Serena Williams Makes a Statement with Empowering Attire for Her Return to the French Open
Serena Williams arrived at the 2019 French Open making another fashion statement, a year after wearing the black catsuit that was banned from the tennis court.
Upon arrival to the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, the mother of one sported a jacket that read the words “Champion,” “Queen,” “Goddess,” and “Mother” in French.
For her match against Russian opponent Vitalia Diatchenko, Williams, 37, wore a matching two-piece ensemble from a Nike collaboration with designer Virgil Abloh.
The tennis pro gave a sneak peek of the look on Sunday, posting a series of black-and-white photos to her Instagram.
“Let the Roland Garros begin. Here is my French Open look designed by @virgilabloh and @nike,” she captioned the photos, which highlighted the crop top, skirt, and jacket.
Last year, the 23-time Grand Slam winner turned heads in an Abloh-designed all-black catsuit that she said made her feel like a “queen from Wakanda.”
“I feel like a warrior in it,” the tennis champ told reporters last May. Not only was the outfit a fashion statement, but a benefit to Williams’ health.
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“I’ve had a lot of problems with my blood clots, God I don’t know how many I’ve had in the past 12 months,” she said last year after giving birth to daughter Alexis Olympia the prior September. “I’ve been wearing pants, in general, a lot when I play so I can keep the blood circulation going.”
However, the French Tennis Federation did not approve of Williams’ French Open outfit last year, and in August chose to introduce a new dress code.
“I think that sometimes we’ve gone too far,” said French Tennis Federation President Bernard Giudicelli to the Associated Press at the time. “It will no longer be accepted. One must respect the game and the place.”
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Williams responded to the ban as gracefully as a queen.
“I feel like if and when, or if they know that some things are for health reasons, then there’s no way that they wouldn’t be okay with it,” she told reporters later that August. “So I think it’s fine. The president of the French Federation, he’s been really amazing. He’s been so easy to talk to. My whole team is basically French, so, yeah, we have a wonderful relationship.”
The ban hasn’t stopped Williams from slaying the fashion scene — or the tennis court.
RELATED: Serena Williams Pairs Designer Sneakers with High-Fashion Gown to Co-Host 2019 Met Gala
Earlier this month, the tennis star acted as co-chair at the 2019 Met Gala along with Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, Lady Gaga, Gucci’s Alessandro Michele and Harry Styles.
For the event, she wore a custom neon yellow strong-shouldered Versace gown with pink feathery and leaf appliqué throughout, topped off with a cascading train.
She paired the gown with matching neon yellow Nike Air Force One sneakers, which were also designed by Abloh.
In addition to being a mom and fashion icon, Williams continues to dominate on the tennis court. She beat Diatchenko in their match on Monday.
