Game. Set. Match
From Wimbledon Whites to Tiffany Diamonds: Here are the Best and Boldest Tennis Looks in History
It’s that time of year again when Wimbledon is on, and I decide I’m a tennis fanatic. Yes, I’ve got the chart you can fill out from the newspaper. What got me into tennis wasn’t the fact I played it at school (my hand-eye coordination is non-existent), it was seeing Serena Williams' outfit on a tennis-themed sticker my sister had stuck to her chest of drawers. No, I didn’t know a thing about tennis then, but I knew she was my favourite. As I got older, I played an ATP Tour game on my Nintendo. Back then, Serena wasn’t an avatar you could play as, so I created her as a customisable one, and you know, I dressed her accordingly. But much like in real life, I was awful at the actual game. Around the age of eight, my mum was lucky enough to win the ticket ballot to go to the Wimbledon men’s semi-finals, and I was most put out that she brought my uncle with her to watch and not me, even though I didn’t understand the difference between deuce and juice. However, today I watch Wimbledon and actually understand how the game works (don’t test me), but the one thing I will always look at before the scores, the outfits.
Going Batty for Bottega
Italian tennis player Lorenzo Musetti was recently announced as the first brand ambassador for Bottega Veneta since Louise Trotter took the helm of the brand. Whisperings were there when Trotter appeared in Musetti’s box during his fourth-round match at Roland-Garros earlier this year, and then it was practically confirmed by his appearance in the ‘Craft is Our Language’ campaign, alongside Julianne Moore and Tyler, the Creator, celebrating fifty years of the brand’s iconic intrecciato weave. However, the official confirmation came on the day of Musetti’s first-round match at this year's Wimbledon, where he walked onto the court in an all-white leather jacket specially constructed for him by Bottega Veneta, featuring the intrecciato weave. While Musetti saw an early exit in this year's tournament, his jacket left a long-lasting impression.
Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend
After her 2021 success at the US Open, Emma Raducanu became the golden girl of British tennis, and it seemed like every brand was clambering to be aligned with the young sports star. One of the brands that endorsed Raducanu was none other than jewellery brand Tiffany & Co. For her appearances at Wimbledon 2022, Raducanu brought some glitz to the court, pairing her all white Nike ensemble with an eye-watering $37,000 worth of diamond and pearl jewellery. She paired diamond teardrop earrings from the brand’s Victoria Collection with a matching diamond and pearl pendant, and to tie the look together, adorned an 18k gold bangle half set with round diamonds and hinged with a ‘T’ motif at the centre.
Red Carpet Ready
Emma Raducanu isn’t the only player to bring glitz to the tennis court as Maria Sharapova proved her penchant for pazzazz at the 2007 US Open when she wore a deep rose red Nike dress embellished with 600 Swarovski crystals. At night, the crystals shimmered under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights and paired perfectly with her red-soled Nike sneakers and $5000 Tiffany & Co platinum and diamond earrings. Sharapova proved that you could be both glamorous and play sports well, saying at the time, “put on a nice outfit and some make-up and you’re the bomb”.
Bows and Beats
Naomi Osaka has begun to make a name for herself in the court of fashion with her elaborate and well-thought-through playing outfits. During her time at the 2024 US Open, Osaka turned heads in her girlhood-inspired fit designed by Japanese-American designer Yoon Ahn (creative director of Ambush) in collaboration with Nike. The look consisted of a Brat-green velcro miniskirt with a pearly tulle petticoat that was removed to reveal a matching green tiered skirt and tank top with frilled trim. Bows adorned Osaka’s Beats headphones, her bag, training jacket and even her trainers. Ahn took to Instagram to explain how the design was a nod to her and Osaka’s “love for Japan and Japanese subcultures, where both of us are from”. The look felt like a culmination of two of 2024’s biggest trends, bows and Charli XCX’s Brat albums, which meant both tennis fans and non-tennis fans were enamoured by the eye-catching outfit.
A Controversial Catsuit
In 2018, Serena Williams made her return to the French Open nearly nine months after the birth of her daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. Understandably, the new mum wanted something comfortable that would help prevent blood clots, which notably nearly killed her during labour, leading her to wear an all black “Wakanda-inspired” Nike compression catsuit. While many of us admired this surprising on-court outfit, the French Tennis Federation (FTF) banned catsuits and changed the tournament’s dress code in direct response to the look. Rightly so, the FTF’s decision was met by backlash and was criticised by many, including tennis legend Billie Jean King, who tweeted: “The policing of women’s bodies must end. The ‘respect’ that’s needed is for the exceptional talent @serenawilliams brings to the game. Criticising what she wears to work is where the true disrespect lies.” Upon speaking to CNN Sports in 2024 Williams spoke about the controversy surounding the catsuit “I didn’t know it would cause such a stir” and explained how she thinks more consideration should’ve been taken when it came to the medical purposes of the look “So I think there should have been and could have been - and whether there was or not, I was in it and I wasn’t getting out of it - understanding around the whole outfit.”
Welcome to the Moulin Rouge
Like her younger sister, Venus Williams was no stranger to bold sartorial choices when taking to the tennis court, and during the 2010 French Open, her outfit took inspiration from the most famous cabaret in Paris, Moulin Rouge. The self-designed look mostly consisted of black lace, an unusual fabric choice for sportswear, and consisted of a tight corset with red piping detail and a frilled edged skirt that sat atop brown spandex perfectly matching her skin tone. While many critiqued the look as being “provocative”, Williams told the press “, What’s the point of wearing lace when there’s just black under? The illusion of just having bare skin is definitely for me a lot more beautiful.”
Rebel Without a Cause
Often depicted as the ‘bad boy’ of Tennis, Andre Agassi wasn’t afraid to defy the tennis norms and did just that when he turned up to play at the 1988 US Open in a pair of tiny acid-wash denim shorts custom-made by Nike. It was truly remarkable that the then 18-year-old Agassi was able to perform so well in the shorts, as stretch denim was not the norm back then, and don’t even get me started on the lack of airflow and discomfort they would have caused. Agassi continued to turn heads over the years with neon techno-inspired looks and, of course, that eye-catching mullet, which he eventually shaved completely off.
I Take Your Denim Shorts and Raise You a Mini Skirt
It’s time for my favourite on-court look, of course it was worn by Serena Williams (there’s a reason she’s on this list multiple times) during the 2004 US Open and consisted of a pleated Nike denim mini-skirt, a black studded tank top with a matching headband, sparkly hoop earrings, a heart pendant necklace and what appears to be black vinyl leg coverings to create the illusion of knee high trainers. To tie the look together, her black training jacket consisted of silver piping and featured her name emblazoned on the back in sparkles. When talking about the outfit in a 2024 ‘Hot Ones’ interview, Williams revealed the inspiration behind the look: “One of the most iconic moments in tennis for me was when Andre Agassi wore jean shorts. I was like, ‘How do we do that?”.
Taking it Back in Time
Although there isn’t a lot of information available regarding the designers and brands adorned by tennis players over a hundred years ago I was taken by an image of Ethel Larcombe playing in the 1914 Wimbledon final donning a full-length white skirt, a long sleeved shirt with a high collar, paired with a bold, wide-striped tie. It’s hard to believe that this was something worn when playing sports! The outfit would have been extremely restrictive, and it’s unimaginable to think of the tennis players of today running around and sliding about the court in such a look. However, from a stylistic point of view, the crisp cut lines of Larcombe’s outfit are pleasing to the eye and would be great for practically any other event but playing sport.
Breaking Tradition One Strawberry at a Time
Wimbledon is traditionally strict when it comes to the players’ dress code; competitors are required to wear almost entirely white, the dress code specifying “white does not include off-white or cream”. For this year’s tournament, reigning French Open champion Coco Gauff both strayed from tradition while breaking it at the same time. Gauff wore a feminine New Balance kilt paired with an eye-catching lace tank top, something not seen on the SW19 court before, embroidered with sweet strawberries and 3D butterflies. The corset-style top also featured intricately embroidered palm trees to represent Gauff’s hometown of Delray Beach, Florida and a jaguar. While Gauff was eliminated in the tournament’s first round, it’s likely her outfit will take pride of place in the history books.
Suited and Booted
For her 2008 appearance at Wimbledon, Maria Sharapova turned heads in a unique tuxedo-style semi-sheer top and shorts look that elicited varying opinions. Tennis pro Alla Kudryavtseva, who beat Sharapova in the second round of the tournament, stated in her post-match interview that she was so offended by the outfit in question that it motivated her to beat the Russian: “Well, I don’t like her outfit. Can I put it this way? It’s a little too much of everything, of the same thing. It was one of the motivations to beat her. When reflecting on the outfit with Harper’s Bazaar in 2024, Sharapova still expressed fondness for the look despite its critiques over the years, stating, “It was quite rare for girls to wear shorts, and it felt really unique. I feel like I pushed the boundaries a little bit”.
Logomania Takes London
“Quite a statement indeed”, said Italian player Jannik Sinner in 2023 when asked about his history-making fashion choice at Wimbledon. He was referring to his on-court accessory: a custom-made Gucci duffle bag, the first time a high-end luxury luggage piece had been brought onto the court at the English club. The bag toed the line when it came to Wimbledon’s strict dress code without besmirching it. Nick Kyrigos was allegedly fined $14,000 for donning red Air Jordan merch during the tournament in 2022, proving that a fashion fail costs you in SW19.
Keeping Cosy on Court
In 2008, Tennis legend Roger Federer wore his now iconic cardigan designed by Jason Badden in collaboration with his then-sponsor Nike; every detail was custom down to the wooden buttons hand-carved with his ‘RF’ logo and references to his five men’s singles titles (at the time). The cardigan was surprisingly rebellious for Federer as its cream and gold hues went against the aforementioned Wimbledon dress code and sparked a debate, that today would surprise many, around the usually humble tennis champ's hubris. The cardigan cemented its place in the history books and can be seen today at the Rafa Nadal Museum in Mallorca, where it’s displayed alongside the Spaniard’s kit from their epic 2008 Wimbledon final match. In the last week, current reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, has been on the receiving end of many Federer comparisons as he has been seen sporting a white Nike cardigan throughout this year’s tournament.
Feathers and Fun
Once again, it’s hard to find exact details behind many of the tennis outfits of yesteryear; however, it felt imperative to include the late Lea Pericola in this list as she helped to revolutionise on-court fashion during the conservative era of the 50s and 60s. Pericola often sported short skirts and dresses, with her designer of choice being British player-turned fashion designer Teddy Tinling. During one of her appearances at Wimbledon, Pericola exuded '60s chic in a ruffled white mini dress adorned with a 3D rose trim and paired with a chunky white headband. For her 1964 appearances at the English tournament, Pericola sported a white mini dress with a thick feathered trim and in one image I found of her, she appears on a tennis court rocking a feather boa.
Battle of the Sexes
In 1973, Tennis legend Billie Jean King challenged male dominance in sports by taking on self-described ‘male chauvinist’ Bobby Briggs in a tennis match dubbed ‘Battle of the Sexes’. When it came to what King would wear to the match, there was a lot of secrecy. The press wanted any scrap of information they could get their hands on. So when it came time for the designer of her dress, Ted Tinling, to fly to America, he refused to submit his bags to customs, claiming that any outfit seen by the press or customs officials would be discarded by King. What many don’t realise is that King was supposed to wear a different dress to face Briggs; it was described as “a silk-lined dress of opalescent cellophane threads stitched into nylon”, but upon trying Tinling’s design on King proclaimed the fabric was too itchy. To this day, the whereabouts of the dress is unknown, having disappeared from the late Tinling’s archives. Eventually King settled for the backup option the now infamous menthol green dress with buttons down the centre, however Tinling felt the look might get lost in the stadium spotlights at the Astrodome so in the eleventh hour he had an editor of World Tennis Magazine drive him around Houston hunting down rhinestones to add to the dress just hours before the match started. In Tinling’s memoir, he wrote, “after that, I felt Cinderella standby could really go to the ball” and that she did, beating Bobby Briggs in straight sets.
The Music Man
Former French Open champion Yannick Noah was known for sporting some stylish gear throughout his professional career, but it’s his choice of practice wear in 1983 during Wimbledon that many remember. In the 80s, tennis pros didn’t always don official practice gear, and the Frenchman made waves when he was snapped donning satin-effect blue short shorts and a David Bowie T-shirt. In some ways, this well-remembered look foreshadowed his post-tennis career as a musician with a number one album in the French charts in 2000.
Spinning like a Ballerina
It was hard to narrow down the most Iconic Serena Williams looks for this list, so I think I showed restraint by only including three. For the 2018 US Open, the late Virgil Abloh’s brand Off-White teamed up with Nike to create a ballet-inspired look for the sports star. The result was an asymmetric dress with voluminous layers of Italian tulle creating a tutu that mesmerised onlookers as she gracefully moved across the court. When discussing the dress, Abloh described it as not being about “bells and whistles and tricks. It’s just about it living on the body and expressing Serena’s spirit with each swing of the racket”. The dress came in two iterations, lilac and black, with matching sparkly sneakers that were embellished with Serena’s name and the word ‘Queen’. In a discussion with Anna Wintour in 2020, Williams revealed that she would still wear the tutu dresses: “My favourite things in life are tutus. The tutu look with Virgil, I kept all those dresses. And sometimes I wear them.” Wintour quipped back that Olympia, Serena’s daughter, “is a lucky girl. She’s going to have lots of choices.”