“I didn’t know it would cause such a stir,” Six years later, Serena Williams recounts her 2018 catsuit moment and the ripples it caused both in tennis and fashion

The 2018 French Open was the first Grand Slam event Serena Williams played after returning from her maternity break.

“I didn’t know it would cause such a stir,” Six years later, Serena Williams recounts her 2018 catsuit moment and the ripples it caused both in tennis and fashion

Serena Williams's Nike Catsuit at the 2018 French Open led to the introduction of a dress code at the Grand Slam event (Images via IMAGO)

Former World No. 1 Serena Williams has been an icon globally for a variety of reasons. Not only did she win all possible titles in tennis, she did it with stunning outfits that became points of discussion. Williams was not only a sporting icon but also a fashion icon, both on and off the court.

While her outfits were carefully designed keeping her interests in mind, they were not always well received by the moral policing squad. One such instance came at the French Open in 2018 when Willimas was returning from pregnancy. 

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Having won the Australian Open in 2017 and being eight to nine weeks pregnant, Williams returned to the Tour in February 2018. That year’s Roland Garros was her first Grand Slam event since pregnancy, and she stunned everyone with her black catsuit outfit designed by Nike, which then caused a lot of drama. 

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I didn’t know it would have such an impact. Here I am, just trying to be healthy, I was a new mom and just trying to be me. It was a great moment. I didn’t know it would cause such a stir. When I first put it on, it was in a fitting, and in the fitting, it was so cool. I know it’s a ‘sample,’ but we’ve got to make them and they have to be this color.
Said Serena Williams, speaking with CNN.

The French Open officials felt the outfit wasn’t entirely ‘respectful’ towards the sport. They announced a dress code under which the catsuit was banned. However, for Williams, it was not about setting fashion standards. The dress had more to do with the blood clots and keeping her comfortable during the matches.

I love wearing skirts. Don’t get me wrong, they’re like my favorite thing to wear, my tennis dresses, but I wanted to make sure that my blood was always circulating and I had been in a near-death experience. So I think there should have been and could have been and whether there was or not, I was in it and I wasn’t getting out of it understanding around that whole outfit. And I felt so comfortable.
Added Serena Williams.

Serena Williams admits wanting to return to the court in the Catsuit

As the discussion took her back to 2018, Williams got nostalgic about her playing days. The conversation about her outfit and Grand Slam events got her reminiscing about the good days, and she admitted she had the urge to make a comeback. 

Serena Williams
Serena Williams in action at the 2018 French Open in her Nike Catsuit (Image via IMAGO)
Oh my God, now I’m getting sad memories because I miss it. Oh no, now I’m like: ‘I want to go home and put it on, and of course, I want to play and slide around on some clay. Oh, such good memories.
Said Serena Williams.

Although the American has never used the word ‘retired,’ it’s safe to say she has indeed moved away from the sport. She did recently make an appearance at the 2024 Miami Masters to catch elder sister Venus Williams in action. She stayed back for men’s matches, where she met Jannik Sinner as well.

The 42-year-old has now fully moved into the business world as she continues expanding her business portfolio. She recently started a new venture to start a birth fund for black mothers, as her vision is to empower the communities that have been subjected to discrimination so far. 

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