Around Wimbledon this past week, an unfamiliar site among the traditional strawberries and cream: giant carrots. Five of them. These are the “Carota Boys”, a troupe of travelling Italian fans in carrot costumes supporting the world No 8, Jannik Sinner. (Additional context: he once nibbled on a carrot at a change of ends, instead of the more traditional banana.)
That the wiry 21-year-old, who hails from a small town on the Italy‑Austria border, has such dedicated fans makes sense. Sinner has wowed crowds with his almost supernatural all-surface sliding, manic court coverage and blockbuster matches – in particular against his Next Gen rival, Carlos Alcaraz, at both Wimbledon and the US Open last year. I’d argue he’s played the best point of the year so far. Mostly Sinner is a low-key figure calm on the court, who lets his tennis do the talking, although earlier in the tournament he did make lifestyle sections when he graced Centre Court carrying a bespoke Gucci duffel bag; his collaboration with the fashion house more evidence of his rising star.
