Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner addressed his blood-soaked shoe potentially breaching Wimbledon's dress code after being allowed to complete his first-round win over Miomir Kecmanovic. Wimbledon enforces a strict all-white clothing rule, yet part of Sinner's white trainer had turned red due to an injury.
BBC Reporter Quips About Shoe
The eye-catching issue prompted BBC reporter Lee McKenzie to quip that the defending champion's shoe was not 'in keeping with Wimbledon guidelines', drawing laughter from spectators during his on-court interview. However, the Italian star was quick to downplay the problem.
When questioned about the condition of his foot following his five-set victory over Kecmanovic, Sinner said: "No, no. I'm all good, it just seems much worse than it is."
Sinner Jokes About Officials
Sinner then, light-heartedly, suggested that he feared Wimbledon officials would intervene because of the redness on his shoe. "No, no. I'm actually very surprised they let me keep playing because, you know, all-white, it turned into a little red," he joked.
"No, no, it just you know a nail. I didn't want to also disturb Miomir, I think we both had you know a good rhythm. It was a great match from both of us, so I didn't want to take any time. It's all good, thank you."
Five-Set Victory
Sinner was pushed to his limits by his Serbian opponent, earning a five-set victory. The reigning champion was far from his imperious best but ultimately had enough to get over the line, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2, 6-3.
When asked whether it felt like just another match, he said: "Definitely not, it was a very different feeling. You know there's a lot of nerves when you go down the stairs behind the court, so also mentally knowing it's such a prestigious court and such a historic court."
Injury Scare
Sinner also had to overcome an injury scare when he suffered a fall in the third set. After playing a return shot, Sinner moved to his right before his footing completely gave way, causing his legs to split as he hit the ground awkwardly.
Umpire Alison Hughes rushed over to assess his condition, but Sinner managed to get back on his feet and battle through to claim a hard-fought first-round victory. He will face Nuno Borges in the second round on Wednesday.
