Novak Djokovic Offers Unexpected Advice to Jannik Sinner Ahead of the Start of Wimbledon

Tension is mounting in London: in a few days, the main draw of the 2026 Wimbledon tournament will begin, and Jannik Sinner will take the court right away on Monday against Serbia’s Kecmanovic to kick off his defense of the title he won last season. On Thursday, the world No. 1 trained with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, who is himself chasing his eighth Wimbledon title, which would allow him to tie Roger Federer.

Djokovic, who could face Sinner in the semifinals, spoke to reporters about the Italian after the training session: “Some advice? To be honest, I don’t think he needs my advice—he’s already doing great. Today I’m just trying to be the best sparring partner I can be for him,” he said with a laugh.

Nole did, however, want to send a message to the Italian: “When the time comes to step onto Center Court before everyone else, to see the fresh grass as the defending champion, he’ll realize that there’s no other feeling in the world of tennis that can compare,” Nole explained. “I have no advice to give him, other than to tell him to enjoy the moment because things like this are very rare,”

“It’s probably one of the top five most beautiful things in the world of sports,” are Djokovic’s words as reported by puntodebreak. The training session on Court 1 at the All England Club provided encouraging signs regarding the South Tyrolean’s form: Sinner won the set 6-3, in an atmosphere of great camaraderie between the two champions. This result comes after a week of intense preparation, which culminated on Tuesday with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Cameron Norrie in the Armani Tennis Classic exhibition match at the Hurlingham Club. On Thursday, the Italian also took part in the trophy presentation ceremony, stating: “For me, it has always been *The Tournament*—it’s so iconic and historic—and having my name among the winners means the world to me. When I was a kid, I never would have thought I’d reach this milestone.”