As the U.S. Open and New York Fashion Week collide, tennis proves it’s more than just a sport — it’s a style movement
Every August, New York City transforms into the epicenter of tennis. The U.S. Open, hosted in the heart of Queens, electrifies the Big Apple with its contagious energy. The two-week tournament draws fans, A-list celebrities, and the sport’s biggest stars into its congested orbit at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. For a short period of time, New York’s usual rhythm gets interspersed by grunts, gasps, and the satisfying thwack of racquet meeting balls. The year’s final Grand Slam happens to conclude just in time for New York Fashion Week — a correlation that feels less like chance and more like a deliberate celebration of style and sportsmanship.
While both events usually fall around the same time, only recently does it seem as if tennis and fashion are perfectly aligned. However, there were always athletes — like Suzanne Lenglen in the 1920s, shocking audiences by competing in a sleeveless dress and no corset — pushing back against the sport’s stringent dress code. During his time on the Tour, the great Andre Agassi wasn’t just challenging opponents on the court; he was also defiantly different with his image. Winner of two U.S. Open titles and perhaps one of the best American men to pick up a racquet, Agassi famously competed in the 1998 tournament wearing tiny jean shorts made by then-apparel sponsor Nike. Agassi said in 2024 that he associated the ensemble with rebellion and with expanding and changing the game. Never mind the lavish mane that blew behind him with each shot; it was the unconventional garb that properly introduced Agassi to a new generation of fans.
No one epitomized the marriage of modern tennis and fashion quite like Serena Williams. The winner of six U.S. Open titles, her on-court fits set the tone for what to expect from her game. In 2004, the same year she signed the then-largest endorsement deal for a female athlete with Nike, the legend channeled her inner Agassi and walked into Arthur Ashe in knee-high boots, black leather warm-up jacket, denim skirt, and studded vest top. Though it appeared as if she was dressed for plans immediately following, it was the kind of daring move we’d see from the GOAT throughout her entire career. Williams bid adieu to tennis in 2022, wearing a black custom crystal-encrusted Nike outfit, complete with a subtle six-layered tutu in reference to her six U.S. Open championships. That ensemble not only communicated the power of fashion, but played into Williams’ penchant for challenging industry expectations while championing Black athleticism.
The intersection of sports and fashion has evolved into a lasting dialogue of identity and influence — where athletes use style as a form of self-expression, and fashion houses, in turn, look to these cultural icons as muses. A tennis great in training, Coco Gauff is slowly earning the recognition of being both a phenomenal athlete and fashion icon. Leveraging her partnership with New Balance and the brand’s deal with Italian fashion house Miu Miu, the two-time Grand Slam champion is sporting bespoke apparel and footwear from the collaboration during select tournaments, capping it in the run-up to this year’s U.S. Open at the Cincinnati Open.
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Perhaps a film that underlines the allure of tennis fashion is Challengers, the 2024 picture revered by critics and movie-goers alike. The film didn’t just spotlight the sport through an engrossing storyline; it drew curiosity to the fusion of preppy heritage with modern sensuality. Suddenly, pleated skirts, polo dresses, and retro sneakers weren’t just for players — they became necessities for style-conscious consumers interested in looking the part. With Zendaya leading the charge in a slew of tenniscore-inspired press tour looks, Challengers turned the tennis uniform into a fashion movement, blurring the lines between sport and streetwear more than ever before.
Challengers brought tennis aesthetics into the pop culture spotlight, but upscale labels like Kith — through its ongoing partnership with Wilson — prove it’s not about reinventing the wheel; instead, it’s a smart serve that shows tennis style can be equal parts performance and personality. Subtle menswear changes in this summer’s drop include an embroidered pattern on two-piece mesh sets and off-court uniforms like a track cardigan and fitted blazer reiterates thoughtful tailoring and ingenuity, two necessary requirements for a successful fashion brand.
Discussions of tennis as a fashion statement are incomplete without mentioning Stan Smith and his affinity for minimalism. His sneaker, which originally launched in the 1960s as the first leather tennis shoe, the Adidas Stan Smith wasn’t just a performance essential — it was the beginning of a cultural crossover. With its clean lines, understated branding, and off-court functionality, the shoe quietly laid the blueprint for what tenniscore would become decades later. Stan himself, a two-time Grand Slam champion with effortless style still well into his 70s, became the unlikely architect of longevity in this space — proving that sometimes, staying power starts with simplicity.
This all brings us to New York Fashion Week. While labels won’t reveal looks until they hit the runway, the possibility of seeing select pieces inspired by the fluorescent hollow ball or the striking red clay at Roland-Garros is no longer a stretch of the imagination. Fashion, like tennis, is fluid and ever-changing. Both arenas require performance, precision, with a touch of personal style. Just as a tennis player commands attention with every serve and swing, a fashion designer captures the spotlight with each stitch and silhouette. The obsession between the two is valid, and true enthusiasts of both have a lot to look forward to in a couple of short weeks.
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