Jannik Sinner was put through the wringer again at Wimbledon, but he's still standing - just! The reigning champion gritted out a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4 win over Portugal's Nuno Borges in a second-round blockbuster that left everyone gasping. For six hours and two minutes, the world number one battled to overcome his toughest test yet, losing 39 games in the process - a far cry from last year's dominance.
The gruelling contest has sparked concerns about Sinner's stamina ahead of what promises to be another scorching weekend at SW19. Temperatures are set to soar to 31C (88F), and his coach will be sweating bullets as much as the players on court. Can Sinner recover from this demanding start, or will he begin to feel the strain?
A candid Sinner was already dishing out tough love to himself after the match, acknowledging that his game is still finding its footing. "No, it's not" was his blunt assessment of his forehand, which was a major talking point throughout the contest. He also confessed to needing work on his net play, aggression, movement on grass and return of serve - particularly on second serves.
Borges, ranked 48th in the world, certainly had his moments to make it a real nail-biter. Trailing 7-6 (4) in the first set, he conjured up a set point at 5-4 in the second before Sinner snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a crucial error into the net and some favourable bounce off the net cord. The third set was no less dramatic, as Sinner fought back from being broken to secure his place in the next round.
Now comes the biggest test yet: Jenson Brooksby awaits in the third round. The American secured his spot with a straight-sets win over Ignacio Buse, and is clearly revelling in the chance to take on the world number one. But Sinner will be expected to come out on top - for now, at least.