The Trendsetters: Top 10 iconic fashion moments on a tennis court

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal’s sleeveless shirt enabled him to sport his bulging biceps

Nadal is known for flaunting his washboard abs and his bulky biceps with sleeveless Nike shirts. Add some pirate pants in the mix and you would get the Nadal of the old. But Nadal desired a change and has since opted to wear polos and traditional tennis shorts, the former move leaving a legion of his female fans fuming.

Venus and Serena Williams

Venus Williams of the United States with braids and beads in her flowing hair

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Williams’ sisters set the tone for their future fashion exploits on the court, by donning gaudy hairdos, laced with beads.

Suzanne Lenglen

Suzanne Lenglen popularized the pleated tennis skirt

This one is a blast from the past. Nicknamed the “Queen of the Court” (“La Divine” in French), Lenglen caused quite an uproar when she introduced pleated skirts to the tennis world in the 1920s, with some even terming her outfits as risqué.

Henry Austin

Wimbledon’s infamous dress code was taken for a ride when “Bunny” Austin ditched traditional tennis attire namely the cricket flannels and decided to turn up in shorts instead. He is credited to have been the first player to sport shorts on a tennis court.

Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova in her “Little Black Dress”

Sharapova has been a trendsetter in tennis fashion, sporting delightfully beautiful outfits that complement her physique and reflect her beauty. Sharapova pays a great deal of attention to the way she looks on court. According to her, “When you look good, you feel good.” One of her outfits that really stood out was the magnificent “Little Black Dress” that she wore during the 2006 US Open. The cocktail dress, designed by Nike, became a huge hit with the fans.

Those that almost made the list – Serena Williams‘ boots during the 2004 US Open, Sharapova’s tuxedo style 2008 Wimbledon outfit, Bjorn Borg’s shorter version of tennis shorts.