The Gucci duffel even tennis players carry around

IT LOOKS LIKE Jannik Sinner is the hot new hero to save tennis… or at least, that’s what fashion pundits are calling it. Overnight, the 21-year old Italian star — who is currently ranked 8th in the ATP World Rankings — made headlines not for his thrashing of Juan-Manuel Cerundolo in straight sets, but for his suave off-court exit as he carried an exclusive, custom-made Gucci duffel bag bearing his initials J.S.

The image of the tennis superstar (who is touted as one of few athletes to beat Novak Djokovic at this year’s Wimbledon) presents as a stark contrast from the players and officials clad in white, the traditional colour of Wimbledon. Breaking away from the notorious Wimbledon formalities that have governed players and officials since 1877, Sinner — with the help of Gucci — is perhaps ushering in a new level of style that the game of tennis so desperately needs; a luxurious counterpoint.

Speaking to The New York Times on whether he made any specific requests to Gucci when creating this one-of-a-kind duffel bag, Sinner simply wrote: “I wanted the bag to be comfortable to carry and have enough to keep all my stuff inside. My priority was functionality, I guess.”

Sinner debuted as Gucci’s newest House Ambassador last July, starring in a coastal chic campaign which showcased signature pieces from the Gucci Valigeria travel collection. It was titled, ‘A Hero’s Journey‘ — a big name for a player of Sinner’s age, let alone a player that is yet to win his first Grand Slam Tournament. Obviously, the future is bright for the player many call ‘Carota’ (meaning carrot in Italian).

In the campaign, Sinner reflected on his time touring the world for tennis and what it takes to be the world’s best, all the while dressed head-to-toe in Gucci’s latest ready-to-wear and travel collections, including suiting, knitwear, footwear and more.