Sinner wasn’t at his best again but the world number one did just enough to beat Portugual’s Nuno Borges 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 in Wednesday’s second-round clash at the All England Club.
The 24-year-old Italian had narrowly avoided an embarrassing first-round exit when he fought back from two sets to one down to beat Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic on Monday.
Sinner was left bloodied against Kecmanovic by an awkward fall that injured his right foot.
The four-time Grand Slam champion did not appear impeded by that blow on his return to action in the second round, but he struggled to impose himself against the spirited world number 48.
“The second set was very tough. First couple of sets we were serving very well. These matches, where you don’t have a lot of control, I’m happy to win,” Sinner said.
“I didn’t do a lot of practice because the first match was very long.
“There’s a couple of things I need to improve. I felt some moments where I still need to get back to this rhythm.”
Sinner ended Carlos Alcaraz’s two-year reign as Wimbledon champion with a brilliant final victory over the Spaniard last year.
He is still some way from those lofty heights heading into his third-round tie against American world number 81 Jenson Brooksby.
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic produced a Wimbledon masterclass as the history-chasing star raced into the third round, demolishing Stefanos Tsitsipas in a 98-minute rout that served as a statement of intent to Sinner and the rest of his title rivals.
The seven-time Wimbledon champion won 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, hitting 33 winners and making just seven unforced errors.
Djokovic’s 104th match win at Wimbledon leaves him just one behind Roger Federer’s Open era record in the men’s singles.
He plays French 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech in the last 32.
In the women’s draw, Andreeva had arrived at the All England Club hailed as one of the sport’s rising stars after winning her maiden Grand Slam crown in Paris in June.
But the Russian teenager was unable to maintain the momentum from Roland Garros as Barbora Krejcikova recaptured the magic that inspired her unexpected Wimbledon title triumph two years ago.
The 30-year-old Czech, who also won the French Open in 2021, fought back for a dramatic 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory.
“What a match! It’s always been a huge fight against Mirra. She is such a young and unique player. I’m extremely proud I managed to win on this beautiful Centre Court, the best court in the world,” Krejcikova said.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka survived a tough second set to dispatch American McCartney Kessler.
The four-time Grand Slam champion won 6-1, 7-6 (11/9), securing a last-32 meeting with former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko.
“That was a true battle and I’m super happy that I was able to stay in that second set,” said Sabalenka.
Sabalenka has never won Wimbledon, losing in the semi-finals on each of her past three visits. (AFP)
