Serena Williams turned professional in 1995 at the tender age of 14, marking the beginning of her journey as a tennis luminary. It didn't take long for her to make waves as a style icon as well, making striking entrances to matches in daring and innovative ensembles.
Throughout her illustrious career, Williams' on-court attire often mirrored her distinct personal style, featuring vibrant hues, eye-catching patterns, and unconventional silhouettes. From sleek catsuits to color-blocked dresses, from statement jewelry to meticulously coordinated sneakers, the 23-time Grand Slam champion consistently pushed the boundaries of tennis fashion, occasionally sparking controversy along the way.
As Serena Williams bids farewell to her professional tennis career, let's take a moment to reminisce on some of her most memorable fashion statements on the court.
Serena Williaмs playing tennis in 1992
Long before she turned professional and secured major sportswear
sponsorships, Williams was putting a fashionable spin on the traditional
tennis outfit. She donned this white-and-blue two-piece ensemble with a
floral design during a match in 1992 — clearly the start of her penchant for
flouncy skirts and bold patterns.
Serena Williams at the US Open in 1999
Williams won her first US Open at 17 years old in 1999, donning a bright
yellow Puma dress with black-and-white accents. She paired the simple and
chic ensemble with gold hoops and white and topped the look off with white
and yellow beads in her hair. Williams and her older sister, Venus Williams,
were known to sport these hair accessories often early in their careers.
Serena Williams at the US Open in 2000
RICK MAIMAN/SYGMA
Taking the tie-dye look for a spin, the athlete experimented with patterns
at the 2000 US Open. She chose a black-and-purple tie-dye dress by Puma
for day two of the competition, later wearing a color-block reiteration of
the dress in the quarterfinal round.
Serena Williams at the US Open in 2002
DON EMMERT/AFP
While Williams often wears tennis dresses on the court, she left behind
her signature look at the 2002 US Open — opting for a fashionable catsuit
instead. Winning her second singles title at the event, the athlete walked
onto the court in a black sleeveless unitard by Puma, as well as
pink-and-white sneakers.
Serena Williams at the French Open in 2004
CLIVE MASON/GETTY
In a grand return to her vibrant ensembles, Williams opted for an all-pink
outfit on day two of the 2004 French Open. The hot pink attire consisted
of a zip-up top and flowing skirt with a red waistband. She completed the
look with matching sneakers, a headband, and large hoop earrings.
Serena Williams at the Australian Open in 2007
QUINN ROONEY/GETTY
Back with a bang, Williams returned to colorful outfits in this
neon-green-and-yellow Nike dress for the 2007 Australian Open to collect
her first win at the event in two years. In one of her more casually chic
ensembles, the athlete also wore white sneakers and multi-colored hoop
earrings.
Serena Williams at the Australian Open in 2010
MARK DADSWELL/GETTY
Trading bright red for neon orange, Williams wore this vibrant dress to
the 2010 Australian Open. The athlete successfully defended her reigning
title, winning the competition despite her injuries. (She wore leg
wrappings on her thigh and knee).
Serena Williams at the French Open in 2010
JACQUES DEMARTHON/AFP
A lover of pleated skirts, Williams sported a dress with a ruffled trim in
an especially vibrant teal hue for the 2010 Australian Open. Complete with
neon green undershorts, a matching headband, and white sneakers, this
ensemble was one of the athlete’s more classic tennis outfits.
Serena Williams at the Australian Open in 2013
MICHAEL DODGE/GETTY
Bringing two of her go-to style choices together, the athlete coordinated
bright colors and bold patterns for her 2013 Australian Open ensemble. The
orange, purple, and black color-block Nike dress was the centerpiece of
her bold look. She paired the vibrant dress with neon orange sneakers and
a matching headband, which both included a black pattern.
Serena Williams at the US Open in 2013
MIKE STOBE/GETTY
Continuing her streak of color-block dresses, Williams opted for a
red-and-peach Nike dress at the 2013 US Open. Taking home the title for
the second year in a row, the player added even more color to her look
with navy blue undershorts, a matching headband, and
neon-red-and-navy-blue sneakers.
Serena Williams at the Sony Open in 2014
The athlete made a splash in this aqua-and-orange Nike dress at the 2014
Sony Open, which was surely a nod to the city where she lives — Miami —
and their football team. (Williams and her sister are minority owners of
the Miami Dolphins organization). She fully committed to the look,
accessorizing it with a neon orange headband, wrist sweatbands, and
sneakers.
Serena Williams at the US Open in 2014
For her third consecutive US Open win, Williams wore an outfit that really
popped against the backdrop of the green tennis court. The athlete donned
a hot pink leopard-print dress by Nike, completing the striking look with
a matching wrist sweatband, a pink headband, and white-and-pink sneakers.
Serena Williams at the Australian Open in 2016
It doesn’t get more vibrant than canary yellow, and Williams rocked a crop
top and pleated skirt in the bold hue for her match against Sharapova at
the 2016 Australian Open. The athlete expressed that the look was a result
of her desire to bring pop culture to the tennis court.
“It was definitely my design, something I actually sketched, you know. So
I just wanted to think outside of the box,” she said, according to the
Herald Sun. “I’ve been on tour for a long time. I’ve been wearing so many
different designs. I just wanted to push the envelope again, just bring
pop culture to tennis, kind of make it really fun. A lot of things you see
on stage and, you know, just in that pop culture world, I wanted to bring
that youth and that fun-ness to it.”
Serena Williams at the French Open in 2016
Williams makes you think cut-outs were made for the court with this blue
Nike dress she wore over black leggings for the 2016 French Open. As
daring as the side cut-outs are, perhaps the most eye-catching detail of
this ensemble is the rose pattern that covers the Nike symbol on her
sneakers.
Serena Williams at the French Open Tennis Tournament in 2018
Almost a year after giving birth to her daughter, Williams returned to the
court in a black catsuit for the 2018 French Open. The striking look sparked
controversy, with the French Tennis Federation President Bernard Giudicelli
banning the catsuit from future matches.
“I feel like a warrior in it,” Williams told reporters of her ensemble at
the time. “I’ve always wanted to be a superhero, and it’s kind of my way of
being a superhero.”
“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 added. “I’ve been wearing pants in
general a lot when I play so I can keep the blood circulation going.”
Serena Williams at the US Open in 2018
Bringing ballerina attire to the court, Williams rocked a purple-and-brown
tutu dress at the 2018 US Open. The fashion-forward look was a collaboration
between Nike and Virgil Abloh of Off-White. In an interview with Vogue
editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, Williams said this one-sleeve ensemble was one
of her favorite tennis looks of all time, and she still wears it off the
court.
“I think it’s so fun to have fun with fashion and in my sport, I have a
great opportunity to play in something really wild and really fun and really
express myself. Most people only see me on the court,” she said.
Serena Williams at the Australian Open in 2019
A little controversy didn’t stop the athlete from bringing adventurous
fashion to a match. After the ban of her catsuit at the French Open in 2018,
Williams showed up to the 2019 Australian Open wearing a bright green
romper. In a bold move, the player paired the sleeveless Nike jumpsuit with
black fishnet stockings.
Serena Williams at Wimbledon in 2019
Williams sported another daring ensemble at Wimbledon in 2019, kicking off
her first match in a white Nike dress with midriff cut-outs. The athlete is
known for her fashionable takes on the competition’s limited dress code and
accessorized this look with matching sneakers, a watch, and hoop earrings.
Serena Williams at the Australian Open in 2020
In a head-to-toe purple outfit, the tennis player brought back her signature
free-flowing dress silhouette with this leopard-print Nike number. While she
coordinated her accessories — sneakers and a headband — with her ensemble,
the finishing touch was her koala manicure, a nod to her host country.
Serena Williams at the Australian Open in 2021
Williams made waves once again with her asymmetric, color-blocked,
one-legged catsuit at the 2021 Australian Open. The pink, red, and black
Nike ensemble was worn as a tribute to track star Florence Griffith Warner
who famously ran in one-legged catsuits.
“I was inspired by Flo-Jo, who was a wonderful track athlete, amazing
athlete when I was growing up,” the player said after the match, according
to ESPN. “Watching her fashion, just always changing, her outfits were
always amazing.”
“This year we thought of what can we do to keep elevating the Serena
Williams on the court. The Nike team actually thought of this design of
inspiration from Flo-Jo. I was like, ‘Oh, my god, this is so brilliant,’ ”
she added.
The player completed her striking look with a blue headband, blue-and-pink
sneakers and a “queen” necklace from her own jewelry line.
Serena Williams at the Internazionali BNL D’Italia in 2021
The tennis legend wore a pastel pink outfit during a match in Rome. Social
distancing laws prohibited fans from entering the venue, but the athlete
still created a noteworthy look featuring a short-sleeve shirt that was
knotted in the front, a pleated skirt with a black waistband and matching
accessories.
Serena Williams at the US Open in 2022
Williams pulled out all the stops for the last tennis competition of her
illustrious career. She took to the court at the 2022 US Open in a figure
skater-inspired look by Nike that included a crystal-embellished dress with
sheer sleeves and diamond-encrusted NikeCourt Flare 2 sneakers with “SW”
embossed on the side in gold.
An outfit fit for a tennis legend, she accessorized the dazzling look with
Swarovski crystals in her hair, a crystal-studded hairband and silver
jewelry.