Jannik Sinner's 'difficult' talk with Kate Middleton and kids at Wimbledon final
Tennis sensation Jannik Sinner wowed the Wimbledon crowd and gave Prince George and Princess Charlotte a day to remember as they chatted with the newly-crowned champion. The young royals, alongside their parents, had prime seats in the Royal Box on Centre Court, where they watched Sinner triumph over Spain's Carlos Alcaraz.
The 23-year-old clinched his first Wimbledon title by defeating Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. After the match, video footage captured Prince George, 11, and Princess Charlotte, 10, sharing a special moment with the Wimbledon winner, who gifted them a keepsake.
Their mother, the Princess of Wales, who had received a standing ovation at Wimbledon the previous day, looked on as her children engaged with Sinner. The tennis star signed three small green tennis balls for the Royal youngsters and handed them to Princess Charlotte.
Despite his calm demeanour on Centre Court, the Italian confessed he initially found it challenging to know the right way to speak to Princess Kate and her family.
"In the beginning, I didn't know what to say," Sinner admitted during his post-match press conference. "It's difficult to understand, you know, how you can talk. I always try to talk very natural.
"I asked the kids if they play tennis and asked them what kind of rackets they play with, these kind of things. It was amazing. I believe for us tennis players, it's so nice to have them watching us because it makes it even more special.
"You see how much they care about tennis and the sport itself. It's very prestigious. I've been lucky to meet [the Princess of Wales] and the whole family, and it was a very nice moment."
Sinner returned two signed tennis balls before Princess Charlotte offered up a third for him to sign. Princess Kate smiled and explained: "They've got one for their brother as well," while the young royals gratefully accepted the tennis memorabilia.
Princess Kate, patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, expressed her admiration for the speed at which champions' names appeared on the winners' board. She had earlier had the privilege of presenting the trophy to an elated Sinner.
Emulating their parents' etiquette, Princess Charlotte and Prince George shared formal handshakes with Sinner, with George even offering a warm "well done" to the tennis star.
Royal fans were charmed by the clips circulating on Wimbledon's official platforms. One social media user said: "He signed a tennis ball for the future king of England. This has got to be the best day of this guy's life."
A second added: "A delightful tradition at Wimbledon, where champions like Jannik Sinner gift signed tennis balls to young royals, capturing a moment of sportsmanship and cultural significance."
The gesture for Prince Louis didn't go unnoticed, with a third fan posting: "The little princess gave him two balls to sign – one for her and the other for her little brother Louis."
A fourth Royal fan noted the Prince of Wales' behaviour during the meeting: "I love how Prince William stands back, respecting his wife's position as Patron of the LTA."
The Princess of Wales is accustomed to the thrill of Wimbledon finals, having awarded Alcaraz the trophy following his victory over Novak Djokovic last year. This year's final marked Sinner's fourth Grand Slam singles title, with two Australian Open wins and a US Open triumph already under his belt.
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