Tennis – French Open: Serena Williams Banned From Wearing Catsuit
Serena Williams will be restricted from wearing her dark catsuit at the French Open in the upcoming year, with the competition set to present a stricter clothing standard.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion said the outfit made her vibe like a “superhero” at Roland Garros this year. She guaranteed it helped her adapt to the issue of blood clumps, which she said nearly cost her life while giving birth.
Serena Williams is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to women’s tennis. She should be able to play in nothing body paint and Mickey Mouse ears if she wants.
— Molly Knight (@molly_knight) 24 August 2018
French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli said:
It will no longer be accepted. I believe we have sometimes gone too far. You have to respect the game and the place.
Giudicelli did not uncover the new standards but rather said they will not be as prohibitive as at Wimbledon, where players must wear only white outfits.
He included that albeit most player uniforms for 2019 have already been arranged, the FFT is requesting the producers to share the designs of the outfits.
Following the birth of her little girl last September, Serena Williams, 36, made her arrival to Grand Slam tennis at the French Open 2018 in May.
Can you imagine the amount of hatred for black people that it must take to fuel the athletic institution of tennis for them to treat Serena Williams the way they do
— Jahkara J Smith✨ (@SlaylerJ) 24 August 2018
The three-time champ wore the catsuit in every one of the initial three round, but unfortunately needed to haul out of her fourth-round tie against Maria Sharapova in view of her injury.
She devoted the outfit to new moms and said it made her vibe like a “queen from Wakanda” in reference to the Black Panther motion picture.
At present, Williams is gearing up for a seventh US Open title, when the competition begins on Monday and the seventeenth seed faces Poland’s world number 60 Magda Linette in the first round.
Social Media Reactions:
Tennis fans did not take this announcement lightly. While some criticised the tennis federation for singling out Serena Williams, others gave the example of other tennis players who had wore a catsuit before.
For the record, Serena Williams wasn’t the first woman to wear a catsuit at a Grand Slam. Anne White did it in 1985 at the US Open. They knew this was a possibility but didn’t ban it until Serena did it for MEDICAL REASONS. pic.twitter.com/0GyDbKnhEO
— Mizzly (@mizzlywizz) 24 August 2018
Just ridiculous. Serena has done nothing BUT respect the game. Serena Williams is almost always singled out in tennis. This comes down to what they feel is “acceptable” on a tennis court. It’s not her job to make you feel comfortable.
Also, the suit helps her combat blood clots. https://t.co/gR2XqJLi3j— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) 24 August 2018
The game seems quite content to be played no matter what women wear. Perhaps this man should focus on his own fashion choices and respect the GOAT’s rights to wear whatever the hell she pleases. #getoffhercourt https://t.co/sS7QcyJp3y
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) 24 August 2018
What incentive would Serena Williams, GOAT, have at this point in her career to play the French Open when the tournament is being blatantly disrespectful to her?
— roxane gay (@rgay) 24 August 2018
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