‘Her Outfits Were Always Amazing’ – When Serena Williams Credited Track and Field Legend for Stylish Australian Open Look

Every time Serena Williams stepped onto the court, she made sure that all the eyes were on her. Be it her amazing performances or her glorious outfits, the American legend never disappointed her fans. One such moment occurred at the Australian Open in 2021. Williams, who reached the semifinals there, caught the eyes of the tennis world with her unique outfit. Subsequently, she revealed what inspired her to wear that glorious collection.

The American legend put on a one-legged catsuit during her first-round match against Laura Siegemund. The outfit was designed by Nike and was inspired by the late US sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner, as revealed by Williams. Joyner was famous for her bold and asymmetric outfits with vibrant colors.

Talking about Joyner being the inspiration behind her catsuit outfit, Williams said, “I was inspired by Flo-Jo, who was a wonderful track athlete. She was an amazing athlete for me growing up and watching her fashion, which was always changing. Her outfits were always amazing so that’s where we started. Obviously we made some changes and tweaks to it and it became this.”

Williams’ outfit featured a combination of colors, including black, red, and pink, with a blue trim. Moreover, it had two different leg lengths, a concept not often seen on the tennis court. As a result, Williams’ outfit became the talk of the town and the idea was proposed by her sponsor, Nike, which Williams immediately approved.

However, this wasn’t the first time that Serena was wearing the catsuit outfit. During the 2018 French Open, her catsuit dress caused quite a stir in the tennis world.

When Serena Williams was caught unaware of the catsuit controversy

After being away from the court on maternity leave, Williams made a Grand Slam comeback at the 2018 French Open. During that tournament, she put on a controversial catsuit outfit which was later banned by the tournament authorities, with the French Tennis Federation President Bernard Giudicelli saying, “It will no longer be accepted. One must respect the game and the place.”

Meanwhile, Williams defended her decision to choose that outfit, saying, “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.”

Further, she went on to add, “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.”

Williams was talking about the complications that she suffered while giving birth to Olympia. She had a near-fatal condition. Nonetheless, the warrior that she is, Williams fought the difficult times and gave birth to her first daughter, Olympia. The legend is enjoying motherhood now, often providing fans glimpses of her day-to-day life with her adorable family.