Hollywood’s biggest night wasn’t just about movie stars—tennis players brought their own touch of glamor to the Oscar’s red carpet. Serena Williams, Coco Gauff, and Aryna Sabalenka traded their rackets for high fashion, serving looks instead of aces. Sabalenka, in particular, has been turning heads with her style lately. From Nike photoshoots to WTA launch parties, the Belarusian star has been on a fashion hot streak. But her latest Oscars appearance? Let’s just say it had fans dialing the fashion police!

The Belarusian tennis star attended the Vanity Fair Oscars Party, held after the 97th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. She stepped out in a brown Amiri crocheted gown, layering it with an Amiri leather jacket draped over her shoulders. Minimal jewelry, a stylish clutch, and a pair of sunglasses completed her look.

This is actually her way of releasing the on-court stress. In January, the 3-time Grand Slam champion said in an interview with Flaunt Magazine how fashion is a stress buster for her. She said, “When you go for photo shoots, you have makeup, you have your hair done, you try different styles. You see yourself from different perspectives. I love it. You forget about your normal life.”

At the Oscars, Sabalenka was also seen posing with Paris Hilton and American journalist Katherine Anne Couric at the star-studded event. But while the night was about glitz and glam, fans weren’t entirely sold on her outfit.

Fans React to Aryna Sabalenka’s Oscar’s Outfit

One fan wrote, “She is stunning, but not so much in this dress. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I didn’t care for it. But she is always gorgeous.” The criticism isn’t entirely unfounded.

The World number 1 usually nails her off-court style. Just a few days ago, at the WTA rebrand party, she looked effortlessly cool in a black leather Frankie Shop jacket paired with a black Hermès Mini Kelly. She was also recently seen celebrating 150 years of Audemars Piguet, a luxury watch brand she had partnered with last year. The World No.1 stunned in a pencil gray tapered suit with a black tie and black heels.

But at the Oscars? Not everyone was convinced. One fan questioned the choice and wrote, “Girl what is this outfit…” Another fan critiqued, “Nah, she looked horrible…That dress ain’t for her…”

This miss is also surprising because Sabalenka considers fashion to be her forte. In an interview in 2024, the Belarusian tennis player said, “Fashion is something I’m really crazy about. I really hope that one day I’ll have my own line. I don’t know, maybe I’m thinking about that too much…maybe not too much, but a lot, and it’s one of my dreams.” 

While she doesn’t have her own line, the 26-year-old tennis player has signed up with Naomi Osaka’s agency, Evolve, in a move to gain more brand deals and sponsorship. She currently has partnerships with Wilson, tech wearable Whoop, tequila brand Dobel, luxury watchmakers Audemars Piguet and Oakberry, and the acai franchise founded by her boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis.

Meanwhile, one fan even drew a comparison with Coco Gauff, who also graced the red carpet for the first time in a tennis-inspired yellow gown paired with dangling earrings. The fan wrote, “No one badder than Coco 😍”

One fan pointed out her bump and wrote, “She looks …stunning pregnant, which obviously is a photo illusion…” For the record, Sabalenka is not pregnant. The Belarusian tennis player was recently in action at the MGM Rewards Slam, an exhibition match where she partnered with 8-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi. The duo took on Naomi Osaka and Mardy Fish, and Sabalenka not only won the doubles match but also defeated Osaka in singles.

On the tennis court, Aryna Sabalenka has been facing quite a hard time. After her dream of a historic three-peat broke at the Australian Open final, she has lost her mojo. The World No.1 had a disappointing Middle Eastern swing. She faced a shocking first-round exit at the Qatar Open as Ekaterina Alexandrova defeated her. At her next stop in Dubai, the 3-time Grand Slam champion was ousted by eventual finalist Clara Tauson in the second round.

While her Oscars look may not have been a fan favorite, Sabalenka won’t have much time to dwell on the fashion police’s verdict. She’ll be back on the court soon, with her next stop being Indian Wells, starting on March 6.

Did Aryna Sabalenka’s outfit deserve the criticism, or was it just a bold choice? What do you think?