The 139th Wimbledon Championships began Monday, June 29, under ideal conditions, with defending men's champion Jannik Sinner opening play on Centre Court against Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic. Sinner, the top seed, has not competed since a shock second-round exit at the French Open last month. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who leads the women's draw, faced Teodora Kostovic in her opening match.
Who are the top contenders?
Defending men's champion Jannik Sinner returns as the top seed after Carlos Alcaraz's absence due to injury. On the women's side, Aryna Sabalenka leads the draw, with reigning Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek seeded third. Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, seeded seventh at age 39, began his campaign for a 25th Grand Slam title against Yibing Wu of China.
How did the opening day unfold?
Play began on the outside courts in sunny conditions with a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius (68 Fahrenheit), forecast to rise only to 24 degrees Celsius (75 Fahrenheit). Fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula defeated Darja Vidmanova 7-5, 6-3 on No. 2 Court, giving American women a winning start. Belinda Bencic defeated British teenager Mika Stojsavljevic 6-2, 6-1, while Iva Jovic beat Jaqueline Cristian 7-6(7-1), 6-0.
What about the Canadian contingent?
Felix Auger-Aliassime, seeded third on the men's side, played Aleksandr Shevchenko on the opening day. Leylah Fernandez, seeded 22nd in the women's draw, faced Janice Tjen in her first-round match.
Who else made headlines?
Serena Williams, competing at age 44 as a wildcard, is scheduled to play her opening singles match on Tuesday against 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia, marking her first singles competition in nearly four years. British No. 1 Emma Raducanu withdrew on the eve of the tournament after a "niggle" she had been managing since Queen's developed into a stress fracture.
Sources
- ABC News: Play is underway in ideal conditions on the opening day of Wimbledon. Published 2026-06-29.
- The Independent: Wimbledon 2026: Day one order of play and tournament schedule. Published 2026-06-29.
- The Independent: Wimbledon 2026 men's and women's seeds list and tracker. Published 2026-06-29.
- Sky Sports: Wimbledon 2026: Women's draw, schedule, results including Serena Williams, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. Published 2026-06-29.
Reported from public sources.