Matteo Berrettini has revealed Wimbledon chiefs blocked him from wearing a specially designed Hugo Boss outfit because it was deemed "not white enough".
The Italian star had planned to follow Taylor Fritz's lead by walking onto court in a tailored jacket before his match, only for the All England Club's famously strict dress code to put an end to the idea.
Berrettini, who is sponsored by Hugo Boss alongside Fritz, admitted he had already completed a promotional photoshoot and shared images of the outfit on social media before learning it would not be allowed at SW19.
"I got refused by Wimbledon," he said.
"It was not white enough. It was a little bit off-white."
The former Wimbledon finalist explained that the jacket featured a subtle beige shade which ultimately fell foul of the tournament's regulations.
"It was a little brownish, so they didn't let me do it," he added.
"But it's okay."
Matteo Berrettini has revealed Wimbledon chiefs blocked him from wearing a specially designed Hugo Boss outfit because it was deemed "not white enough"
|GETTY
Asked whether fans would ever get to see the outfit, Berrettini pointed out it had already appeared on his Instagram account.
"You could see it actually on my social media," he said.
"I posted about it. I did a shooting with that. Unfortunately, I couldn't go on court with that."
Berrettini's comments came after he booked his place in the third round with a four-set victory over 20th seed Arthur Fils.
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Five things to know about Wimbledon | GB NEWSHis disappointment contrasted with fellow Hugo Boss ambassador Taylor Fritz, whose all-white blazer, trousers and scarf combination has become one of the talking points of this year's Championships.
Fritz admitted he was unsure how supporters would react when the idea was first suggested.
"I think Boss came to me with the idea of wanting to do it, and so we did it," he said.
"I wasn't 100 per cent sure how I felt, but after seeing the pictures after the match, I feel like it looked all right.
"I think people are going to be torn. I think some people are going to like it and some people are going to think that anyone who is dressed up to walk out is doing too much.
"You show up in a full outfit and get snipped in the first round, you kind of look stupid. You look really stupid, honestly."
Fritz has avoided that problem so far after progressing through his opening two matches without dropping a set.
Berrettini is far from the only player to discover just how uncompromising Wimbledon can be when it comes to clothing.
Matteo Berrettini is through to the third round of Wimbledon
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Spain's Jessica Bouzas was warned by an umpire earlier this week after part of a black undershirt became visible beneath her white playing kit.
"A problem here is that they are very strict with many things," she said.
"I think it was a bit of black here, and you can't do that, so I will have to sort it out."
The All England Club's all-white tradition has sparked controversy for decades.
Andre Agassi famously boycotted Wimbledon between 1988 and 1990 because of the dress code before returning in all white and eventually lifting the title in 1992.
Even Roger Federer was ordered to change his footwear during the 2013 Championships after wearing trainers with bright orange soles.
Under Wimbledon's regulations, any colour used on clothing must remain within tightly controlled limits, with repeated breaches capable of resulting in significant financial penalties if players fail to comply.