(Photo: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters)
Was the flamboyant outfit, an ensemble created by Virgil Abloh, a distraction? It looked that way at the onset as Serena Williams struggled and dropped the first set of her match against Russia's Vitalia Diatchenko. Williams recovered in due time and wrapped up at 2-6, 6-1 and 6-0 to advance to round two of the French Open.
The former world number one had managed a close escape but the tennis world isn't talking about how Williams bounced back and continue on her campaign. The spotlight was trained on what she wore that Forbes said Abloh had designed for Nike and for his Off-White fashion house.
Recall that the same designer was Williams' pick last year in regaling the Roland Garros crowd. In the black catsuit that Abloh had provided, Williams imagined herself as a warrior princess from the mythical kingdom of Wakanda, and she certainly made a statement.
Tennis officials in France thought the Black Panther-inspired outfit bordered to unacceptable and implemented a ban. To ensure that there will be no repeat of the Williams stunt, French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli announced that stricter dress code will be observed in the future staging of the French Open. The pronouncement, however, proved unpopular.
And so for the 2019 edition of the Paris Grand Slam tourney, Williams decided to highlight feminism on what she wears. For the first installment, her outfit screamed Mother, Champion, Queen, and Goddess in French to drive home a message.
"It talks about me being a mom and me being a queen, as all women are. A champion. It's positive reinforcement for me, and I kind of love that," Williams was reported by Business Insider as saying.
The tennis player also professed nothing but praises to Abloh, whom she described as "the hottest designer right now and he's amazing."
It is obvious Williams is leveraging her status to send across a powerful message that everyone can be champion and a royalty. The potential to bounce back from setbacks is always there, which the slugger had proved with the game against Diatchenko.
Even in her personal life, Williams showed that overwhelming episodes in life can be overcome. She had a difficult pregnancy and was forced to skip five Grand Slam events. All these have come to past and Williams strongly believes she's still able to collect a couple of wins or more, including the coveted majors.
For now, her mission at Roland Garros is still on and Williams is all geared up to face the next challenger. She is expected to advance well into the competition and continue to attract attention not only with her court intelligence but also with her ongoing collaboration with Virgil Abloh.
