Fresh off successfully defending his Wimbledon crown, Jannik Sinner traded his racquet for a tuxedo and his trademark composure for a dose of candid humour, delighting fans with an honest admission that quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the Champions’ Ball.The world No. 1, who defeated Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final, charmed guests during the traditional Champions’ Ball with a series of light-hearted confessions, admitting he was “a bit tipsy” while reflecting on his mother’s nervous reactions during the title clash. The Italian’s candid remarks, coupled with another amusing revelation about repeatedly failing his motorcycle licence test, added a memorable off-court chapter to his latest Grand Slam triumph.
‘I’m a little bit tipsy’
Sinner arrived at the Champions’ Ball in a classic black tuxedo before taking part in the traditional winners’ dance alongside women’s singles champion Linda Nosková.During an on-stage interview, he was asked about his mother, Siglinde, who famously walked out of Centre Court multiple times during the tense Wimbledon final because she found it too stressful to watch.With a smile, Sinner replied: “How is it? I don’t know. I’m a bit tipsy so… I try to talk very simple with the right words. But no, Mum left a couple of times the stadium, which is normal. I’m not a parent yet so I don’t know how it feels when the son is playing there. But at the end of the day, we do enjoy moments like this. We can see everyone is very, very happy to be here and of course I try to make them happy as well.”The heartfelt yet humorous response drew laughter and applause, with fans praising the Italian’s authenticity after another memorable Wimbledon campaign.WATCH:
From Wimbledon glory to motorcycle mishaps
Sinner also had the audience laughing when he revealed that his quest to obtain a motorcycle licence has been far less successful than his exploits on the tennis court.“I’ve failed it four times. Before coming here, I failed once again. Maybe next year, you ask me the same question,” he joked.The light-hearted evening capped a remarkable fortnight for the 24-year-old, who bounced back from an early French Open exit to defend his Wimbledon title with a 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 6-3, 6-4 victory over Alexander Zverev.Sinner later thanked his coaching team on Instagram, writing: “Blood, sweat and (happy) tears! This team pushes me, challenges me and never lets me down… Can’t believe we did it again.” The triumph was historic on multiple fronts. Sinner became just the 10th man to successfully defend the Wimbledon singles title, captured his fifth Grand Slam crown, recorded his 100th Grand Slam match victory, and extended his winning streak over Zverev to 10 matches.