Women of Wimbledon
The fabled tournament in London combines sport and fashion in a timeless and elegant manner, becoming one of fashion’s hottest venues for attendees and competitors alike. With a strict dress code of white for players, the athletes’ attire is limited, but that doesn’t stop some from standing out for more than just their skills on the court. Over the years, many have arrived at Wimbledon with outfits that capture attention worldwide for their twists on typical tennis looks.
Lea Pericoli
In 1965, the Italian wore a rose trimmed dress designed by Teddy Tinling. Pericoli was a fierce competitor, reaching the Wimbledon championships three times, but she was also a style icon known for her fashion on and off the court.
Photo: Keystone/Getty Images
Billie Jean King
You can’t talk about Wimbledon without mentioning Billie Jean King. During her career, King won a record twenty titles at the tournament – six in singles, ten in women’s doubles, and four in mixed doubles. During her campaigns to win the women’s singles championship in 1973 and 1975, King wore a slightly sheer lace dress and a white dress with blue floral details, both of which cemented her in tennis fashion history.
Photos: Focus on Sport/Vogue and Getty Images/WWD
Anne White
In 1985, Anne White’s catsuit was the leading story of Wimbledon. Designed by Teddy Tinling, the white catsuit included leg warmers and caused so much controversy that Wimbledon officials told White that she was not allowed to wear the outfit again.
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Venus Williams 2000
During the tournament in 2000, Venus Williams defeated her sister on her way to the title while wearing one of her signature cutout Reebok dresses. Venus has left her mark on Wimbledon for more than just her fashion moments, with five singles titles and six women’s doubles titles at Wimbledon alone.
Photo: Thomas Pugh/AP
Anna Kournikova 2002
In 2002, Anna Kournikova wore a two piece white set that featured a curved hem and an off-center v-neck. This look was different from the traditional tennis dresses seen at the tournament, which made the look even more memorable.
Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
Maria Sharapova
The Fashion Queen of Tennis, serving looks and aces every time she walked on the court. Sharapova always showed up with looks that dazzled and a competitiveness that led her to win the tournament in 2004. The Nike dress that she wore during her win was simple and classic, but possessed a little bit of an edge with its asymmetrical hem and slit.
During her 2005 semi-final appearance, Sharapova wore a drop waist dress that featured pops of grey and a pleated skirt. What really made this look shine was the orange trim, which made this dress stand out from the usual all white looks of Wimbledon.
In her 2007 campaign, Sharapova made headlines for her Swan Lake inspired dress. The dress includes a double skirt and a back that features two ruffles, inspired by a swan’s wings.
Photos: Simon Bruty/SI and Daily Mail
Serena Williams
Of course no list would be complete without the GOAT, Serena Williams. Throughout her career, she won fourteen Wimbledon titles – seven in singles, six in women’s doubles, and one in mixed doubles. In her twenty-four years at Wimbledon, Williams had many memorable fashion moments, but one of the best was her 2021 first round match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich. She walked out onto the grass in an all-white dress with a detachable train and one long sleeve, looking like the formidable competitor and champion that she is.
Photo: Getty Images/WWD
