The reigning Wimbledon champion returns to the All England Club under unusual scrutiny. After months of near-total dominance, Jannik Sinner arrives with an air of invincibility that has begun to fade, leaving the world No. 1 eager to prove he can once again dictate play on grass and fend off a chasing pack led by Novak Djokovic.
Sinner looked virtually untouchable during a commanding clay-court season before physical issues derailed his French Open campaign last month, raising fresh questions about whether he can maintain his highest level when the pressure is greatest at Grand Slam tournaments.
Now, the tour's fastest surface offers the 24-year-old a chance to reset. Yet with Sinner opting to skip all grass-court tuneup events ahead of Wimbledon, which begins Monday, rivals will be watching closely for any signs that the Italian remains vulnerable.
Despite the disappointment in Paris, where his 30-match winning streak dating to February came to an end, seven-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander believes Sinner remains the player to beat, particularly with Carlos Alcaraz sidelined through injury.
"It's just a physical issue," Wilander told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"He played a lot in the two months leading up to Roland Garros with little recovery and little opportunity to train hard, so he found himself without energy.
"Now I see he is rested, so we will see him in great shape when he returns. But at Roland Garros, I think he had a better chance. Grass can always be tricky."
Perhaps no player looms larger over Sinner's title defense than Djokovic, whose movement and return on grass make him a leading contender. The Serb will be chasing his eighth Wimbledon title to equal Roger Federer's record.
More significantly, Djokovic will also resume his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, with time running short for the 39-year-old to achieve the milestone during the twilight of his illustrious career.
Djokovic was another early casualty at the French Open, but three-time Wimbledon finalist Andy Roddick said the Serb cannot be dismissed from the title conversation at the All England Club, where he last lifted the trophy four years ago.
"This is a real shot. I don't hate that he didn't make the semifinals of Roland Garros. I guarantee you, he knows this is his shot," Roddick said on his podcast.
"He's taken a picture of the landscape of tennis. Obviously, Sinner is still going to be Sinner, but Djokovic is going, 'Hmmm, I could be the best grass-court player at this tournament. Am I in my prime? Probably not. Am I good enough?'
"I don't know. If I'm in Team Novak, I can convince myself of that reality pretty easily."
If form is the deciding factor, Alexander Zverev will take confidence from his French Open triumph and long-awaited Grand Slam breakthrough as the 29-year-old looks to carry that momentum onto grass.
"Is he suddenly the favorite at Wimbledon? For me, yes," Zverev's fellow German and six-time major champion Boris Becker told Eurosport.
"Alcaraz is injured, and with Sinner, no one knows how he'll return. Sascha has the serve for grass-court tennis, and with that you're already in the semifinals.
"Of course, he has to adapt, but he has what it takes to triumph at Wimbledon."
While Alcaraz's absence has left a significant gap in the draw, removing one of the few players capable of dominating on grass after his triumphant runs in 2023 and 2024, it has opened the door for a wider group of contenders.
Among the chasing pack, Americans Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe have the weapons to trouble the top players, while Roland Garros runner-up Flavio Cobolli leads the next wave hoping to make its mark.
