Serena Williams did it before, and Zendaya is doing it now! Throughout the press tour of Challengers, Zendaya and her stylist extraordinaire, Law Roach, have teamed up to create some truly exceptional tennis-inspired fashion. However, one particular look has not only caught the attention of fans but also turned the heads of tennis greats, including Serena Williams herself. 

In a stunning and unexpected look, Zendaya posed in a striped, full-skirted formal design that was more than just a fashion statement. It was a recreation of garments first worn by two iconic tennis pros in a ’90s issue of Vogue. Chatting to Access Hollywood at the premiere of her docuseries, ‘In The Arena: Serena Williams’ at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, the 5ennis legend talked about Zendaya’s look and took a humorous stance. 

In a May 1998 issue of Vogue, Williams sisters Venus and Serena were seen wearing the outfit for the first time, for an editorial photographed by Annie Leibovitz. It was an era when the sisters were rising high in the rankings and witnessing praise from all across the globe. Now with the release of Challengers, a movie based on tennis, Zendaya posed similarly on a couch to relive the picture. She also referenced the hairstyle of the sisters, with her shoulder-length hair in white beads. In the latest, Serena himself has commented on Zendaya’s look.

Speaking at 5h3 event, Serena praised the iconic recreation of the picture. She further took a humorous stand and questioned if she and Zendaya were the same size. When questioned about her opinion on the photograph, Serena giggled, “This was really iconic…I wondered is this, like, the same dress? Were we at one time the same size?” The picture was earlier shared by Roach who thanked the sisters for their contributions to the sport.

Sharing the iconic look of Zendaya, the award-winning stylist captioned, “An ode to the GREATS @venuswilliams @serenawilliams. We thank you for all you have done.” He had also sent his gratitude to Wes Gordon, the creative director of Carolina Herrera, and the glam team that helped bring Zendaya’s look to life. While Zendaya’s look has definitely mesmerized Serena, the tennis legend herself has often wooed her fans with her fashion statements.

However, there is a secret ‘custom’ that the sisters follow concerning their attire. 

When Venus revealed the ‘custom’ that she follows with sister Serena Williams

The Williams sisters walked with pride at this year’s Met Gala. Serena wooed fans in a custom-made Balenciaga gown, shimmering with gold-coated silk taffeta and flowing into a dramatic train. Not to be missed, Venus followed the trend with a dazzling creation by Marc Jacobs, a strapless dress featuring a sheer panel adorned with countless mirrored paillettes, creating a captivating, reflective look. Meanwhile, the elder sister revealed the custom that she follows with Serena

Venus Williams engaged in a candid conversation with Entertainment Tonight during the event and shared that it took her 6.5 hours to get ready for the event. She further acknowledged that she was more intimidated for the event than she had ever been for any of her matches. She further revealed that she and Serena follow a custom of not sharing their look until they are ready and like to surprise each other. “Actually, we like to surprise each other and not see what the other person’s wearing until the carpet.”

While the sisters have often surprised their fans with their iconic style, the recreation of it is a testament that they have left enough to follow outside the tennis courts as well.