In a match lasting two hours and 58 minutes on Court 1, Jannik Sinner, currently ranked as world number one, secured his first win in a Major tournament by defeating Yannick Hanfmann with a score of 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Jannik had previously reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon last year where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic. With his recent triumph at the ATP 500 event in Halle, Jannik is determined to make an even stronger impact in the upcoming two weeks at Wimbledon.
The Italian player served 16 powerful aces and dominated the German with their first serve. Sinner encountered difficulties in sets two and three, as he struggled against 11 break points and lost serve twice in the third set. Hanfmann may have won the set, but was unable to push for a final set, as Sinner had five break point opportunities and Hanfmann lost serve four times, resulting in his defeat.
Yannick put up a strong fight against the top-ranked player in the world, recording 44 successful shots and committing 38 unintentional mistakes. On the other hand, Jannik managed his shots with greater accuracy, scoring 47 direct points and making 30 unforced errors.
In the first game of the match, Sinner won after a deuce with a strong serve. Hanfmann then followed with a solid hold in the next game, resulting in the score being tied at 1-1.
In game three, Jannik was able to secure a deuce on the return, despite the German’s efforts. Yannick managed to save a break point in the fourth game with a powerful service winner, and then sealed the game with a delicate volley winner, tying the score at 2-2.
In the sixth game, Sinner made a strong effort to return the ball, resulting in two opportunities to break the opponent’s serve due to their weak forehand. The top-ranked player seized the first chance with a forehand shot across the court, gaining a 4-2 lead. They then solidified their advantage by hitting a volley winner in the following point.
At a score of 5-3, the Italian player had the opportunity to win the first set. After the German player made a mistake with their forehand, the Italian won the set in 38 minutes. In the second set, both players held their serves well until the German player made a mistake with their forehand at 1-1, giving the Italian player a chance to break.
Jannik Sinner has begun his Wimbledon campaign with a successful start.
The sinner made a powerful forehand shot which resulted in a winning point, putting them in the lead and establishing a significant lead.
Out of nowhere, the top-ranked player made a careless drop shot in the following game, resulting in his opponent having three opportunities to break his serve. However, Jannick managed to nullify these chances and ultimately won the game at 3-1 after a couple of deuces. Hanfmann then secured the fifth game after a few deuces and showed strong performance on his return in the next game, determined to regain the break.
Yannick created two opportunities to break serve, but Jannik managed to defend them with impressive shots. He maintained his calm and finished the game with an ace, making the score 4-2. Sinner secured the eighth game with a cleverly placed volley that resulted in a winner, while Hanfmann kept the set alive by serving an ace in the following game.
The top-ranked player in the world was serving for the set at 5-4 and successfully hit a service winner to earn three set points. Sinner took advantage of Hanfmann’s mistake on a forehand shot and gained a 6-3, 6-4 lead after one hour and 24 minutes, getting closer to winning the match.
At the start of the third set, Yannick stepped up his game and managed to break Jannik twice, giving himself an advantage. In the second game, Sinner made a mistake with his forehand and was subsequently broken after hitting another forehand wide.
The German player solidified their lead by serving an ace in the third game and then continued to dominate on the return in the following game. Hanfmann hit a backhand winner, securing his second break in a row and establishing a 4-0 lead. Sinner managed to break back in the fifth game, but still faced difficulties with his initial serve at 1-4.
The Italian wasted opportunities to win the game and faced three chances of being broken. However, Jannik managed to prevent this and secured the game with a successful shot at the net, keeping the lead to just one break. In the seventh game, Yannick maintained his advantage by hitting a volley winner, even though he slipped a little but fortunately did not sustain any injuries.
In game eight, Sinner managed to prolong the set with a hold, but Hanfmann ultimately sealed the set with a winning volley at 5-3. This reduced the overall deficit after a duration of two hours and eight minutes.
The picture above shows Yannick Hanfmann at Wimbledon in 2024, captured by Julian Finney from Getty Images Sport.
With a roof above them, the Italian player performed admirably in the fourth set, maintaining the pressure on their opponent.
The first game was sealed by the top-ranked player with a service winner, gaining a 2-1 lead with a powerful smash. In the fourth game, Hanfmann faced a major setback as he failed to keep up with the opponent’s pace, missing four game points.
Jannik prolonged the match and capitalized on his opponent’s error to earn a break opportunity. Sinner capitalized on Hanfmann’s mistake, gaining a crucial break and taking a 3-1 lead. The top-ranked player won the fifth game with ease, edging closer to victory with a service ace.
Yannick maintained communication with a solid grip in the sixth game, but was unable to defend against the offensive play in the following game, as Sinner held his position at 15 and secured a 5-2 lead. In the eighth game, Hanfmann served an ace, narrowing the gap and anticipating a potential comeback in the next game. However, Sinner responded with a backhand winner, finalizing the victory and progressing to the second round.
