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Sinner Defends Wimbledon, 10th Under-25 Champion.

7/12/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Jannik Sinner defended his Wimbledon title on July 12, 2026, becoming the 10th Open Era player to do so before age 25.
Sinner beat Alexander Zverev 6-7(7) 7-6(2) 6-3 6-4 at Centre Court, earning his fifth Grand Slam title and $4.8 million in prize money.
Zverev’s knee injury after slipping in the third set preceded Sinner’s break of serve to lead 5-3.
Zverev will rise to world No. 2, overtaking Carlos Alcaraz.

History

Historical Context

At Wimbledon 1978, 22-year-old Björn Borg became the first Open-Era player to defend his title, winning his third crown and completing the Channel Slam after the French Open; his 1979 season made him the first to earn over $1 million in prize money. In 2026, 24-year-old Jannik Sinner repeated the back-to-back triumph, underscoring how early-career champions continue to drive prize-money growth.

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Story summary

Jannik Sinner defended his Wimbledon title on July 12, 2026, becoming the 10th Open Era player to do so before age 25.
Sinner beat Alexander Zverev 6-7(7) 7-6(2) 6-3 6-4 at Centre Court, earning his fifth Grand Slam title and $4.8 million in prize money.
Zverev’s knee injury after slipping in the third set preceded Sinner’s break of serve to lead 5-3.
Zverev will rise to world No. 2, overtaking Carlos Alcaraz.

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