'I am not defending anything, just try to get as close as I can': Sinner
London, July 5
World No. 1 and defending Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner insists he is not burdened by last year's triumph as he prepares to face Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki in the Round of 16 at the 2026 Wimbledon Championships on Sunday. Speaking ahead of the Centre Court clash, Sinner said his attention remains firmly on the immediate challenge rather than protecting his title.
The Italian has endured a demanding route into the second week at the All England Club. His title defence began with a five-set escape against Miomir Kecmanovic, a match in which he battled through two falls and a bleeding foot before recovering to advance.
Despite returning to the venue where he lifted his maiden Wimbledon crown a year ago, Sinner said he is not approaching the tournament with a title-defence mindset.
"I always say that I am not defending anything. I just try to get as close as I can. Whatever happened in the past is in the past," Sinner told JioStar.
While acknowledging the significance of last year's success, the 24-year-old stressed that past achievements offer no guarantees in a Grand Slam.
"I am very happy to be back here at Wimbledon. I have great memories, of course of last year, but I also know that it is very tricky," he added.
Sinner recovered from his opening-round scare with increasingly assured performances, defeating Nuno Borges in straight sets to register the most Grand Slam match wins by an Italian man before cruising past Jenson Brooksby in the third round with an impressive display at the net.
Even so, the top seed made it clear he is refusing to look beyond his next opponent, and added that any thoughts about extending his title defence would have to wait until after the contest against Mochizuki.
"I never take any match lightly. I know the next match is going to be tough. That is the only thing I am focused on right now. After that, we will see how it goes," he said.
With confidence building after a difficult start to the tournament, Sinner will aim to book his place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals and move one step closer to retaining the title he won so memorably last summer.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good mindset but let's be real - he IS defending his title. That's the nature of Grand Slams. It's fine to stay in the moment but you can't pretend the pressure isn't there. The bleeding foot story is concerning though - hope he's fully recovered for the second week.
Such a refreshing take from a world No.1! Usually these top players get all protective about their titles. But Sinner saying 'I am not defending anything' - that's the kind of detachment we learn in Indian philosophy too. Focus on the process, not the outcome. Hope he goes all the way! 🤞
Respect to Sinner for the humble approach, but I think he's downplaying the pressure a bit too much. That five-setter in round one showed he's human. Against Mochizuki, who has nothing to lose, this could be tricky. Indian fans know how dangerous qualifiers can be - remember how Paes used to struggle against them back in the day?
Well said Sinner! This 'one match at a time' approach is exactly what our Indian cricketers should learn from. Too often we see them looking too far ahead and messing up the immediate challenge. His game has matured beautifully since last year's title. That net play against Brooksby was world class! 🏆
I appreciate the mentality but honestly, this sounds a bit like PR talk. Every defending champion says this. The real test will be when he faces someone like Alcaraz or Djokovic in the semis. His draw has been relatively comfortable so far.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.