From On – Court Style To Challengers Tennis Fashion Gains Popularity

Fashion trends often emerge from the most intriguing sources, combining elements of culture, sport, and cinema to create new waves of style. One such trend that has steadily carved its niche over the years is ‘tenniscore’, a homage to the crisp, preppy aesthetics of traditional tennis attire. This trend extends beyond mere sportswear, integrating clean lines and the functional beauty of tennis outfits into everyday fashion. 

2024’s resurgence of ‘Tenniscore’ fashion

Tenniscore fashion, characterised by its understated elegance and sporty flair, transcends the courts and enters the realm of everyday style with ease. At its core, this fashion trend celebrates items like skorts, polo shirts, and court dresses, and offers a blend of comfort and style that appeals to the fashion-forward crowd. 

The appeal of tenniscore lies in its versatility; a well-tailored polo can be just as at home at a cafe as on the court, while skorts combine the practicality of shorts with the femininity of a skirt, making them ideal for both leisure and a laid-back office environment. 

As Zendaya promotes her new tennis film, Challengers, her recent press tour looks have been a key factor in rising sales of Tenniscore items. 

Zendaya’s tennis-inspired press outfits for Challengers

Zendaya has been a popular style icon for many years, consistently impressing the public with her red carpet looks. Recently she wowed the public with not one but two Met Gala looks which embraced the ‘Garden of Time’ dress code for the event. Her stunning looks were created by her stylist, Law Roach, who also helped her shine in beautiful tennis-themed outfits to promote her new film. 

While promoting Challengers in Rome, Zendaya stunned the press with a sparkly silver tennis dress with a plunging neckline and pleated skirt. As sparkly as the dress was, it wasn’t the highlight of the outfit. Zendaya’s white heels stood out in her tennis-inspired outfit as each heel had a green tennis ball attached.

Throughout the press tour, she wore floor-length gowns featuring tennis player prints and mini tennis racket embroideries. Her Challengers press outfits also embraced the green of tennis balls with green eyeshadow, shoes, and handbag.

These looks celebrate the film’s theme and set a template for how tenniscore can be adapted for high-fashion or everyday wear. Her appearances have sparked inspiration in the fashion industry, affirming that the elegance and athleticism of tenniscore have a place both on and off the court.

Inspiring fashion from past & present tennis stars 

Heading back to where tennis fashion inspiration began, professional tennis stars have graced courts for many years now with their fashionable outfits, both on and off-court. Off the court, their outfits might not be tennis-inspired but instead show a more elegant side to players.

In early May, former tennis stars attended the Met Gala in stunning gowns, including Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and Maria Sharapova. Although all are now retired players, each made an impression at the Met Gala with their eye-catching gowns. The Williams sisters shone brightly in a gold drape dress, a broken mirrored dress, while Sharapova wore a delicate floral green dress.

For tenniscore inspiration, on-court tennis outfits now feature a range of colours and brands that help make players stand out during their games or training sessions. Coco Gauff’s outfit for this year’s Australian Open was a bold design with a yellow two-piece New Balance crop top and skirt.

Whether it’s the Australian Open or Wimbledon, big tennis brands are seen on the court time and time again. Uniqlo started to make its name on the courts in 2018 when Roger Federer became a global ambassador for the brand. In 2020, the relaunch of the RF Uniqlo cap was so popular and sought-after that it sold out in 10 minutes.

Popular brands have been seen on the courts over the years including Nike, with Rafael Nadal having his own Nike Rafa range, and Andy Murray having his own AMC line with Castore AMC after investing in the brand in 2019.

Beyond tennis clothing, tennis stars both past and present are also big supporters of luxury watch brands. These accessories underline the luxury aspect of tenniscore, offering a blend of sophistication with the sport’s traditional athleticism. Tennis players are paid vast sums of money to promote timepieces, with many wearing them on the court.

Rolex is a popular brand for tennis players, with Caroline Wozniacki and Dominic Thiem wearing Daytona timepieces. The Rolex GMT-Master II is one sports watch that Roger Federer has previously worn on the court and he has even worn the Datejust II during play. Nadal and Alexander Zverev have worn luxury watches by Richard Mille while Novak Djokovic has worn timepieces from Hublot.

Tenniscore fashion in 2024

Looking ahead, the future of tenniscore seems promising. With its roots firmly planted in the elegance and functionality of tennis attire, and its branches reaching into cinema and celebrity influence, tenniscore is set to remain a significant influence in the fashion landscape. 

As long as the sport continues to fascinate and inspire, tenniscore will likely serve as a stylish symbol of how sports can elegantly transition onto the fashion runways and into our everyday wardrobes, championing a look which is practical as it is polished.