Sinner beats Borges in straights, breaks Italian Grand Slam win record
Synopsis
Jannik Sinner's straight-sets win over Nuno Borges at Wimbledon 2025 was more than a routine second-round passage — it made him the most successful Italian in Grand Slam history, overtaking the legendary Nicola Pietrangeli with his 95th main-draw win. And with a Wimbledon title defence still in play, the record may be just the start.
Key Takeaways
Jannik Sinner defeated Nuno Borges 7-6(4), 7-6(2), 6-4 on Centre Court on 1 July 2025 to reach the Wimbledon third round.
The win was Sinner's 95th Grand Slam main-draw victory , surpassing Nicola Pietrangeli for the most by an Italian player.
Sinner finished with 47 winners and 30 unforced errors , completing the match in 2 hours 32 minutes .
The 24-year-old is bidding to become only the 10th man in the Open Era to defend the Wimbledon title.
His next opponent is American Jenson Brooksby in the third round.
Jannik Sinner moved into the third round of Wimbledon 2025 with a composed straight-sets victory over Portugal's Nuno Borges — 7-6(4), 7-6(2), 6-4 — on Centre Court on Wednesday, 1 July, setting up a last-32 clash with American Jenson Brooksby. The defending champion closed out the match in 2 hours and 32 minutes, recovering well after a gruelling five-set opener against Miomir Kecmanovic.
The win carried significance beyond the draw sheet: it was Sinner's 95th Grand Slam main-draw victory, moving him past Nicola Pietrangeli to become the outright leader in Grand Slam match wins by an Italian player in history.
Key Match Moments
The World No. 1 showed a markedly sharper display against the World No. 48 Borges compared to his opening-round struggle. The defining moment came in the second set, when Sinner broke back immediately after Borges had served for the set at 5-4, preventing the match from stretching into a fourth set. He finished with 47 winners against 30 unforced errors.
In the third set, Sinner briefly wobbled — surrendering a break with a shaky service game — but the damage was already contained. He had broken Borges twice in the early stages of the set to build a cushion that proved decisive.
Sinner on His Grass-Court Rhythm
The 24-year-old Italian acknowledged he is still working his way into form on grass, having skipped a warm-up tournament ahead of Wimbledon. 'Especially in the first round, I felt the lack of matches,' Sinner said. 'Also, today there were a couple of moments. I need to get back into this rhythm. If we look at the scoreboard, it was very close, so these matches, and especially the individual sets, help me a lot.'
On his trajectory through the fortnight, Sinner added: 'Of course, we aim to get a little better. Tomorrow is a day off. Yesterday I didn't do much because my first match was five sets and very long, so I'm happy about today.'
Historic Bid at the All England Club
Beyond the record, Sinner is chasing a rare feat at the All England Club. Should he go on to lift the trophy, he would become only the 10th man in the Open Era to successfully defend the Wimbledon title — an achievement his rival Carlos Alcaraz accomplished two years prior. Notably, this is the same Alcaraz who ended Sinner's 2024 Wimbledon campaign, making the Italian's current pursuit carry an added layer of competitive weight.
What's Next
Sinner faces Jenson Brooksby in the third round, with a rest day on Thursday providing recovery time. As the tournament deepens and grass-court conditions settle, the world number one is widely expected to sharpen — a prospect that will concern the rest of the draw.
Point of View
But the context matters: Pietrangeli played in an era before the Open Era expanded the Grand Slam calendar, making the comparison imperfect. What is unambiguous is that Sinner, at 24, is accumulating these wins at a pace that puts him on a trajectory few Italian athletes in any sport have matched. The more pressing question at Wimbledon is whether he can find his grass-court sharpness before the draw gets harder — his own admission that he 'felt the lack of matches' is a rare vulnerability signal from a player who rarely concedes ground publicly.
NationPress
1 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the scoreline of Sinner's win over Borges at Wimbledon 2025?
Jannik Sinner defeated Nuno Borges 7-6(4), 7-6(2), 6-4 in straight sets on Centre Court on 1 July 2025. The match lasted 2 hours and 32 minutes.
What Italian Grand Slam record did Sinner break?
Sinner's victory was his 95th Grand Slam main-draw win, moving him past Nicola Pietrangeli to become the Italian player with the most Grand Slam match victories in history.
Who does Sinner play next at Wimbledon 2025?
Sinner faces American Jenson Brooksby in the third round of Wimbledon 2025, after a scheduled rest day on Thursday.
Is Sinner on course to defend his Wimbledon title?
Sinner is through to the third round and is attempting to become only the 10th man in the Open Era to successfully defend the Wimbledon title. He has acknowledged he is still finding his grass-court rhythm having skipped a warm-up event before the tournament.
Why did Sinner skip warm-up tournaments before Wimbledon 2025?
Sinner chose not to play any grass-court warm-up event before Wimbledon, a decision he acknowledged cost him match sharpness early in the tournament. He said he expects his rhythm to improve as the tournament progresses.
