When Venus Williams walked onto the court at the US Open in Flushing Meadows last night in a black, satiny corset-style dress, accented with faux leather fringe, she looked as if she’d come out of a nightclub, not a clubhouse. But Williams, who in the past year has pushed the boundaries of what is acceptable to wear on-court, was unapologetic.
“I’ve always had an idea of what I wanted to look like on the court but never really executed it,” Williams tells The Post.
“This year, I just decided to take the plunge and go for it. And it’s been a whole lot of fun, I think, for me — and for a lot of people who are watching.”
She’s not kidding. In January, Williams debuted nude underwear at the Australian Open, peeking out from under a neon yellow dress. Six months later at the French Open, she looked like a cocktail waitress in a black lacy number with red piping, paired with those famous flesh-colored panties.
The controversial ensemble shocked the world. One commenter, responding to a USA Today poll, was blunt: “Total inspiration — unfortunately, the inspiration was from Victoria’s Secret.”
And many others were left asking the question: Has tennis fashion gone too far?
“I haven’t been a fan of Venus’ outfits lately,” says David Rosenberg, a tennis fashion historian and the photo editor of Tennis magazine. “They’re really costume-y, really gimmicky. I don’t think she looks her best. They could be more sophisticated.”
But Venus isn’t the only one who’s set tongues wagging with her style.
Take a look at the wild, untamed wardrobes of tennis stars:
All photos courtesy of NY Post.
Full story: Style aces – NYPOST.com
