Novak Djokovic began his quest for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title with a hard-fought victory at Wimbledon, despite battling through a bout of illness. The seven-time champion needed four sets to overcome France’s Alexandre Muller, eventually winning 6-1, 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-2 on Centre Court. Djokovic admitted after the match that he experienced stomach discomfort early in the third set, but recovered following a medical timeout to win 10 of the last 12 games.
The Serb had looked untouchable during the first set and a half, but a sudden dip in energy left him struggling for nearly an hour before he regained control of the match. “I went from feeling my absolute best to my absolute worst in a short time,” Djokovic said post-match. “Whether it was a stomach bug or something else, I don’t know. Thankfully, I managed to find my energy again and close it out strong.”
World number one Jannik Sinner also progressed smoothly, brushing aside fellow Italian Luca Nardi 6-4, 6-3, 6-0 in just under two hours. The reigning Australian Open champion appeared confident and composed throughout, showing no signs of fatigue after his grueling French Open final loss to Carlos Alcaraz last month.
However, it wasn’t smooth sailing for all top seeds. Germany’s Alexander Zverev became the latest high-profile casualty, falling in a surprise four-set defeat to Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech. Zverev’s early exit follows those of Lorenzo Musetti and several other top-ranked players, further shaking up the men’s draw.
The chaos wasn’t limited to the men’s side. In the women’s draw, French Open champion Coco Gauff became the third top-five seed to be eliminated in the opening two days, highlighting the unpredictable nature of this year’s tournament. With multiple seeds already out, Wimbledon 2025 is shaping up to be wide open—offering opportunities for both veterans and rising stars alike.
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