Rafael Jodar defeated Felix Gill 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 in the first round of Wimbledon 2026, claiming his first career victory at The Championships in his Grand Slam main-draw debut.

The Spaniard held firm on serve at decisive moments and closed out the match in three sets with a comfortable margin, advancing to the second round.

Sinner Returns, Draper Out

351 days after lifting the title, Jannik Sinner stepped back onto Centre Court to open his title defense against Miomir Kecmanovic. The Italian arrives at Wimbledon as the reigning grass-court champion and the tournament’s top favorite to win consecutive titles.

Thai qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew also recorded her first Grand Slam main-draw victory on the opening day and advanced to the second round. The day’s low point came when Jack Draper withdrew from the tournament with an arm injury before taking the court; Wimbledon posted a recovery message on its official channels.

Jodar faces the winner from the opposite side of his draw in the second round. Sinner continues his pursuit of back-to-back titles at the tournament.