Wimbledon relaxes all-white clothing rules for women players
The British Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) has lifted the all-white outfits rule for all women players at the grand slam tournament in September.
Under the current rule, women who wear white can only wear white on the court. But Wimbledon says the rule has no bearing on the tournament’s identity, a distinction that allows white to be worn for both sports and recreation. It is not a dress code.
The rule was introduced in 2000 after Serena Williams wore a white bathing suit on the court. She was told that she could only wear white if she is accompanying a male tennis player.
Williams is still wearing the white suit, but has kept to a similar clothing style in the rest of her career as she prepares for the final against Jelena Jankovic. In the women’s singles final, she will be wearing black.
“The decision was taken out of context,” Wimbledon said in a statement. “Wearing either a white or a black tennis costume on the grass is part of being a Wimbledon tournament participant. It is part of the day-to-day social and cultural fabric of the tournament and all its activities.”
The Wimbledon tournament has previously made other changes, such as limiting the number of racquets used from the same manufacturers. Earlier this year, a rule was introduced banning players from wearing shoes made with black/brown suede, a material that was found to have a higher shoe-shining effect than other materials.
The tennis legend is taking part in her first tennis tournament since she retired from professional competition earlier this year. In March, she announced her decision to step away from the sport, saying she was tired of the negative perception associated with her profession.
As well as Serena, former champion Martina Navratilova is on Twitter. “Hi friends. Hope you all are well. Great to be back at Wimbledon! Have a great week,” she tweeted on Tuesday.