Tennis fashion is evolving at an ever-faster rate, as the market is getting more competitive and sports apparel companies are coming up with unique designs to make their mark in the industry.
Marija Zivlak of Women’s Tennis Blog will show us the best ten looks from the decade behind us in the WTA world.
Maria Sharapova is the queen of tennis fashion glamour and her 2017 US Open dress shows just how worthy of that unofficial title the Russian is.
The little black dress designed by Riccardo Tisci for Nike combines lace, Swarovski crystals, dots and leather details to create an haute couture tennis look perfect for night matches at Flushing Meadows.
A slightly oversized bomber jacket that is billowy in the back completed Sharapova’s memorable outfit.
Chitose Abe of Japanese label Sacai is known for her futuristic designs and hybrid cuts, so we expected nothing short of extravagant and stunning when she teamed up with Nike to create an outfit for Naomi Osaka’s appearance at the 2019 US Open.
Every look at this two-piece outfit makes you discover a new surprising detail. Layers, asymmetry, pops of color, textures, cutouts and ruffles are combined in a progressive way never before seen on the tennis fashion scene.
Crop tops, bodysuits, tutus, striking prints, fishnet tights, simple dresses and outfits with dramatic side cutouts -- Serena Williams confidently wore all these styles in the past decade. Taking into account the impact the look produced at the time, the American’s Australian Open 2015 Nike tunic makes our Top 10 list.
The revealing tunic is not a universal design that suits a lot of people, but Williams pulled it off to perfection. The daring back and vibrant colors make the dress burst with energy, just as Williams’ on-court performance.
Caroline Wozniacki had a fair share of stunning dresses created by Stella McCartney. Her early adidas dresses were skin-toned feminine designs with a lot of ruffles, followed by a romantic period of floral prints and pastel colors, while in recent years the Dane’s fashion has mostly been characterized by color-blocks and laser perforations. It was hard to pick the best outfit from the versatile archives, but after a lot of thinking my vote goes to Wozniacki’s 2010 US Open dress. Its tight fit, mesh insets and unique texture accentuate curves, while vibrant yellow sports bra and shorts add a nice pop of color to the solid dark grey design.
New Balance created a perfect tennis dress for their representatives at Roland Garros 2019. This sporty, sophisticated and elegant item seen here on Sorana Cirstea features split racerback with innovative cutout design and bonded curved droptail hem with side vents.
The color is UV blue with a touch of navy and metallic gold taping that enhances this performance design’s clean lines. A mesh lining highlights the waist.
Adidas broke new ground by introducing a romper at the 2018 Australian Open. This 3-in-1 piece, seen here on Andrea Petkovic, offers a loose fit in the combination of teals and yellows, reflecting the laid back nature of the Melbourne summer. This beachwear-inspired jumpsuit features honeycomb mesh and keyhole opening on the back.
Venus Williams came up with dozens of prints in recent years, but the Thika pattern from the 2017 Australian Open definitely tops the list.
The adorable purple print of the EleVen Competitor Dress is nicely combined with a clean white top and thick contrast waistband in-between.
Ana Ivanovic’s 2016 US Open dress, inspired by the architecture and landscape of New York, features a colorful triangular print, reflecting the environment, energy and vibrancy of the tournament’s host city. A special touch is the reinvented shape of the racerback.
Collaborations always bring new life to tennis fashion and among the most successful ones was when adidas surprisingly joined forces with musician Pharrell Williams for the 2017 US Open collection sported by Simona Halep and other leading WTA players. The color-block clothes are visually inspired by the sport’s ’70s-era superstars, while the engineered argyle mesh fabric pays homage to adidas’ heritage. We can’t get enough of this refreshed vintage style!
Colorful outfits tend to stick in our heads as fashion favorites, but the decade behind us offered dozens of stunning white Wimbledon dresses that attracted attention with innovative cuts and appealing textures. Kristina Mladenovic’s adidas London dress from 2017 captivates with its stylish higher round neck and feminine wave-patterned mesh on the back and cap sleeves.
The dress is a 3-in-1 set, offering the convenience of a coordinating sports bra and built-in short tights with laser mesh detail.
What are your WTA fashion favorites in the past ten years? Let us know on social media: @WTA.
