Jannik Sinner might be the top-seeded men's player at Wimbledon 2025, but he isn't the favorite to win the event. That goes to Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning two-time champion. Sinner has not yet proven to be great on grass courts.
Just don't ask fellow Italian Luca Nardi about that. Nardi might not be a top-ranked player, but he can be a dangerous one. He defeated Novak Djokovic, arguably the greatest tennis player ever, at Indian Wells in 2024. Sinner was not going to take him lightly, however.
The two had never faced each other on the ATP tour, so there was no advantage for the other knowing they had beaten their opponent. This might explain why the first set was so tight. Sinner was feeling out exactly what Nardi was going to try to do.
Jannik Sinner easily moves on to second round at Wimbledon 2025
Still, after each held serve through the first nine games, Sinner got a break to take the first set 6-4, winning the final game with a wicked forehand that few other players are capable of pulling off.
Sinner got another break of Nardi in the second game of the second set as Sinner held with ease to take a 3-0 lead, ending any potential drama that might unfold. Nardi was seemingly not going to get close to breaking his countryman. Sinner won the set 6-3.
The third set was even less close as Sinner got two successive breaks and led 4-0 before Nardi had a real chance to settle in. Nardi then fell behind love-40 in his next service games, and by this points, things were just ugly for him. He missed easy forehands, and seemed lost. Sinner held to take the third and final set 6-0.
The ATP No. 1's serve is going to need to be consistent throughout Wimbledon, even more so than on other surfaces. On grass, it is more difficult to get in and out of the corners, so a dominant serve can carry a player to a title. Though Sinner has 19 career titles, only one has come on grass, and he also has his lowest winning percentage on the surface.
Nardi didn't help himself, though. He had more double faults than aces, and more unforced errors than winners. Perhaps he was trying to hit bigger due to Sinner's elite ability to move around the court, but it wasn't working for him. To be fair, nothing probably would have.