London, July 1 (IANS) Top seed Jannik Sinner made a commanding start to his Wimbledon 2025 campaign on Tuesday, breezing past compatriot Luca Nardi 6-4, 6-3, 6-0 in a men's singles first-round match in under two hours on a scorching day in London. While his rival Carlos Alcaraz was pushed to five sets by Fabio Fognini the previous day, Sinner delivered a masterclass in efficiency on Court 1, where temperatures touched 34°C.

The World No. 1 didn’t face a single break point during the one-hour, 48-minute encounter and converted five of the 13 break chances he created. Looking composed and sharp throughout, Sinner’s performance sent a clear message as he continues his pursuit of a fourth Grand Slam title.

He will next face Australian Aleksandar Vukic in the second round.

“I’m very happy to come back here. It’s such a special place for me. Playing against an Italian is very unfortunate for us, but one has to go through, so I’m happy that it is me. The atmosphere, as always, is amazing. Thanks so much. I know it’s very hot, very humid. I don’t remember the last time it was this weather in London,” said Sinner.

While Sinner surged forward, fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti suffered a shock early exit, becoming the third Top 10 player to fall in the opening round of the Championships. Musetti, seeded seventh and a semifinalist last year, was upset by Georgian qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 in a physically taxing battle on Court No. 2.

Musetti had led the Tour with 12 grass-court wins this year but entered Wimbledon without a warm-up match, still recovering from a leg injury sustained during his Roland Garros semi-final. Against a resurgent Basilashvili, the World No. 7 looked undercooked and visibly hampered, eventually falling in two hours and 25 minutes.

The result continues Musetti’s inconsistent Grand Slam form, his third first-round exit at Wimbledon, and another loss to a player ranked outside the Top 120. Basilashvili, who struck 48 winners in the match, will next face Lorenzo Sonego.

With Musetti joining Holger Rune and Daniil Medvedev on the casualty list, the men’s draw has already seen notable shake-ups, and it is just Day 2 of the ultimate championship.

--IANS

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