American tennis legend Serena Williams was one of the first tennis players to add a fashion element to tennis. While players try out different outfits off the court, Serena Williams made a brave move and came out with a bold catsuit in the 2002 US Open. People had mixed reactions to Serena’s move.
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While the traditionalists were not very happy with the outfit, the younger generation loved it. Later, Serena and Venus discussed the outfit and its impact on people during their interview with Oprah Winfrey. Venus used it as an opportunity to take a playful dig at her younger sister. Here’s what happened.
Venus Williams’ take on Serena’s bold attire
Serena and Venus Williams appeared in an interview with Oprah Winfrey after participating in the 2002 US Open. The bold Serena Williams catsuit was still the talk of the town. When Oprah asked the sisters about the dress getting so much attention, Serena said, “I knew it was different, but I didn’t expect it to make such a big hit as it did.”
Meanwhile, Venus Williams poked fun and said, “A hairdresser at a salon in New York told me that Serena’s catsuit was making gay men turn straight! People couldn’t get enough of it.”
Both Serena and Venus had a great run in the tournament. The sisters clashed in the final and Serena defeated Venus in straight sets to win her second US Open title. The American was in brilliant form and it was Serena’s third consecutive Major title.
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Serena Williams was nervous to go with the catsuit
After the tournament, Serena revealed in an interview in 2010 that she was not sure about using the attire. It looked pretty revealing and the former world number one had second thoughts after donning the dress before she entered the court. Later, the 23-time Grand Slam also revealed that she asked her WTA colleague, Justine Henin, her opinion on the dress. Henin suggested that she go with more traditional attire.
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However, in the end, Serena decided to go with it. Once she entered the court, all her hesitation vanished. As Serena said, she felt very comfortable and completely owned it.
What is your favorite on-court look of Serena?