Nuno Borges said his team had tried to source a white Portugal shirt to wear in tribute to the late Diogo Jota at Wimbledon but had been blocked by the All England Club
Nuno Borges wore a black ribbon in his hat in memory of compatriot Diogo Jota
Nuno Borges wore a black ribbon in his hat in memory of compatriot Diogo Jota
(Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)
Portuguese tennis ace Nuno Borges revealed that Wimbledon officials rejected his request to wear a Portugal football shirt in honour of Diogo Jota, following the Liverpool star's tragic passing in a car accident. Instead, he pinned a black ribbon to his cap during his third-round clash on Friday with Karen Khachanov, although Borges mentioned that his team initially sought a more prominent tribute.
Discussing the strict traditional dress code at Wimbledon with the Press Association news agency, Borges said: "I know Wimbledon is usually not very flexible with attire but I was told we could still do something to pay our respects for what happened, so I think it was a nice gesture. He was a great footballer. It was a tragedy."
Borges, who played out a spectacular five-setter, also shared that his agent had reached out to Wimbledon about the possibility of him wearing a Portugal shirt and had even looked for a white version that would comply with the tournament's attire regulations, but to no avail.
"We initially talked about getting a full jersey to walk on court," he added. "I even tried to find one in white, but it was turned down, so we ended up doing something a little smaller."
When quizzed about whether Wimbledon should have permitted the shirt, Borges reflected: "I think that's what makes Wimbledon special and different from every other Slam, so I really don't know."
The ECHO has approached Wimbledon for comment in response to Borges' remarks. In a departure from its 148-year-old dress code, Wimbledon made an exception due to Jota's death by allowing players to adorn themselves with black ribbons or armbands as a sign of respect.
Diogo Jota
The sport is in mourning after the loss of Liverpool's Diogo Jota(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Borges was one of several athletes, including Portuguese doubles player Francisco Cabral, who wore these tributes during the tournament.
Cabral, who sported a ribbon on his shirt sleeve during a doubles match alongside Lucas Miedler, remarked: "Yesterday the idea of wearing a black strap came up - that was not allowed.
"I asked for permission to use the black ribbon and they let me play with it."
He described it as "an honour", adding: "It was not for the best reason - he was an inspiration not only for me but for the country in general.
"He made so much in the sport and conquered so much in my life. If I helped 1% for the family I will be super happy."
Despite their efforts, Cabral and Miedler were defeated in straight sets by Czech duo Petr Nouza and Patrik Rikl in the second round. Wimbledon's strict dress code typically limits the display of colours on court, making exceptions for tributes quite rare.
This act of remembrance comes after the tragic passing of Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who died in Spain en route to England.
Neal Skupski, a British doubles player and Liverpool supporter, had also planned to wear a black armband during his Thursday match but decided against it following the news of his grandmother's death shortly after coming off court.
Skupski mentioned he might don one "in the next couple of days."