Bernard Guidicelli announced for the 2019 French open that Serena Williams will no longer be allowed to wear her figure enhancing catsuit. The French tennis federation president purposely singled out Serena’s catsuit as an example behind his new policy, claiming that the design and style of the tennis player had “gone too far,” Guidicelli went on to say in an interview with Tennis Magazines 500th edition.
Guidicelli believes that certain outfits would “no longer be accepted ” and that one “must respect the game and the place.”
After the announcement of the new dress code, Williams at the French Open press interview described the outfit as a “ Wakanda Warrior” outfit. After giving birth to her now one year old daughter, Alexis, Serena felt that the black outfit would be representative of “ all the women that have been through a lot mentally, physically, with their body to come back and have confidence and believe in themselves.” She also commented that she believed the outfit inspired a “whole different group of amazing women and kids.”
Besides the outfit being an act to inspire other mothers and children, Serena says there is a purpose of functionality to the compression suit. The suit was created to protect Serena against blood clots, which she says she had multiple issues with since the birth of her daughter, even revealing that because of blood clots in her lungs she nearly died.
Since the announcement of the new policy on female tennis players outfits at the French Open, many have taken to social media outlets to express their opinions. Tennis legend Billie Jean King tweeted on August 25th in response to an NPR article that “The policing of women’s bodies must end. The ‘respect’ that’s needed is for the exceptional talent @serenawilliams brings to the game. Critiquing what she wears to work is where the true disrespect lies.”
Serena’s response to the controversial ban was to come to the U.S open in a black one-shoulder tutu. The ensemble was created by Louis Vuitton and Off- White Nike designer Virgil Abloh.
Serenas response garnered much attention from the public, some of whom celebrated Serena’s tutu and win at the U.S open against Magda Linette.
The outfit was meant to be apart of Nikes’ public relations campaign. After the US Open began, Nike launched an ad featuring the 23 titled grand slam winner, which has since then raked in 4.5 millions views on YouTube.
The ad features a combination of home and competition footage from Serena Williams’ career, with audio overlay of her father coaching and inspiring her to pretending that she is “at the US open.” It is clear from the video that no matter the restriction put on Serena Williams, she is able to rise above and turn things around in her favor.