The Tennis Issue
The Tennis Issue
Tennis outfits that made history and a new stunning book on the most beautiful courts in the world
Tennis can be a daunting sport. It’s not popular like basketball or soccer, and in many countries, it remains an elite pursuit because of its cost. Playing tennis takes a lot of coordination, patience, focus and endurance. Even the most athletic among us will find themselves humbled by this sport.
To make things harder, the scoring system is quite peculiar. You go from zero, to 15 to 30 to 40. But the tiebreaker counts as 1,2,3 and terms like “match” and “game” are only known to people who walked the lines of the court.
Then there’s the tennis etiquette - the unwritten code that separates novices from seasoned players. Silence rules in tennis, so please no blares from speakers to disrupt the peace and serenity of the setting. It’s a rule that should extend beyond the court but it seems like not that many subscribe to it.
But, when you find your stride and become better at it, tennis becomes more than a sport, it becomes a meditation. It’s one of the few sports where you work your mind just as much as your body. You will forge connections, build a community, make friends and perhaps a few rivals along the way.
And the courts themselves, usually built in peaceful surroundings are in itself it’s worth picking up tennis as a hobby. Someone who knows this best is our dear friend Nick Pachelli. Nick travelled the world and played on some of the most breathtaking courts. He played on courts made out of termite mounds to courts nestled in a secret garden of a Venetian villa, and he documented his experience in a new stunning book titled “The Tennis Court: A Journey to Discover the World’s Greatest Tennis Courts.” The book is released in September but you can pre-order it now and gift it to any tennis enthusiast in your life. It’s also never too early to start your Christmas shopping.
For those inspired to pick up the racket, in this post, we talk about professional tennis players who showed us how to play tennis in style and we also handpicked a few brands that will make you feel confident stepping on the court.
Fashion and Tennis
Being one of the most fashionable sports out there, many tennis tournaments are under the fashion microscope because of the outfits. Some players enjoy being celebrated for their outfits and in many cases like pushing the boundaries and rules made by the tennis federation. Here is a list of players who made tennis fashion history.
Williams Sisters
The Williams duo is known for their absolute dominant game, but their outfits were also praised and sometimes eyebrows were raised. Their selection ranged from lace dresses, denim skirts and blazers to extravagant diamond-dazzled dresses. One thing is certain, they completely changed tennis fashion forever.
Maria Sharapova
If you grew up playing tennis, you probably tried to recreate some of Sharapova's outfits. She was well known for her tennis shoes and dresses covered with Swarovski crystals and her long earrings. The earrings became her signature accessories and at one point she even had a sponsorship with Tiffany and Co. Some of her most iconic outfits included silk, ruffles, tulle and satin. She will always be remembered as the best-dressed tennis player.
Janik Sinner
The young Italian tennis player not only took the tennis scene by storm, but his Gucci outfits have been turning heads. Sinner made history last year, by breaking Wimbledon’s strict all-white rule by walking on the court with a Gucci duffle bag. That day he became one of the most-talked-about tennis players when it came to fashion.
Andre Agassi
Maybe some of you didn’t follow tennis when Agassi played, but we are sure you saw at least one of his pictures in his groundbreaking outfits. His appearance was very important to him, sometimes even costing him Grand Slam titles. He will always be remembered for his hot lava tights, denim shorts, bandanas and mullet.
Tennis brands and styles we love
Tory Sport
When Tory Burch entered the tennis apparel scene with its brand Tory Sport, it filled the gap in the market for tennis players who like fashion but also needed functional tennis clothes designed by people who understood tennis. If we had an unlimited budget, this is where we would buy all of our tennis clothes.
Lacoste
Lacoste was founded by tennis player René Lacoste, one of the best players in the world in the late 1920s. Lacoste was the first brand to feature a logo on its clothing and made the brand famous with the invention of the “petit piqué” cotton polo shirts. The brand is still celebrated for its polos but the rest of its tennis offerings are just as impressive. The designs are classic and elegant and can be worn on and off the court.
Palmes
Palmes is one of the newer brands on the tennis scene. They’ve done a great job of bringing tennis to more people through approachable designs and fun tennis events all around the world.
Sergio Tacchini
Sergio Tacchini, another brand named after its tennis-playing founder, emerged in 1966 to bring color to tennis attire that was still predominantly white. While the business side of the brand struggled throughout history, the brand’s designs remain faithful to the founder's original idea, bringing fun through colors and classic designs.
Sources: Time Magazine, The New York Times, Harper’s BAZAAR, BBC, WWD, tennis buzz. SGB Media, Gucci, Istituto Marangoni, Robb Report, Chronology, GQ, The Cut, Forbes, Essentially Sports, Tory Sport, Lacoste, Palmes, Sergio Tacchini