SynopsisJannik Sinner, despite a few Grand Slam setbacks, is primed to defend his Wimbledon title. Having dominated the circuit with five ATP 1000 wins, he faces formidable rivals like Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev. Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka aims to overcome her major tournament struggles on grass, with Iga Swiatek and other strong contenders also vying for glory. The stage is set for an exciting fortnight of tennis.APJannik Sinner of ItalyFor Jannik Sinner, 2026 has so far been perfectly imperfect.In Melbourne at the start of the year, an inspired Novak Djokovic derailed his bid for a hat trick of Australian Open titles in the semifinal. At the French Open, the world No. 1’s body cramped up in the second round, ending his quest to complete a career slam. In a year where he’s lost just three of 40 matches, two of Sinner’s defeats have come at the majors — the only blemishes on an otherwise perfect year that has already delivered five ATP 1000 titles and a sizeable lead at the top of the rankings.A month since the meltdown in Paris, Sinner is ready to fire up the engine again. On Monday, he will walk onto Centre Court — the most hallowed arena in tennis — to begin the defense of his Wimbledon title. A year ago, Sinner dismantled his great modern day rival Carlos Alcaraz in four sets to become the first Italian man in history to win the sport’s most coveted trophy. Now, with Alcaraz still sidelined with a wrist injury, Sinner returns to reassert his superiority on the circuit.The buzz is unmistakably around the laconic Italian, who has chosen to warm-up for the Big W by skipping tune-up tournaments. His first training session at Wimbledon was a showstopper as he traded forehands, backhands and smiles with Djokovic, who is hunting for an eighth Wimbledon and a jaw dropping 25th major title.Djokovic is now 39, hasn’t won a slam for nearly three years and has played just 13 matches so far this year. Yet he remains firmly entrenched in the chasing pack seeking to derail Sinner. The legendary Serb knows a thing or seven about returning to these courts as defending champion, and had a very precise recommendation for the Italian on how to deal with the pressure of the tag. “Jannik has had a great couple of years,” Djokovic said. “My advice is to enjoy it, there is nothing quite like coming back to his court, walking out as champion.”While Djokovic headlines Sinner’s foremost rivals, sprinkled among the top seeds is a collection of ambitious aspirants. Alexander Zverev, fresh from getting the monkey off his back by winning the French Open, will be hard pressed to repeat that effort, having never gone past the four th round at Wimbledon. Experts believe the likes of Americans Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz, with their explosive playing style suited to grass, can make deep runs. None though appears to have the arsenal to subdue a fit and firing Sinner. “We try to maximize every day,” Sinner said in a recent interview. “So there have been a lot of long practice sessions, and I’m very happy with the shape and mental state I’m in right now.”In the women’s draw, top seed Aryna Sabalenka has similar demons to Sinner to tackle. She too has been in imposing form this year, having won three titles and lost just five of 38 matches. Yet, the majors have been a slippery slope with a defeat in the final in Australia and a shock quarterfinal exit at the French Open. The four-time major champion has never been past the semifinal stage at Wimbledon and has a shaky record on grass. Defending champion Iga Swiatek leads a chasing pack that includes major winners this year – Elena Rybakina and Mirra Andreeva – as well as accomplished challengers such as Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova and Coco Gauff. Also, keep an eye on a wildcard entrant that answers to the name Serena Williams, who at 44 is chasing her eighth title. Sabalenka’s path, in essence, is littered with multiple roadblocks.The latest installment of the most anticipated fortnight in the tennis year is almost here — where the leading lights of the modern game are eagerly looking to erase the imperfections from their otherwise perfect seasons.(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com.)Read More News on