Legendary seven-time Grand Slam singles winner John McEnroe has emphatically named Jannik Sinner as the clear frontrunner to claim the Wimbledon 2026 title. The declaration from the three-time Wimbledon champion comes as the tournament, which boasts a prize fund of £3,600,000, got underway this Monday.

Sinner, currently the world No.1 and defending Wimbledon champion, enters the competition with significant expectations, especially following the withdrawal of his primary rival, Carlos Alcaraz. Alcaraz, whom Sinner defeated in a thrilling four-set final at Wimbledon 2025, pulled out of this year’s event due to an ongoing wrist injury sustained in April.

The absence of several other prominent players further solidifies Sinner’s position. Notable names missing from the Wimbledon 2026 draw include:

• Lorenzo Musetti

• Valentin Vacherot

• Jack Draper

Sinner’s early challenges and McEnroe’s confidence

Despite his status as the top seed and defending champion, Sinner’s path through the early rounds has not been without its tests. In his first-round match, he dropped two sets against Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic before ultimately progressing. His second-round encounter saw him defeat Nuno Borges with a scoreline of 7-6, 7-6, 6-4.

Read also: Hamilton much happier this year: “Is that because it’s a fast car or a new girlfriend?”

Reflecting on Sinner’s performance against Borges, McEnroe expressed his approval. “It was a great test for him. He played a guy playing as good as he could play, throwing a lot at him and made him come up with the goods in some tense moments,” McEnroe stated, according to GiveMeSport. “Sinner has got to be feeling good about that to get through in straight sets. But that’s just what the doctor ordered: it was highly competitive, and his level lifted, so it’s good signs for Jannik Sinner.”

Sinner is now set to face American Jenson Brooksby in the third round, a player who has reached as high as world number 33 in his career.

Addressing recent form concerns

McEnroe also addressed concerns stemming from Sinner’s disappointing showing at the French Open in May, where he suffered a second-round defeat. When asked if Sinner could legitimately be named as the odds-on favourite despite this recent setback, McEnroe was unequivocal.

“Oh yeah, absolutely, no question about that. There is a little dent in the armour which you saw in France,” McEnroe acknowledged. “There’s always that risk when you don’t play any matches (on grass before the tournament). You’re a little bit unsure the first couple of rounds, but he’s going to go into Friday feeling a lot better than he did two sets to one down on Monday as the defending champion.”

Read also: UEFA throw another club out of Europe after match-fixing ruling

With his primary rival sidelined and an endorsement from one of the sport’s all-time greats, Jannik Sinner carries the weight of expectation as he aims to secure back-to-back Wimbledon titles.

Read also: Keir Starmer allows 5 am pup-opening for England vs. Mexico World Cup clash