Jannik Sinner on his (superstitious) clothing taboo: “It brings bad luck”

Jannik Sinner revealed an interesting behind-the-scenes story about his box at Wimbledon. At the end of the press conference following his quarterfinal victory over Jan-Lennard Struff, the world No. 1 was asked one final question—not about the match itself, but about his staff’s coordinated outfits. The 24-year-old from South Tyrol explained that he plays no role in choosing the colors worn by his team members, giving his staff complete freedom. There is, however, one exception: white caps are banned.

“The only color I don’t like is the white cap, for a very specific reason: we don’t have a good win percentage when they wear it,” he said with a smile, revealing a decidedly superstitious side to his personality. This belief, as he implied, stems from observing the results when his staff wore that particular accessory. In Sinner’s dugout—where coaches Darren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi, strength and conditioning coach Marco Panichi Ferrara, and physical therapist Ulises Badio Resnicoff typically sit (depending on the staff present)—the rule is now well known: any color is allowed, as long as the caps aren’t white.

This revelation adds to other small rituals that accompany Sinner both on and off the court. The Italian player always steps onto the court with his right foot, avoids stepping on the lines with his left, and follows a precise routine when serving, bouncing the ball seven times before his first serve and five times before his second. Even before the start of every match, he sticks to certain well-established habits. Among these is a trip to the restroom before taking the court, a gesture he considers an integral part of his mental preparation. And when he wraps up a particularly successful week or wins a tournament, he always treats himself to the same reward: a hamburger with fries, a Coca-Cola, and a dessert—either tiramisu or ice cream.