McEnroe backs Sinner for Wimbledon title after smooth victory
John McEnroe has backed Jannik Sinner as the undisputed frontrunner to claim a second consecutive Wimbledon championship after the Italian progressed to the third round with a commanding victory over Nuno Borges, reports BritPanorama.
The defending champion dispatched the Portuguese player 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 on Centre Court, appearing far more assured than during his five-set opening encounter against Miomir Kecmanovic.
Asked whether Sinner should be considered the tournament favourite, McEnroe was emphatic: “Oh yeah, absolutely, no question about that.” The three-time Wimbledon winner praised how the world number one handled pressure moments against Borges, noting it was “just what the doctor ordered” for the 24-year-old’s confidence.
McEnroe suggested that Sinner’s alarming physical breakdown at Roland Garros, where he surrendered a commanding two-set lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, stemmed primarily from psychological factors. “I think a lot of it is — you have to say it — mental, nerves,” the seven-time major champion observed during BBC commentary.
He added, “And then there is the light skin, the struggle in the heat — a lot of people do.” The American noted that Sinner’s cramping difficulties have persisted for several years, prompting extensive medical investigation in Italy following his French Open exit. “Trust me, they were doing a lot of testing for the couple weeks after that,” McEnroe remarked.
Sinner acknowledged the difficulties of returning to competitive action on grass having played just one exhibition match since his shock departure from Paris in May. “For sure for the first match on grass, having a tough opener, then getting through, it was good, was important,” he reflected after Wednesday’s victory.
The Italian expressed optimism about building momentum as the fortnight progresses, stating he managed tricky situations well in the opening sets while recognising room for improvement. “Hopefully that comes match by match, then we see,” he said. Sinner will next face American Jenson Brooksby in Friday’s third-round encounter.
Novak Djokovic remains a formidable threat to Sinner’s title defence after the seven-time champion demolished Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets to advance. The 39-year-old Serb, seeking to match Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon crowns, will meet Arthur Rinderknech in the next round. Former world number 11 Sam Querrey described Djokovic’s display as his finest since the Australian Open, suggesting he could challenge for the title if he maintains that standard.
Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev, the French Open champion and second seed, also harbours ambitions of a deep run despite never progressing beyond the fourth round at SW19. In other news, Ben Shelton emerged as the sole top-ten casualty, falling to wildcard Otto Virtanen in five sets.
In a tournament marked by rising stars and veteran giants, Sinner’s path to retaining his title looks increasingly precarious, a reminder that even the most promising players can encounter unpredictable challenges on the grandest stages.
