Jannik Sinner’s defence of his Wimbledon crown begins on Monday under the shadow of a physical breakdown that stunned Roland Garros. The world No. 1, leading by two sets and 5-1 in the third against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, was overcome by cramps in sweltering Paris heat and lost in five. The images of an apathetic Sinner being helped off court prompted a thorough medical review in Milan, which, Italian media report, found no underlying condition. All tests, Sinner said, were “very good”. He then skipped the traditional grass-court warm-up events, a calculated gamble to rest and recalibrate rather than risk carrying doubts from a poor result into the Championships.

In a press conference at the All England Club, Sinner revealed that he and his team have made “small changes” to his physical preparation, focusing on longer, uninterrupted sessions to simulate match stress. “We are happy with what we are doing. It’s a long process and we won’t see the results here,” he said, declining to elaborate on specifics. British observers note that the heat rule at Wimbledon—triggered when the heat stress index reaches 30.1C—could offer a safety net, but Sinner insisted the Paris episode was not solely about the weather. “It was nothing against the heat,” he said at the time. “It was just me today.” The forecast for the opening days is cooler, with temperatures around 26C, but the broader trend of rising summer extremes across Europe remains a concern for players and organisers alike.

Sinner will open play on Centre Court against Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic, a familiar opponent he has faced before. The Italian, who turns 25 in August, arrives without a competitive grass match this season, yet he framed the lack of match play as an advantage: “If you don’t play any tournament, you don’t have these doubts, you just go and play.” His main rival, Carlos Alcaraz, is absent with a wrist injury, and Novak Djokovic, a potential semi-final opponent, is seeded seventh. Viewed from Rome, the path to a second consecutive Wimbledon title appears open, but Sinner’s camp stresses the difficulty of early rounds on grass, where rhythm is hard to find.

The Italian’s press conference, lasting just over ten minutes, also saw him sidestep questions about a simmering player protest over prize money distribution. Reports from European media indicate that players plan to limit post-match media appearances to 15 minutes during the first week, a symbolic gesture against the roughly 15% of Wimbledon revenue allocated to prize money. Sinner, however, kept his focus on the court. “I am here to play tennis,” he said. His immediate task is to navigate a tricky opener and build momentum on a surface where he holds a 20-4 career record. The first test comes Monday at 1.30pm local time.