Jannik Sinner struggles but wins the first set against Jan-Lennard Struff

The first set of the match between Jannik Sinner and Jan-Lennard Struff, a quarterfinal at Wimbledon, was played at an extremely high level. The South Tyrolean showed solidity on his serve and great intensity in the rallies against an opponent with a very effective first serve.

The first set remained evenly matched for long stretches, with both players able to hold their service games: the Italian handled even the most closely contested games with composure, while the German relied primarily on the power of his serve to stay in the match.

At 5-5, however, Sinner shifted gears, raising his level on the return and securing the decisive break after converting his third break point of the game. In the next game, he kept his composure on serve, closing out the first set 7-5 and confirming his superiority in the most crucial moments.

For the German, this marks his first-ever appearance in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. The two have faced each other three times before, with Sinner winning all three, including their most recent match on grass: in 2024 at the ATP 500 in Halle (a tournament Sinner went on to win), in a very evenly matched contest decided only in the final-set tiebreak. Sinner is aiming for his third career semifinal at Wimbledon and his second this season at a Grand Slam.

In Grand Slam quarterfinals, he has lost five of the fourteen matches he has played, though always against top-5 opponents. Struff, on the other hand, is currently ranked No. 74 in the ATP rankings.