turn away from grass court warmups.

Seven-time Wimbledon winner Novak Djokovic will arrive at the All England Tennis Club without any ATP grass-court tournament behind him. This isn’t new, with the mercurial Serb having only played at 2017 Eastbourne and 2018 Queens since 2011. He has historically prioritized recuperation before taking to the grass, believing in his ability to adapt across the first few rounds. Sinner might look to replicate that plan, with more than a title at stake.

A victory will add Sinner to another pantheon of greats. Only nine men have successfully defended their Wimbledon title, including his current peers, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic. With the Spaniard out and the Serb in the twilight of his career, the Italian might not get a better shot.

The post Days Ahead of Wimbledon Title Defense, Jannik Sinner Makes a Heartfelt Confession appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“One year after signing with WME, Ben Shelton has made the shock decision to exit for the boutique management firm Starwing Sports,” journalist Jessica Schiffer shared the news on X. “Jannik Sinner parted ways with them in 2025 after five years. Starwing has become somewhat notorious for overpaying clients upfront but not always delivering beyond that. I guess time will tell.”

However, since the criticism came out, Maria Sakkari, who has been with StarWing Sports for more than a decade, did not agree with that assessment. 

“That’s a pretty baseless claim. Starwing helped build one of the strongest brands in tennis with Jannik Sinner. I’ve been with them for over 10 years, and they absolutely deliver,” Sakkari commented.

One year after signing with WME, Ben Shelton has made the shock decision to exit for the boutique management firm Starwing Sports.

Jannik Sinner parted ways with them in 2025 after five years. Starwing has become somewhat notorious for overpaying clients upfront but not always…

— Jessica Schiffer (@jessicaschiffer) June 22, 2026

Schiffer, however, stood by her assessment as she replied that she had heard directly from players who later regretted signing with the firm. “I’ve heard firsthand stories of players regretting signing with them so it isn’t baseless. But there are of course exceptions and I’m happy to hear you’ve had a good experience,” Schiffer responded in the comments.

Meanwhile, the American top seed has officially moved to the boutique management agency StarWing Sports from WME. The 23-year-old will now be represented by the company’s CEO and founder, Lawrence Frankopan.

Frankopan is also well known for managing the Italian top seed Jannik Sinner for over five years. However, the 24-year-old eventually left StarWing and joined AVIMA Sports & Business Management in 2025.

Now the current Stuttgart Open winner begins a new chapter under Frankopan’s guidance. Following the public announcement of the move, the American ace also shared his own thoughts on the decision.

Ben Shelton shares his thoughts after joining StarWing Sports

With the move, Ben Shelton will now be represented by the new company alongside stars such as Maria Sakkari, Karen Khachanov, Stan Wawrinka, and Gaël Monfils, and the WTA icon Chris Evert. The change marks an important step in the American’s growing career.

“I’m excited to join StarWing Sports at such an important stage of my career,” Shelton added. “Their experience managing multiple Grand Slam champions and guiding players to world No. 1 speaks for itself, but what really stood out was their unique vision for helping athletes maximise their potential both on and off the court. I can’t wait to start this next chapter together.”

Over the last few seasons on the ATP Tour, Ben Shelton has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting talents in men’s tennis. And StarWing Sports was equally delighted to welcome a player of Shelton’s quality. 

“Ben is a unique talent with the potential to shape the future of men’s tennis,” CEO Lawrence Frankopan said. “His game, mindset and ambition set him apart, and we are thrilled to be part of his journey as he pursues major championships, establishes himself at the very top of the sport, and realises his ability to transcend the commercial space of tennis and become a global sporting and cultural figure,”

And on the court, after the QF loss at the Terra Wortmann Open, Ben now heads towards The Championships for the third Slam of the year. As he was eliminated from the Wimbledon QF last year, Shelton will be hoping for another strong run at SW19 this time as well. 

The post Ben Shelton’s Surprise Split Draws “Baseless” Claim From Maria Sakkari appeared first on EssentiallySports.