Not without my colorful clothes: In 1987, Andre Agassi was an up-and-coming tennis player who attracted attention not only with his skills on the court, but also with his garish outfits. But because he was not allowed to wear them at Wimbledon, he boycotted the famous tournament for three years. His protest changed little, because the all-white rule, which requires the wearing of white clothing on the court, has existed since around 1880 – and has survived every protest since then.
The fashion dictates not only that the clothes should be neat, but that they must also be 90 percent white. Rules that only exist at Wimbledon. Even the smallest deviations, such as a pink bra strap peeking out from under Venus Williams’ dress in 2017 or the orange soles of Roger Federer’s shoes in 2013, were punished with a warning.
Only in 2023, 146 years after the tournament was founded, was at least one rule relaxed: white underwear is no longer compulsory. The tournament management responded to the demand of many athletes who feel uncomfortable in white, especially during their period.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
