Tennis world goes nuts over Serena's US Open outfit

It seems that almost wherever Serena Williams goes, her fashion statements tend to dominate the headlines.

At the French Open it was her now infamous ‘catsuit’ that sent tongues wagging and led to a ban from French officials.

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The 23-time grand slam singles champion caused a stir by wearing the striking black outfit in Paris earlier this year but French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli told Tennis magazine this week it would not be deemed acceptable at future tournaments.

“It will no longer be accepted. One must respect the game and the place,” he said.

The stance has been heavily criticised, particularly given Williams wore the catsuit partly to help prevent the potentially fatal blood clots to which she is prone.

However, Williams has been applauded for her classy reaction to the outfit ban.

The American said she’d “found other methods” to handle the health issue and in her opening match at the US Open on Tuesday, she gave viewers their first taste.

Out went the cat suit and in came a Nike x Virgil Abloh ballet-inspired dress.

Essentially it was a tutu.

Once again, fans lost their collective minds over the star’s latest fashion statement.

Rafael Nadal also weighed into the Williams fashion debate and the French Open’s ban after his first round win against compatriot David Ferrer at the US Open.

The Spaniard argued that if Wimbledon were allowed to impose strict ‘all-white’ clothing rules then other tournaments should be able to have their own guidelines.

“I think that everybody is fair to do whatever works better for the tournament,” Nadal said.

“I really believe when you have a tournament like Wimbledon that they do what they want. You cannot say to another event that they have to do another thing.

“That’s my opinion. Why if Wimbledon has their own rules, why Roland Garros cannot have it?”

What the whole saga has done is shine a spotlight on the women’s game and spark debate about perceptions that women’s fashion is unfairly scrutinised compared to men’s.

The six-time champion and new mum is back at Flushing Meadows for the first time since a semi-final defeat by Karolina Pliskova in 2016.

Williams is the favourite to claim her 24th career singles grand slam title in what is just her third grand slam tournament since the birth of daughter Olympia.

The fact she could do so rocking the meanest tutu in the sport, would make the achievement that much more poignant.