The world of tennis has long been associated with luxury and prestige, with top players earning millions of dollars in prize money and securing sponsorship deals with globally recognized brands. However, not all tennis players enjoy such privileges.
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02-07, 2025For those athletes who have not yet reached the pinnacle of the sport, preparations for the Australian Open in Melbourne might look a little different. Australian player Destanee Aiava has garnered international attention for her vintage match outfits, previously worn by Grand Slam champions. When the 24-year-old won her first-round match, also her first Grand Slam victory, the outfit she wore was an homage to a tennis great.
Aiava's blue, black, and white dress was the same style worn by Danish player Caroline Wozniacki at the 2013 U.S. Open. This is not the first time Aiava has borrowed the style of one of her idols. When she qualified for the Australian Open, Aiava wore a pink dress, styled similarly to one worn by Russian player Maria Sharapova at the 2012 U.S. Open. For her second-round match, which she lost to American player Danielle Collins, Aiava sported another Sharapova-inspired outfit, previously seen at the 2011 French Open. Aiava, who is currently unsponsored and ranked 195th, has caught the attention of Vogue magazine for her penchant for sourcing vintage outfits online.
“I just loved the outfits that [Wozniacki and Sharapova] wore,” Aiava told BBC Sport, adding that she prefers older designs to what’s currently sold in stores. “I didn’t really think anything of it, me wearing the dresses. But I’m glad that I did. It’s been fun bringing them back to life,” she added. “I think even if you lose, when you step on the court, it’s still like a fashion show.”
Aiava is not the only Australian tennis player to have gained attention for their clothing. In 2022, Thanasi Kokkinakis made headlines when he won the Australian Open men’s doubles title with Nick Kyrgios wearing a pair of $40 shorts. The year before, he revealed that he played in a $6 shirt because it was the most comfortable thing he owned. At the 2024 tournament, Kokkinakis partnered with a brand to launch a blue and white pair of shorts featuring a Greek Spartan warrior. “I’m very proud of my heritage and grateful for the support of the Greek community,” he told the Melbourne newspaper Neos Kosmos.
Even Novak Djokovic is aware of the opportunities that come with the collision of fashion and sport. The 24-time Grand Slam champion recently partnered with a brand to launch a limited-edition watch. Only 100 of the watches were made, featuring a matte blue casing made from recycled composite materials from his polo shirts and rackets. The watch, which costs $78,000 and weighs less than a tennis ball, is almost as astonishing as Djokovic’s career.
Japanese player Naomi Osaka is another international tennis player who has merged sport with fashion. When she returned to the court at last year's U.S. Open, Osaka wore a tulle skirt reminiscent of a ballerina, complete with a giant green bow on her back and smaller bows on her shoes. It was the biggest match for Osaka after taking time away from the sport for mental health reasons and to welcome her first child. For her next match, she wore another bow-themed outfit, this time in black and white, but lost to Czech player Karolína Muchová. At this year's Australian Open, Osaka’s theme was sunflowers. The 26-year-old wore sunflower clips in her hair, matching earrings, and orange shoes that read, “You are my sunshine.” “There will be a flower-themed shoe for every Grand Slam this year, which I thought was really cute,” Osaka told the media. “The Australian Open is the ‘Happy Slam,’ so I thought it was appropriate to match it with a sunshine theme.”
According to Osaka, the sunflower motif represents vitality, good luck, and longevity. At the Australian Open, Osaka finally defeated Muchová, which she said was revenge for losing to her while wearing “my best outfit.” “She beat me at the U.S. Open when I was wearing my best outfit, so I was very disappointed, very mad,” Osaka said with a laugh. “This is my little revenge.”
American player Coco Gauff is another international star who partnered with a brand to design a custom collection for the Australian Open. “I’m a big Marvel fan, so a lot of the female superheroes have a lot of cool cutouts, and that’s what I wanted to do,” she said in a post-match interview. “It’s actually kind of a hassle to wear because it’s a bodysuit. If you have to pee, it’s not a good idea,” she said with a laugh. “You have to sacrifice for fashion. It’s not the first time I’ve worn something like that. There have been times where I’ve had to ask the umpire to help me with my zipper so I can go to the bathroom. But it’s all for fashion.”
