In the wake of recent discussions about the glamour and outfits that current players bring to the courts, I have decided to reflect and outline the major changes which have occurred within fashion and tennis over the past 150 years.

We begin way back in the late 19th century, where we saw players such as Lotti Dodd dominate the world of tennis. At this stage the fashion approach was very formal, men wearing long trousers and women opting for their ordinary summer outfits, which was basically an ankle-length, puffed-out skirt. But even at this early stage, we saw how the women chose different styles of dresses and hats. Some opting for a ruffled type skirt and some keeping to a more traditional straight-skirt effect.

It wasn't long, however, before we saw some minor accessories become available. Accessories such as the tennis apron. This looked similar to a normal apron, but had two large pockets in the front to hold tennis balls. Hats were also an important accessory at the time; the boater was the preferred style, but bonnets and other styles were also chosen.

'Lenglen was the first woman to wear a below-the-knee skirt. If you were sitting close enough, you could see glimpses of her thighs as she ran around the court'


By the late 1890s, tennis was such a popular sport that women's magazines began to advertise all the latest fashions and designs that could be brought to the court.

There were gradual style changes in the women's game, but it wasn't until 1919 when French superstar Suzanne Lenglen came onto the scene, that the next major milestone occurred. She was the first woman to wear a below-the-knee skirt. Controversy used to surround the popular French player, because, if you were sitting close enough, you could see glimpses of Lenglen's thighs as she ran around the court.

Over the next 20 years, there were not many changes in the style that people brought to the courts. That was until 1949 when a young American player Gussie Moran hit the scene and set the next landmark in women's fashion.

After being denied the chance to wear a coloured dress at Wimbledon, Moran arrived the next year with a bang! She walked the courts wearing an above- the-knee dress, and had a visible pair of matching knickers, something which had never been seen before. This ensemble was designed by former male player Teddy Tingling. It wasn't all rosy for Gussy, her dress caused such a hype it caused her tennis to suffer.

As we move towards the 60s, the style of the tennis dress was set as Moran's genre became the trend and Tingling was the designer of choice. And men discovered that shorts were a lot easier to run around in than long trousers.

Going through to the 70s and 80s, looking good became almost a necessity on court. But it also helped if you had the game as well. Chris Evert was the Barbie Doll on the women's side, while Bjorn Borg provided the good looks on the men's.

The men's game got what they needed in the early 90s, when a young Andre Agassi arrived on the scene. His combination of flamboyant colours, long hair and of course a winning game was something the men's tour had never really experienced before. 

The late 90s and new millennium was all about the rise and fall of Anna Kournikova. Her arrival changed the viewers perspective in many ways. Looking good on the court was at a level that was never seen before and she has influenced many of the current players to look good on the court.

The focus on Kournikova, however, was so high that it wasn't long before she succumbed to a fate similar to Moran.

Since Anna's rise and fall, we have seen more and more of the top players eager to look good on the court. The Williams sisters have shown their creative side by being on hand in the designing of their outfits. Both also have studied fashion, and own their own fashion companies. Maria Sharapova is another player who has a keen interest in fashion. She unveils a new dress for most of the Grand Slams she participates in. 

The men, too, have done more to make themselves look good on court. Although not as radical as Agassi, Rafael Nadal has made famous the sleeveless shirt and three-quarter length trousers. This year at Wimbledon we saw Roger Federer wearing a full white suit onto court, an outfit which would have been commonly worn by men in the 1920s.

So even though styles and genres have changed, interest as to how players present themselves on court hasn't. Controversy has surrounded many for their  daring choices, but shouldn't respect be given to players who play in what they are comfortable in?

No matter what players choose to wear, you are going to disappoint somebody. If you are a player who doesn't really care or have an interest in what you wear to the court, you will have some people commenting on them for not making an effort. And for the players who do put the effort and interest into what they wear, well, you have people who will say say that their outfits are too revealing. 

Who cares what people wear? As long as they are comfortable and they are winning, it shouldn't matter even if they turn up wearing a newspaper as an outfit.