The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the tennis season, has started with a bang, not only talent-wise but also fashion-wise. Fashion and tennis have gone hand in hand for years, with fashion icons like Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Andre Agassi revolutionizing the tennis kit. The newer generation of tennis players are following suit and have all stepped up their fashion game. Partnered with brands like New Balance, Lululemon, Nike, and Wilson, the Australian Open court fits have reached new levels of comfort for players and style. Here are my favorite looks from the Australian Open.
- Coco Gauff’s Superhero inspired kit
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Coco Gauff won the best-dressed award at the Australian Open. Her entire outfit was New Balance, a sponsorship formed when she was just 14. Gauff and New Balance have consistently put out striking looks, but her AO tennis kit took the cake. What made her outfit so iconic was its unique structure. The top of the outfit was a body suit, white for her daytime matches, and a neon yellow for her nighttime outfit that donned multiple cutouts and an open back. During one of her on-court interviews, Gauff shared that her outfit was inspired by superheroes. “This outfit, I’m a huge Marvel fan, and a lot of the female superheroes have cool cutouts on their outfits, so that’s what I wanted to do,” she said. The outfit also consisted of an asymmetrical skirt, olive green for daytime and neon yellow for night matches. Her outfit was completed with personalized New Balance white shoes with a green sole. The shoes were inspired by basketball shoes because that was the sport her father wanted her to play. Her kit was innovative and trendy, cementing the twenty-year-old as a tennis fashion icon.
- Carlos Alcaraz’s signature sleeveless kit
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Carlos Alcaraz, the world number three and 21-year-old, had my favorite kit at the Australian Open out of the men. Alcaraz originally signed with Nike in 2019 but just recently signed an extension with the company. Following in the footsteps of tennis legend and fellow Spaniard, Rafa Nadal, Alcaraz has mastered the art of rocking a sleeveless top during his matches. The Australian Open was no different, as Alcaraz’s kit consisted of a green two-tone tank top and green shorts. His outfit was complete with a pair of yellow tennis shoes. After his match against Brit Jack Draper, Alcaraz paid homage to icon Andre Agassi by changing into his retro Nike tennis shoes, the Nike Air Tech Challenge II, the second installment of Agassi’s line. Alcaraz’s style is sleek, and I personally love how he uses fashion to pay homage to the tennis greats.
- Peyton stearns’s crop top moment
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My next favorite tennis kit came from American Peyton Stearns. Although the 23-year-old lost to fellow American Emma Navarro in the first round, her tennis kit left its mark. Partnered with the brand Wilson, Peyton elevated the tennis kit by wearing a white crop top and red A-line skirt. The top had a unique neckline and bright red stitching to match the skirt. The bright red color perfectly stood out against the blue courts of the AO. I’m excited to see the trajectory of Stearns’s career and can’t wait for many more fashion statements.
- Francis tiafoe’s pink moment
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The World 16, Francis Tiafoe, is not new to fashion statements. Tiafoe’s outfits always reflect his big personality and the explosive energy that he brings to the court. Tiafoe recently started a new sponsorship deal with Lululemon after being originally signed with Nike. At the Australian Open, Tiafoe wore a “passionate pink” kit by Lululemon. The pink, very similar to the red that Peyton Stearns wore, was the perfect color for Tiafoe in Australia. The kit included a custom metal vent tech tee and pace breaker shorts. His kit was completed with a pair of the new K-Swiss Ultrashot 4 shoes. I can’t wait to follow along with Tiafoe’s new partnership with Lululemon throughout this tennis season.
- Marta Kostyunc’s head-to-toe custom kit
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Marta Kostyunc made it to the third round of the Australian Open and made waves with her classic tennis kit. The Ukrainian tennis pro signed with Wilson back in January of 2023—a big deal in the world of tennis. Through this partnership, Kostyunc became Wilson’s first 360 athlete. Essentially, Wilson styled each part of Kostyunc’s kit, from the outfit to the shoes to the racket. She is styled in custom head-to-toe fits which is absolutely epic. Her Australian Open fit was a classic red dress, which, again, followed the red theme. She wore a pair of the Wilson Intrigue shoes. Kostyunc has a bright future ahead of her in tennis and definitely has taken her fashion sense into her own hands in a big way.
Overall, the Australian Open has taken the fashion world by storm and is a very promising start for the rest of the year to come!