Ons Jabeur was ejected from Centre Court after rule violation before the 2023 Wimbledon finals against Markéta Vondroušová

The Tunisian star was wearing black clothing, which is not allowed under the All England Club's rules.

Ons Jabeur was ejected from Centre Court after rule violation before the 2023 Wimbledon finals against Markéta Vondroušová

Ons Jabeur during her warm-up before the 2023 Wimbledon Final (Image Credits : BBC)

In the run-up to her second successive Wimbledon final, Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur was asked to return to the changing rooms. The officials of the All England Club did this in accordance with the violation of the Club’s strict dress code policy.

According to reports, the sixth seed started her warm-up wearing black clothing. The officials were quick to take note and reminded the 28-year-old about the Club’s traditional all-white clothing rule, which necessitated Jabeur’s quick retreat to the changing room. She returned to Centre Court shortly thereafter, this time in the prescribed attire.

The All England Club has amended some of its stringent dress code policies, from this year’s edition, permitting women players to wear dark-colored undershorts if they prefer to do so. However, there has been no relaxation in its all-white exterior clothing, which has withstood the test of time for more than a century.

The Wimbledon Clothing and Equipment Manual states that competitors must be clothed in attire that are almost entirely white. This code is applicable from the moment the competitors enter the Court.

Keep Exploring: Storm Hunter Net Worth 2023: How rich is the tennis professional?

Chris Evert was the first to notice Ons Jabeur wearing black attire

Chris Evert was the first to notice Ons Jabeur wearing black attire
Ons Jabeur (Image Credits: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Former Wimbledon champion and 18-time Grand Slam winner Chris Evert, who is now a BBC pundit, commented on Ons Jabeur’s warm-up attire before the Wimbledon final. Jabeur was wearing a black shirt, which violated Wimbledon’s strict dress code. The former World No. 1 said that Jabeur was asked to leave the court and change into white clothing. Evert went on to add that she found it interesting that the officials decided to take prompt action even on the day of the final.

If the code breach and the subsequent reprimand by the officials weren’t bad enough, Jabeur had a tumultuous time on Centre Court, barely managing to find her groove. Despite taking the early advantage, the sixth-seeded Tunisian lost 4-6, 4-6 in straight sets to unseeded Markéta Vondroušová.

A crestfallen Jabeur, also the runner-up in 2022, couldn’t hold back her tears following her agonizing defeat. Ons later described the loss as the most painful one in her career, before signing off with a promise to her team that she will one day lift a Grand Slam trophy.

Jabeur will be ruing the missed opportunities, as she has succumbed to defeat in all three of her Grand Slam final appearances. Coming into this year’s finals, she was the clear favorite, having knocked out the reigning champion, Elena Rybakina, and World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. The Arab woman was looking to become the first female player since Helen Wills Moody in 1925 (US Open) to win a Grand Slam by coming from a set down in the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final.

The camaraderie between the victor, Markéta Vondroušová, and the runner-up, Ons Jabeur, was refreshing. The two ladies were seen embracing each other warmly before departing Centre Court.

The All England Club takes its rules very seriously and expects all competitors to strictly adhere to them. A similar incident occurred in last year’s men’s singles final, when runner-up Nick Kyrgios sported a red baseball cap during the trophy presentation ceremony. He was subsequently fined for the code violation.

It remains to be seen whether the affable Tunisian, who is quite popular with the Wimbledon faithful, will face any further sanction for breaching the prescribed dress code by the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC). Regardless of this decision, Jabeur is likely to be one of the strong contenders to win the US Open later this year, another tournament where she finished as runner-up last year.

In case you missed it: