Serena Williams Wears Black Panther-Inspired Outfit During French Open
Serena Williams made a bold statement during the French Open with her outfit on Monday, a year after upsetting organizers by wearing a black catsuit to assist in preventing the tennis champion from getting postpartum blood clots.
PARIS, FRANCE – MAY 27: Serena Williams of The United States reacts during her ladies singles first round match against Vitalia Diatchenko of Russia during Day two of the 2019 French Open at Roland Garros on May 27, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
Williams wore a cape adorned with “champion,” “queen,” “mother,” and “goddess” in French on the court at Roland Garros in Paris.
The tennis star rocked her cape during her warm up, but removed it for the actual game.
She unveiled the Virgil Abloh and Nike-designed outfit on Twitter, Sunday.
Let the Roland Garros begin. Here is my French Open look designed by @virgilabloh and @Nike. pic.twitter.com/niiyqoI94m
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) May 26, 2019
“I feel like a warrior in it, like a warrior princess kind of, [a] queen from Wakanda,” Williams said, referring to the box office hit Black Panther.
“I’m always living in a fantasy world. I always wanted to be a superhero, and it’s kind of my way of being a superhero,” she added. “I feel like a superhero when I wear it.”
"I feel like a warrior in it, like a warrior princess kind of, (a) queen from Wakanda.
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2018
I'm always living in a fantasy world. I always wanted to be a superhero, and it's kind of my way of being a superhero.
I feel like a superhero when I wear it."
- @serenawilliams #RG18 pic.twitter.com/GyWeUwetIn
Last year at the French Open Williams wore a black catsuit after giving birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia, which caused the French Tennis Federation President Bernard Giudicelli to announce a new dress code for the prestigious tennis event.
“It will no longer be accepted,” Giudicelli reportedly said. “One must respect the game and place.”
Williams responded to Giudicelli by wearing a tutu, also designed by Abloh later in the first round of the U.S. Open.
Williams’ bold outfit choice this year sent her fans on Twitter into a frenzy. Check out some of the comments below.
Queen 👸🏽 👑 doing Queen things! https://t.co/SMpAd6OH04
— Secola Edwards (@SecolaEdwards) May 28, 2019
@serenawilliams is everything great about professional sports. Keep on knocking down the barriers, kicking butt on court and pushing fashion in exhilarating directions. #FrenchOpen https://t.co/m1jQlkHmyM
— Doug Moore (@dougwmoore) May 28, 2019
Ok. It says "Champion, Queen, Mother, Goddess" 😆 Tell them! In French just to be clear. 👌❤ https://t.co/PHHoTSS0VE
— Karla Antoinette Baptiste (@KarlaLiving) May 27, 2019
Glennisha Morgan is a Detroit-bred multimedia journalist and writer. She writes about intersectionality, hip-hop, pop culture, queer issues, race, feminism, and her truth. Follow her on Twitter.
