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Victorians also believed that wearing white allowed athletes to sweat with little notice, although women tennis players dressed in a manner that prevented them from real physical exertion. The lower classes, who worked with their hands, couldn’t wear the color without getting dirty. The sport first caught on in class-conscious Victorian England, where white clothing was associated with wealth and privilege. Tennis whites only became a phenomenon because of Victorian notions of class and hygiene. He boycotted Wimbledon because of its all-white dress code. Why don’t they take a survey? Instead of asking some old guy behind a desk.”Īndre Agassi in 1991. “The idea is to make tennis enjoyable for people. In fact, in 1990 when tournament organizers considered the all-white route, Andre Agassi, known for his colorful ensembles, took offense. One reason Giudicelli’s decision to ban Williams’s catsuit has raised eyebrows is because, unlike Wimbledon and its all-white dress code, the French Open has traditionally been a tournament where players can express themselves through fashion. Her hair, body, and fashion choices have routinely been scrutinized, often with an undercurrent of race, sex, and class bias. One of the rare black women to dominate tennis, Williams has faced criticism throughout her career for not looking like the women who’ve traditionally played the sport. The suggestion that Serena Williams doesn’t respect the game came across as a microaggression. “I think that obviously the Grand Slams have a right to do what they want to do,” she said.īut for some members of the public, the matter didn’t seem so simple. When asked about the catsuit ban, Williams, however, downplayed his remarks. While the ban on such ensembles is still unofficial, Giudicelli’s remark led to backlash. I’ve been wearing pants in general a lot when I play, so I can keep the blood circulation going.” “God, I don’t know how many I’ve had in the past 12 months. “I’ve had a lot of problems with my blood clots,” she said at the French Open. She dedicated her Black Panther-inspired catsuit to “ all the moms out there that had a tough pregnancy.” Williams has a history of blood clots and developed one after giving birth to her daughter, Alexis, in September via C-section. The idea that Williams disrespected the sport by wearing the bodysuit outraged fans because the tennis star explained that she wore the ensemble both with her health in mind and to inspire mothers. Fans defended the catsuit because health factored into why Williams wore it
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This makes Serena Williams’s Wakanda-inspired catsuit no more disrespectful of the sport than what tennis stars have worn on the court for more than a century.
DIGITAL MEDIA KIT SERENA WILLIAMS PROFESSIONAL
Throughout the history of professional tennis, the trends of the times have influenced player dress. Male and female players alike have toed the line when it comes to the dress codes imposed on them, and others have boycotted tournaments altogether because of the required attire. Williams herself weighed in and said she was not upset by the decision.īut Giuidicelli’s comments ignore the history of the game: Tennis has long been a sport where athletes’ fashion choices have been the source of conflict. The catsuit ban led to considerable backlash in the days since it was announced.
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You have to respect the game and the place.”
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“The combination of Serena this year, for example, it will no longer be accepted. “I think we sometimes went too far,” he said. While fans and the media praised the look, French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli said in a Tennis Magazine interview published Friday that it won’t be back. #justdoit /dDB6D9nzaD- Nike August 25, 2018īut the catsuit won’t be welcome at Roland Garros again. You can take the superhero out of her costume, but you can never take away her superpowers.
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