French Open 2010: Paris’s New Fashion Central
Women tennis players were once known for their serves, volleys, racing forehands and deceptive backhands. Similarly, the French Open was synonymous with epic battles on the red dirt surface. That perception is now somehow changing, with fashion now taking centre stage at the Roland Garros. It is all about who is wearing what, with fashion critics snooping around for a chance to make see who would make it to their dreaded worst dressed list.
The French Open 2010 seems to be spinning a similar story. The American players have concentrated more on their wardrobe rather than shot selection, considering the fact that no female player from the United States has won the French Open in eight years. So if that was not enough to turn heads, it’s now all down to their attire.
Topping the list for making a fashion statement was second seed Venus William, who walked out onto the court wearing a black lace dress with red trimmings and a plunging neckline. Not to forget the contrast, she wore tiny nude coloured shorts to finish off her look. Far from the white gears from yesteryears and of course Wimbledon, Venus looked as if she had just rolled out of bed or just taken a trip to a lingerie store.
Many journalists and critics have raised an eyebrow at Venus’s current outlandish costume, but the thirty year old struck back. Claiming she was having fun with her dressing and that she took a personal interest in the designing of her gears. Her inspiration behind the outfit was to create an illusion. And that is exactly what happened with the media talking more about her clothes than her performance during the French Open. Since Venus does not believe in superstition, that she has to wear the same outfit that she won her games in, there are plenty more of such clothes in her locker; something she calls her backup plan.
And if Venus Williams has sent the media in a tizzy, how can Sister Serena, who is known even more for her flamboyance ever be left behind in this rat race. Serena has been at the epicentre of the media glare when it comes to clothing. She is famous for wearing a skin tight black cat suit when she comes onto the court. And not just that, earlier this year at the Australian Open, Serena made heads roll when she walked towards the umpire’s chair donning a skimpy yellow dress with a plunging neckline and contrasted with tiny nude coloured shorts. She too liker her sister claims to be involved in her own designing, and of course the inspiration is the same; illusion. Clothes are not the only thing both sisters are famous for, it is also the addition of chunky jewellery that goes hand in hand with their on court gear.
If the William sisters thought they had a monopoly on outlandish gears, well then they are sadly mistaken. In walks in Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who is famous for walking out onto the Centre Court in Wimbledon donning a tube top and white football socks. And that’s not all; she has also worn a $10,000 dollar cowboy hat during a match and leopard print outfits as well. This year at the French Open it has been no different, Bethanie during her first round match wore a pink shirt, black skirt and knee high black socks. She says she will stick to the knee high socks throughout the tournament, but ironically insists that her style is moving towards the more conservative ideals. Thus it seems that tattoos and short dresses are the call of the day and Rolland Garros is emulating the catwalks of Milan.
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