125-Year-Old Grand Slam Tournament Breaks Tradition to Bring Much-Needed Flexibility for Female Athletes

The Wimbledon Championships is unique, not only for being one of the most prestigious tournaments in tennis but also for its all-white mandatory uniform. Both WTA and ATP players wear white outfits while competing in Wimbledon. However, there has been an issue that stayed unattended for a long time. Fans and renowned pundits have often voiced their concerns about how the all-white uniform could be highly uncomfortable for women during their menstrual cycle. 

People argue about the stress that women players undergo as the pestering thought of stains keeps diverting their focus. Many professionals have chimed in with their own opinions on this important issue. Though at the same time there are players who don’t mind wearing white outfits. The divided thinking among the female athletes kept the matter on the sidelines for a long time, but now an amendment has been made. 

Wimbledon decides makes some crucial changes

Wimbledon has announced that the outfit rules will be a bit more flexible. starting from next year. They have confirmed that women will be “allowed to wear mid/dark-coloured undershorts if they choose to.”

The matter caught fire when Qinwen Zheng, the only tennis professional who managed to win a set against Iga Swiatek in the French Open, experienced a sudden decline in her ability to compete due to menstrual cramps.

Read more: ‘Are We Going to Wimbledon?’ – American Talk Show Host Jimmy Fallon Once Joined Serena Williams to Hysterically Mock the ‘British’ Accent

People started talking about how competing during menstruation is in itself physically harsh and Wimbledon‘s all-white rule further alleviates the stress on athletes. Following that, some famous names weighed in.

Monica Puig, the retired Puerto Rican tennis professional who brought a gold medal from the 2016 Rio Olympics, opened up about the anxiety women have while playing in white attires in front of cameras and a stadium full of people. Apart from her, others like the tennis broadcaster Catherine Whitaker, also raised their voices against the same. 

The results of this season’s grass-court championship

The Grand Slam of grass was shrouded in controversy after Russian and Belarusian players were banned from competing. This was followed by both ATP and WTA stripping ranking points from the tournament. It forced many players to skip the prestigious Grand Slam event. However, despite missing the likes of Daniil Medvedev and Victoria Azarenka, the tournament did serve up some nerve-wracking matches.

Watch this story: Hilarious Meaning of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Serena Williams on Urban Dictionary! 

In the end, the Serbian tennis legend, Novak Djokovic, claimed his fourth consecutive title while the women’s circuit saw a new champion. Elena Rybakina, the 23-year-old Kazakhstan professional, claimed the title by defeating Ons Jabeur.