Jannik Sinner vs Luca Nardi Tips, Prediction & Live Stream - Sinner begins Wimbledon title pursuit

It's certainly not been an ideal last month or so for Sinner - he's come off that heartbreaking Roland Garros final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz where he blew three championships points, suffered a defeat from a set up against Alexander Bublik in Halle and on the eve of Wimbledon, announced that he had parted ways with fitness coach Marco Panichi and physio Ulises Badio. Not the preparation you'd want, but then again, Sinner has proven he doesn't let off court distractions affect his performances over the last year.

Nardi meanwhile has only won one tour-level match on grass in his career, but the 21-year-old has showcased an ability to rise to the occasion when facing elite players, defeating Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells last year, taking a set off Carlos Alcaraz in Doha earlier this year and pushing both Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur in other matches. The first match at Wimbledon is never easy - just ask Alcaraz yesterday - so I'm backing Nardi to win Over 8.5 games and make this somewhat competitive.

This will be the first career meeting between the two young Italians.

Sinner heads into this clash with a 19-3 record on the season and probably his most vulnerable in around 18 months.

The Italian launched the year by defending his Australian Open title, but after serving his three-month suspension, he is yet to win a title.

Indeed, Sinner was conquered by Alcaraz in both the Rome and French Open finals, while he was also stunned by Bublik in the second round of Halle in his only warm-up event on grass.

Sinner has also experienced his fair share of heartbreak already at Wimbledon - the only slam he's failed to make the final of. The 23-year-old wasted a two-set lead against Djokovic in the 2022 quarter-finals and also lost in five sets to Daniil Medvedev at the same stage last year.

It's been a disappointing season for Nardi - he arrives at this match with a 5-9 record, failing to fulfil his unlimited potential.

As mentioned, the 21-year-old has proven he has the ability to hang with the very best players on tour, but when it comes to the early rounds against lesser opponents, he more often than not stumbles - and that's the reason he's failed to build on a career-high ranking of No. 67 and is currently down at No. 95.

Nardi has lost in the opening round of both the Australian Open and Roland Garros this season, while he went down in straight sets to Billy Harris in his only warm-up event on grass at Eastbourne last week.

The Italian's only previous appearance in the main draw of Wimbledon ended in a straight sets defeat to Tomas Martin Etcheverry last year.