Jannik Sinner has explained why his parents turned down the chance to sit in the prestigious Royal Box at Wimbledon for his first-round match, stating they simply did not want to be "in front of the cameras." The world number one, 24, defeated Miomir Kecmanovic in a five-set thriller on Monday, coming from 2-1 down to win 3-2. However, his mother and father were notably absent from the VIP seats.
Parents Decline Royal Box Invitation
Both of Sinner's parents were invited to watch the match from the Royal Box on Centre Court but chose not to attend. When asked about their decision on Friday, Sinner said: "I know my parents. I asked them, but it was impossible. They didn't say yes. It's okay, I mean I know them, I don't have to ask. Mostly I know my mom and the fact that she doesn't want to be in front of the cameras at all, same thing for my dad. I expected a firm no and it came, so all good."
The defending champion added: "We hardly even discussed it. They have other things to do and I understand that." In contrast, Iga Swiatek's parents accepted a similar offer and were seen in the VIP seats for her first-round match.
Sinner's Parents Previously Attended Final
While they skipped this year's opener, Sinner's parents did attend the 2025 Wimbledon final, watching from the player's box as their son defeated Carlos Alcaraz for the title. Among the famous faces present on Monday was David Beckham, who brought his mother to Centre Court.
Dominant Run to Fourth Round
Sinner has since advanced past Nuno Borges and Jenson Brooksby without dropping a set, reaching the fourth round for the fifth consecutive year. After his 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Brooksby, he acknowledged room for improvement: "For sure, very, very happy about the win. Trying to improve every day... small step forward today. Trying to get better... if I want to go far in this tournament, a couple things we need to handle better."
He praised his opponent, saying: "He's a very tough opponent. We played each other 5 years ago. We both are improving… different players. Of course very happy about the result. Of course thanks for the support. It helped me a lot today. Thank you."
Next Challenge: Shintaro Mochizuki
Sinner's next opponent is world number 150 Shintaro Mochizuki, who has dropped just one set en route to the fourth round. "We never played. But let's see," Sinner said. "Whoever is in the fourth round of a Slam deserves to be there. It's gonna be a tough match. I know he played against a very tough opponent today."
He added: "Especially this surface, it's very unpredictable. If you have a slightly wrong day, it's tough to get out. Let's see. I try to look more on my side of the net, trying to be the best I can in a couple days time. Then we see how it goes."
Reflecting on his time at Wimbledon, Sinner concluded: "It's always special to be back here. This court gave me so much energy also in the past, I can confirm this. Thank you so much and see you in the next round."
