World number one battles back from a set down to claim his fifth Grand Slam title.Italy's Jannik Sinner has successfully defended his Wimbledon title, beating Alexander Zverev 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a gruelling final lasting almost four hours on Centre Court on Sunday.  The 24-year-old champion, the world number one, lost the opening set in a tight tie-break to the German, who had arrived at the All England Club fresh from winning the French Open in June and was appearing in his first Wimbledon final.   Sinner levelled by taking the second-set tie-break 7-2, then pulled clear with a break in the third set before sealing victory with another break in the fourth.   Grand Slam It is Sinner's fifth Grand Slam title overall and his first of 2026, having been knocked out in the semi-finals at the Australian Open and in the second round at the French Open, where he was unwell. He had earlier won six consecutive Masters 1000 tournaments this season.   Sinner is the first Italian ever to win Wimbledon, a feat he first achieved last year, and only the tenth man in the Open era to retain the title, following players including Rod Laver and, most recently, Carlos Alcaraz, who did not play this year because of injury. It was also Sinner's 100th career win at Grand Slam level.   Sinner had needed a five-set comeback against Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic earlier in the tournament before reeling off straight-sets victories, including a semi-final win over seven-time champion Novak Djokovic that he described as his best performance of the fortnight. Celebration and tributes in Italy The victory prompted an outpouring of tributes from Italian politicians and public figures. Prime minister Giorgia Meloni congratulated Sinner on Instagram, saying he had written another page in the history of Italian sport, while foreign minister and deputy premier Antonio Tajani praised him on X as Wimbledon's champion once again.   Sports minister Andrea Abodi, who watched the final from the stands alongside Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) president Luciano Buonfiglio, wrote on X that Sinner had written an "indelible page in world sport" with his victory.   Speaking afterwards on Centre Court, Sinner said winning again was "incredible" and thanked his team and his mother, who he noticed had left her seat several times during the match out of nerves. He also paid tribute to Zverev, telling him he was confident the German would go on to win Wimbledon himself given how closely the final had been fought.   In the women's singles, the Wimbledon title was won by 21-year-old Czech player Linda Noskova, who beat compatriot Karolina Muchova in three sets.   Photo credit: Victor Velter / Shutterstock.com