This past week multiple Grand Slam winner Serena Williams made headlines yet again all over the world. But this time it wasn’t for her striking gold at a tournament or breaking yet another record of some sort, but for what she was wearing on-court during one of her recent matches.
The Tennis legend received severe backlash for supposedly ‘not adhering to the dress code’ and showing-up in a black body-hugging, black-panther-inspired, cat-suit during her match in French Open. The tournament’s president Bernard Guidicelli banned Williams from wearing the same in next year’s tournament.
“One must respect the game and the place,” he said.
The French Tennis Federation thinks that #SerenaWilliams‘s rather tame black catsuit is inappropriate for its tennis courts, and I am totally confused. Is it because she’s a gurrl and she needs a skirt? pic.twitter.com/awRulMyqO7
— Camilla Monk 🐨 (@camilla_monk) August 24, 2018
“I’ve had a lot of problems with my blood clots,”Williams later explained. “God, I don’t know how many I’ve had in the past 12 months. I’ve been wearing pants in general a lot when I play, so I can keep the blood circulation going.”
“I call it my Wakanda-inspired catsuit. It’s fun. Although we designed it way before the movie, still, it kind of reminds me of that. I feel like a warrior in it, like a warrior princess kind of… queen from Wakanda maybe. I always wanted to be a super hero.” #SerenaWilliams pic.twitter.com/EEGdWiK0Lm
— BLACK CONSERVATIVE (@blackrepublican) August 24, 2018
As it gave rise to ongoing debates about the ‘policing of women’s clothing’, while similar rules do not exist to that extent for their male counterparts, Serena responded to all the backlash and criticism the best way she knew how – by wearing another “code-breaking” dress to her next match.
On Monday, August 27 – competing in the first rounds of U.S. Open – Serena chose to make a bold statement, by wearing a custom-designed Tutu made exclusively by Louis Vuitton designers Virgil Abloh and Nike.
I’m getting me a tennis tutu!!! #SerenaWilliams pic.twitter.com/BVQnEat2Vg
— Loni Love (@LoniLove) August 28, 2018
Needless to say, it won over many hearts on social media – as people called her sassy comeback – the perfect response to Guidicelli’s statements.
“Oh, they banning the catsuit?”
“See if they like this tutu?”
The Greatest Athlete of All Time. #SerenaWilliamsAP photo credit
Huffington Post photo credit pic.twitter.com/ktyBofR9NF— We Are Onyx (@WeAreOnyx) August 28, 2018
Serena Williams responds to controversial catsuit ban by winning first US open match while wearing tutu…https://t.co/Y9J3gu24Em pic.twitter.com/7meBVI8PQC
— LADbible (@ladbible) August 28, 2018
Warrior. Queen. #SerenaWilliams pic.twitter.com/z3itVNvQkT
— Nicole J. Butler (@NicoleJButler) August 30, 2018
Because when it comes to a Queen like Serena, there’s no bowing down.