John McEnroe declared Jannik Sinner the clear favourite to repeat as Wimbledon champion after the defending title‑holder secured his place in the third round.
Sinner won his first Wimbledon crown last year by defeating Carlos Alcaraz in four sets. This season his defence was questioned following a second‑round exit at the French Open.
Since the Roland Garros loss, Sinner has competed only in an exhibition against Cameron Norrie and showed signs of rust in his opening match against Miomir Kecmanovic, falling two sets to one before rallying to a five‑set victory.
In the second round he defeated Nuno Borges in straight sets on Centre Court, a performance McEnroe praised as proof that the Italian is regaining his best form.
McEnroe noted that Sinner handled pressure well, forcing his opponent to produce his best in tense moments and suggesting the win should boost Sinner’s confidence.
Sinner acknowledged the difficulty of adjusting to grass, describing his early matches as tough but essential for building momentum.
Novak Djokovic, pursuing an eighth Wimbledon title, advanced to the third round after a straight‑sets triumph over Stefanos Tsitsipas and will meet Arthur Rinderknech next.
Former world number 11 Sam Querrey praised Djokovic’s display as his strongest since the Australian Open, indicating that sustained form could make him a serious contender.
Second seed Alexander Zverev aims to build on his French Open success, although he has never progressed beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon.
American Ben Shelton, the only top‑ten seed eliminated so far, suffered a five‑set defeat to wildcard Otto Virtanen in the first round.
