Jannik Sinner and the bloodstained shoe: the Italian star explains (and jokes about it)

Jannik Sinner began his title defense at Wimbledon—the title he won in 2025—with a smile, despite the fatigue and tension of a three-and-a-half-hour battle against Miomir Kecmanovic. “It’s an honor to be the player opening Center Court this year,” he said after the hard-fought five-set match against Miomir Kecmanovic. “At first I was a little tense and didn’t play my best. Then I managed to get into the match, and I’m glad I came back, especially since the third set was tough to swallow.”

The topic that sparked the most discussion, however, was something else: the red stain on his right shoe, which went viral in a matter of minutes. Sinner brushed it off casually, joking about the “dress code” imposed on players on the court in London: “I’m fine—it looks much worse than it is. I’m surprised they let me keep playing given the all-white rule! Anyway, it’s just a little problem with a toenail. I didn’t want to stop the match: Miomir and I had a good rhythm going, and I didn’t want to be a bother to anyone or waste anyone’s time.”

For him, this match wasn’t like any other: “I was very nervous when I stepped back onto a court as prestigious as this one. Coming back here as the defending champion is incredibly important; I’m happy I won: there are things to improve on, but I’m satisfied.”
On a technical level, Sinner was clear: “What do I need to do? Avoid the mistakes I made in the first two sets, even though it’s normal to make them—the first matches are never easy. I tried to raise my level when it was needed. And anyway, Miomir played really well.”