By Amy-Jo Crowley
LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) – It is not just Naomi Osaka and her “Kill Bill” walk-on kimono that have turned heads at Wimbledon. Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz’s attire has also caught the eye at the All England Club as the male players and their sponsors seize their moment too.
Djokovic has been coming onto court wearing a personalised Lacoste blazer and shorts, while Fritz is wearing a white cotton Hugo Boss jacket, long pants and a white silk scarf.
“This is the first tournament where the guys are really stepping it up, which is fun to see,” Joelle Michaeloff, chief creative officer at Wilson sports brand, told Reuters, saying it highlighted a growing trend among male players to use clothing as a form of self-expression.
“They’re seeing what’s going on right now and … looking back at these iconic moments in Wimbledon history,” said Michaeloff, who works with clients including Australian fifth seed Alex de Minaur and Ukrainian 12th seed Marta Kostyuk.
PLAY HAS GOT TO MATCH THE OUTFIT, SAYS FRITZ
While it is the only Grand Slam requiring players to wear all white, limiting the colourful creations worn at the other majors, Wimbledon has been the stage for many fashion moments including the white bodysuit created by British designer Ted Tinling in 1985 and Swiss maestro Roger Federer’s jacket in 2007.
For Fritz, seeded six, the high-profile entrance brings its own peril.
“I really like to keep it low key,” he said. “You can’t walk out with an outfit and go out in the first round. It just looks so bad.”
Fortunately, Fritz has made it to the third round without dropping a set – so when he rips off the trousers that are joined down the sides for easy removal, ready to play in his match shorts, he has been able to keep his cool so far.
OPPORTUNITY FOR SPONSORS
Sponsors are increasingly using Wimbledon walk-ons as a marketing opportunity, according to Michaeloff. “The relationship between athlete and brand is what’s really playing out here, and that’s what’s new and shifting,” she said.
Nike and Osaka’s team shared videos and imagery of her kimono-inspired arrival on social media before her first match, while Hugo Boss promoted Fritz’s suit. Kostyuk also collaborated with Wilson on her second version of “The Marta Dress”, ahead of Wimbledon.
“There is also an awesome opportunity right now to tell the story of personality and style, both on and off the court,” Michaeloff said.
Djokovic, winner of 24 Grand Slam titles, generated plenty of coverage after his demolition of Stefanos Tsitsipas on Wednesday — challenging Rory McIlroy to a tennis match and joking that his own jacket should be put up against the golfer’s coveted Masters Green Jacket as the pair exchanged smiles from Centre Court and the Royal Box.
And Fritz told reporters: “Boss did this whole thing. They’re my sponsor. They wanted me to do it. I thought the outfit looked good. So yeah, I mean, we were going to do it either way.”
TREND HAS DEEP ROOTS
Some male players meanwhile are becoming more involved in the design process, seeking input on everything from fabrics and colours to necklines and fit, she added. “Karen Khachanov, for example, wants to discuss everything,” she said of the Russian who has also reached the third round.
“He wants to be fashionable, but he also cares about how it performs.”
But the designs do not always come off. Italy’s Matteo Berrettini, who has been ranked as high as sixth in the world, said his outfit was refused by Wimbledon.
“It was not white enough,” he said. “There was an option, but they didn’t let me do it.”
Michaeloff likened Fritz and Djokovic’s outfits to those worn by Federer, though the trend has deeper roots stretching back to the tennis legends of the 1960s and 70s.
“Think of Arthur Ashe, the way he dressed, the way he showed up and that’s long before I would say even the trend that we’re seeing, but the momentum and the reach has changed,” she said.
Fritz agreed, telling reporters: “I think the women have done more with the walk-out outfits, making it into a bit of a production. I mean, it’s cool. It’s fun. I think we’ll see if people do more moving forward.”
OSAKA’S OUTFIT SEEN AS ‘ICONIC MOMENT’
Osaka, who has won four major titles, has raised the fashion stakes at all the majors this year, wearing a black Kevin Germanier skirt at the French Open before unveiling a layered yellow-brown and gold Nike match dress inspired by the glittering Eiffel Tower at night.
She turned heads with a jellyfish-inspired outfit during her walk-on at the Australian Open.
The 14th seed brought the style again on Friday with another variation of the walk-on kimono.
Eleanor Thomas, collections lead at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, knows tennis’ emblematic clothing moments inside out, with key items displayed in the on-site Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. For her, Osaka is right up there.
“Naomi Osaka’s fashion for this year would of course be considered an iconic moment in this year’s Championships,” she said.
(Reporting by Amy-Jo Crowley in London;Editing by Alison Williams)
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