Jannik Sinner on His Big Fashion Moment at Wimbledon – WWD

LONDON — Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner made quite the entrance at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships.

He stepped onto center court carrying a custom Gucci duffel bag featuring the house’s signature GG monogram with a green and red web stripe along with his white Head tennis bag. His initials J.S. were marked against where the straps connect on brown leather.

This is the first time a luxury bag has made an appearance on the famous green grass court at Wimbledon.

“Quite a statement indeed,” Sinner told WWD ahead of his first match at the tournament against Argentinian player Juan Manuel Cerundolo.

“First time a high-end luxury luggage piece has been brought on court. The perfect bag had to be big enough to hold all the things I need with me on court and easy to carry at the same time. Functionality was what we had in mind when we chose a duffel style with long comfortable straps,” he added, nodding to the bag as a “timeless classic” that’s inline with the games at Wimbledon, as well as the history of the game and “valuing traditions.”

It’s a Wimbledon custom that players wear white clothing and equipment. According to the organization’s website, it states “white does not include off white or cream.”

A spokesperson for Gucci said the brand worked with Sinner’s “team for the approvals from the ITF (International Tennis Federation), ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) and Grand Slams, including Wimbledon, to ensure the bag met the necessary requirements.”

“For sure this will create a conversation,” the 21-year-old player said.

“Bringing sport and luxury fashion together in this way is something that’s never been done before and I feel extremely proud to be a part of it. I hope people will love it as much as I do,” he continued.

Sinner became a Gucci ambassador last year. It’s his first luxury fashion endorsement. He also has a 10-year deal with Nike, which, according to reports, is worth 150 million euros.

He turned professional at 18 years old and is now currently ranked number eight in the world.

“My favorite part is to compete on the biggest stages and it doesn’t get much bigger than playing on Centre Court at Wimbledon. Wimbledon is special, it’s different to any other tournament and has its own atmosphere,” said Sinner, who played Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic on the tennis court last year.

“For every match I try to prepare the same, of course each tournament is a little different but the focus remains the same. I will prepare on court with my team before the match, then make sure I eat some food and rest a little before I start the process to get ready to go out on court. I believe it’s important to be consistent in what you do, just because it’s Wimbledon it shouldn’t mean that you need to change certain rituals and processes,” he added.

Last week, Gucci held a celebratory dinner for Sinner at Mount St. Restaurant in Mayfair. Guests including Emma Laird, Paapa Essiedu, Olympia of Greece, Pixie Geldof, Imogen Kwok and Jazzy de Lisser came together for the pre-game celebrations.

“Gucci for me represents Italian excellence around the world, excellence which is rooted in tradition as much as in innovation. This is the kind of message I am proud to convey when I represent my country wherever I am in the world,” Sinner said about what it means to be partnering with the Italian brand.