Known for her bold style, Serena Williams donned daring outfits on the court. The now-42-year-old tennis legend made a bold fashion statement back in 2004. She stepped onto the court wearing a Nike jean skirt paired with a black jeweled Nike crop top. While Serena Williams rocked a “rebellious” look, Naomi Osaka, her US Open 2018 conqueror, viewed it as an “iconic” ensemble.

Recently, the Japanese tennis player took to her Instagram account to share a picture of the 23-time Grand Slam champion in the unforgettable denim outfit. Along with that, she wrote, “This was so iconic,” sharing her admiration for the bold look. However, only a few would know why Serena Williams called it a “rebel-look” and the real inspiration behind it.

When asked about if her 2004 US Open first round outfit was a biker look, Williams said, “It’s like a rebel-look, when I’m being really rebellious. A denim miniskirt with several pleats and neon stitching was a timeless piece that encapsulated her bold sense of style….I’m just being a rebel. So maybe I would start out with something like, “Serena’s going rebel without a cause,'” Williams added.

In addition, Williams has revealed the inspiration behind her 2004 US Open ensemble. “I just signed with Nike. I thought, ‘Andre Agassi in 1990 was wearing jeans.’ And I thought, Who could do it better than Nike?'” 

According to Carly Ellis, Nike’s apparel design lead, this look has gone down in sportswear history. “Why denim? A massive fan of the game herself and the legends that came before her, Serena liked what Nike had done with Andre Agassi and his iconic on-court denim looks in the ’80s,” Ellis told Footwear News.

Although Williams lost 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to Jennifer Capriati in the QFs, making a controversial exit from 2004 US Open tournament, tennis world saw a revolution taking place. In the controversial 2004 US Open quarter-final match, four crucial line calls went against Serena Williams, sparking outrage and leading directly to the introduction of Hawk-Eye technology. Just a day later, the USTA officially apologized to Serena for the officiating errors.

However, a few years ago, when the American tennis legend retired from the sport, Osaka even admired her legacy. “I think that her legacy is really wide to the point where you can’t even describe it in words. Like, she changed the sport so much,” she said. On the other hand, there were a lot of other outfits that will remember the queen of court for her fashion sense.

Serena Williams’ bold tennis outfits: A chic adventure on the court

Since the start of her career, the American tennis icon has made a statement with her on-court attire. She used white beads as hair jewelry in 1999, the year she won her first US Open. However, Williams truly courted controversy at the US Open in 2002 when she wore an eye-catching aux-leather catsuit, showcasing her bold sense of style.

She also made a statement at the 2018 French Open with her black catsuit, which she compared to a “queen from Wakanda,” a reference to the Black Panther film. After that, she made a big impression at the 2019 French Open by warming up in a cape that said, “mother, champion, queen, goddess.” This decision emphasized the responsibilities she has outside of tennis and celebrated her complex character.

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