Ssince 136 editions dominate in Wimbledon two colours: the green of the grass at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, home of the prestigious tennis tournament. And the white of the playing attire that each participant must wear. The outfit must be 90 percent white; not even the shades of off-white and cream are allowed according to the official regulations. Even brightly colored shoe soles are forbidden and will be punished.
Just last year, Nick Kyrgios broke the dress code twice: First, the Greek wore red sports shoes, only to accept the trophy for second place after the defeat in the men’s final with a red cap on his head. The organizers sentenced Kyrgios to a fine of 14,000 euros.
Jannik Sinner’s choice of clothes in his opening match against Francisco Cerundolo was all the more astonishing. Despite the strict rules, the 21-year-old Italian entered Center Court with a custom-made Gucci sports bag. His sponsor’s expensive gym bag was emblazoned with the characteristic GG monogram, and the handles of the beige bag gleamed in red and green. It was the first time a luxury bag had been carried on the sacred Wimbledon lawn.
“It’s definitely going to be a topic of conversation. Bringing sport and luxury fashion together in this way is something that has never happened before and I am very proud to be a part of it. I hope people will love them as much as I do,” Sinner chose state-supporting words, which the marketing department of the French fashion brand should also have liked very much. According to Sinner, the bag is a “timeless classic”.
In view of the official tournament rules, it seems strange that Sinner’s fashion statement was approved several times beforehand. As the manufacturer announced, the Italian team obtained the approval of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Wimbledon organizers in advance. This ensured that the luxury bag met the necessary requirements. The color combination apparently only played a subordinate role.
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