What you missed in Australian Open stars’ hottest outfits
The world’s hottest tennis players, including Serena Williams and Ash Barty, have unveiled some incredible looks this year, taking tennis wear to the next level with their own personal touches.
Tennis
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tennis. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The court is doubling as a catwalk during the Australian Open, with athletes showing off high-performance outfits that incorporate their own personal style touches.
Tennis attire is no longer just about function, with big brands like Nike, adidas and Fila taking their cues from the hottest fashion trends.
Whether it’s a custom-designed onesie or fishnets doubling as compression tights, players including Serena Williams, Caroline Wozniacki and Australian’s own Ashleigh Barty have turned heads on the court for both their tennis skills and personal style.
What they’re wearing, however, doesn’t overshadow their No. 1 priority in a Grand Slam — winning games.
Perhaps the stakes have been raised during this year’s Open due to the attendance of Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of US Vogue and the most powerful woman in fashion.
Wintour is in Melbourne to speak at the Open’s Inspirational Series tomorrow and has been sitting courtside at Rod Laver Arena, including in Williams’ players box today and on Monday (Wintour is a close personal friend of Williams, who has appeared on the cover of US Vogue).
Typically, players have kept their on-court outfits to bold colours — blue, green and even pink — with striped detailing and matching caps.
There’s even been a frilly skirt a la Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova, in pink Fila. And crisp tennis white has also been a favourite.
Williams has been smashing it on the court in an emerald green Nike onesie dubbed the “Serena-tard”.
It features black and white stripes, the Nike logo and a tank-style neckline, and she has been wearing it with a pair of green, black and red Nike runners that feature a gold tick.
“Nike always wants to make an incredibly strong, powerful statement for mums that are trying to get back and get fit, Williams said of the outfit.
“That was basically it for me.”
She is a pioneer on and off the court, pushing the boundaries in tennis style with a catsuit at the French Open last year (it was later banned) and a collaboration with Virgil Abloh unveiled at the US Open in September.
Millennial pink, it seems, has been an unofficial trend at the Open with Australian Ashleigh Barty and Pliskova wearing bubblegum pink-and-white looks from Fila.
Barty’s features a nod to her Aussie roots with the Vegemite logo on the front.
Adidas-sponsored Caroline Wozniacki have been wearing the first adidas x Parley tennis collection during the Open made from eco-conscious “Parley Ocean Plastic”.
The material is created from up-cycled plastic waste intercepted on beaches and in
coastal communities.
In her quarter-final win over Barty, Petra Kvitova — of the of the Czech Republic — wore a acid wash denim Nike skirt, teamed with a white tank with striped detailing and matching sweatbands on both wrists — perhaps an ode to that very 80s tennis styling.
American Bethanie Mattek-Sands is known for her quirky on-court style and her ensembles Down Under have certainly delivered that — quirk.
Floral prints, bright colours and knee-high socks have featured in her tennis-wear from her collaboration with the brand Lucky in Love.
Originally published as What you missed in Australian Open stars’ hottest outfits
World-famous singer makes pro tennis debut
He once vowed to never stop party rocking but it appears he hasn’t listened to his own advice, as the iconic singer made his professional tennis debut, aged 49.
Shock, tears as ex-world No. 1 retires on spot
A much-loved tennis champ’s career has ended in sad scenes when she grabbed a microphone on court and left spectators in tears.