“Sinner, but how do they dress you?”, “Is that Luigi?”, “Alcaraz got out of bed today and didn’t change”, “. These are some of the comments that crowded social media during Roland Garros. The topic? The suits worn by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Both are signed by Nike, very different from the colours (and patterns) of the past. A flood of memes that could be good for Nike. Here’s why
by Domenico Casoria
Super Jannik
In total contrast to the black of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Jannik Sinner took to the court in Paris wearing a green polo shirt with a contrasting white collar and blue shorts and hat, as well as a striped long-sleeved shirt. He finished with white socks and a pair of blue and white shoes with the iconic Nike moustache in red. A rather unusual combination of colours filled social media with memes comparing him to Luigi, the famous plumber protagonist of Nintendo’s Super Mario video game. Beyond the irony, however, the change was rather radical. Before Roland Garros, Jannik Sinner mostly chose white, cream or light blue t-shirts. Colour combinations have become a central theme.
Apart from the fact that Nike remains Jannik Sinner’s first technical sponsor, and without considering that, according to Affari Italiani, this year the tennis player and the brand closed a 15 million dollar deal, the choice may have depended on necessity. In some cases, in fact, colours are selected to ensure good visibility of the player on the court, as well as a good contrast with the surrounding environment. This could, therefore, be the reason, given that the Paris Slam is played on the red clay. We will, therefore, have to wait for the US Open (the last Slam after Wimbledon, where, however, wearing white is still mandatory) to see what Nike will choose for Sinner and whether the colours will still be central.
The ‘pyjamas’ of Alcaraz
If the critics were all in all kind to Sinner, they came down hard on Carlos Alcaraz. The issue did not concern the colours but rather the type of outfit chosen for the tournament. In fact, the Spanish tennis player appeared on the Chatrier in a white shirt with black stripes and bright blue outlines and black shorts. An outfit that resembled, according to some, pyjamas or a prison uniform.
Again, this is a different choice than in the past since Alcaraz has always preferred one, maximum two colours, from purple to blue, and only once did he show up at the US Open with a tank top decorated with brightly coloured dripping. In his case, however, it seems to have been a personal decision to pay homage to the French rugby sports culture. Obligation or choice? What we don’t know is how much these moves brought Nike in terms of engagement. We’ll never find out, but the dear old school of ‘as long as it’s talked about’ still applies. Even in tennis.
Photo from Sinner and Alcaraz’s Instagram profile
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