Martina Navratilova joined tennis stars in celebrating Jannik Sinner’s second straight Wimbledon title on 13 July 2026.
What happened?
Jannik Sinner erased doubts about his grass-court form by beating Alexander Zverev 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 6-3, 6-4 in the Wimbledon final. The 24-year-old Italian became the first man since Roger Federer in 2007 to defend his title at SW19. Sinner dropped only one set en route to the final, then outlasted Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals. Coco Gauff reached the semifinals before losing to Karolína Muchová.
Why it matters for Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova praised Sinner’s champion’s mindset on Tennis Channel. “He played better and better as the opponents got tougher,” she said. “He delivered his best tennis against Novak and even better against Sascha Zverev today.” Navratilova’s nod underscores Sinner’s rapid rise since his disappointing French Open exit in May.
How the tennis world reacted
Coco Gauff led the congratulations in the comments of Sinner’s Instagram post. “congratulations 🎊,” Gauff wrote. Iva Jovic, Jakub Menšík, and Holger Rune also sent messages. Serena Williams’ assistant coach Rennae Stubbs joked, “Yesssss Jan!!! It must have been the back to back birdies!!! 😂🙌🙌.” Italy’s Jasmine Paolini and Luciano Darderi cheered their compatriot.
Beyond tennis
Sinner’s win drew praise from skiing legends Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin. Soccer star Jude Bellingham and F1 drivers Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc joined the chorus. Carlos Alcaraz, sidelined since April with a wrist injury, sent a message to Sinner’s team after the final.
Sinner capped the week by sharing the Champions’ Ball dance with Linda Noskov.