Serena Williams Wore a Nike Bodysuit for Her French Open Return—and Twitter Is Loving It

Serena Williams made her triumphant return to tennis since giving birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., facing Kristyna Pliskova in the first round of the 2018 French Open. And she did so in incredibly memorable—and badass—fashion.

The last time Williams hit the court was in January 2017 at the Australian Open, when she won the tournament while pregnant. Throughout her career, the 36-year-old has been known for making fashion statements with her tennis wardrobe. That certainly didn't change for her big return to the sport: To mark the occasion, Williams showed up to the French Open in a black spandex bodysuit by Nike, which featured a red stripe across her abdomen.

Williams' look was strikingly different from the light-colored skirts and dresses most female tennis players wear on the court. But her outfit choice wasn't random—it was symbolic.

"All the moms out there that had a tough pregnancy and have to come back and try to be fierce, in [the] middle of everything. That's what this represents," she told journalist Jon Wertheim, per USA Today. "You can't beat a cat suit, right?"

People were loving Williams' ensemble, expressing their support on social media.

The three-time French Open winner returned to the Grand Slam circuit with a powerful statement, after news broke that Williams was ranked number 453 at the moment, despite holding the top spot last year, due to a disappointing rule that treats childbirth like an injury (!!!) and therefore sets the player back substantially. (It also means she'll likely compete against serious rivals at the beginning of the competition.)

Maria Sharapova, one of Williams's biggest adversaries in the sport, showed her support for Serena, telling the AP that she'd "like to see that [rule] change" and that a woman should not be held back after becoming a mother. For the record: Williams won her first match 7-6, 6-4 and will move on to face Ashleigh Barty in the next round. Here's hoping there's another lewk coming our way.

Related: Serena Williams Is Getting Her Own Documentary Because She's the Greatest of All Time