Source : ABC NEWS
The tennis world is steeped in luxury and prestige, with millions of dollars in prize money and sponsorships with the world’s biggest brands on the line.
If you’re a top-ranked player, that is.
For athletes yet to reach those heights, prepping for the Australian Open in Melbourne looked slightly different.
Australia’s Destanee Aiava made international headlines when eagle-eyed spectators noticed her kits were vintage finds also worn by Grand Slam champions.
When the 24-year-old won her first round match — and her first grand slam victory — against Belgium’s Greet Minnen, her outfit was a subtle nod towards a tennis great.
Her blue, black and white dress was the same design worn by Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki at the 2013 US Open.
Australia’s Destanee Aiava at the 2024 Australian Open. / Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki at the 2013 US Open. (AAP: Lukas Coch/Reuters: Eduardo Munoz)
It wasn’t the first time Aiava channelled her biggest inspirations.
When she qualified for the Australian Open, Aiava did so in a pink dress that was the same design as the one worn by Russia’s Maria Sharapova for the 2012 US Open.
And when Aiava lost her second-round match against America’s Danielle Collins, she was wearing another Sharapova-inspired outfit, previously seen at the 2011 French Open.
Destanee Aiava at the 2024 Australian Open. / Maria Sharapova at the 2011 French Open. (Imagn Images: Mike Frey/Reuters: Charles Platiau)
Unseeded and ranked 195th, Aiava is without a sponsor, but her dedication to thrifting vintage pieces online caught the attention of Vogue.
“I just loved what [Wozniacki and Sharapova] wore,” Aiava told BBC Sport, adding she prefers older designs compared to what is in stores now.
“I didn’t really think it would make any impact at all, me wearing the dresses. But I’m glad I did. It’s been fun bringing them back,” she added.
“I think even if you lose, it’s still kind of a fashion runway when you’re on the court.”
From $40 shorts to $78k watches
Aiava isn’t the first Australian tennis player whose wardrobe has generated attention.
In 2022, Thanasi Kokkinakis made headlines when he won the Australian Open men’s doubles with Nick Kyrgios in a pair of $40 shorts.
The previous year he revealed he was wearing a $6 shirt on the court because it’s what he felt most comfortable in.
For the 2024 tournament, Kokkinakis worked with a brand to debut a pair of blue and white shorts adorned with a Greek-inspired illustration of a spartan warrior.
Thanasi Kokkinakis tapped into his Greek heritage for this outfit at this year’s Australian Open. (AP: Vincent Thian)
Even Novak Djokovic has cottoned on to the opportunities that arise when fashion and sport collide.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner recently collaborated with one brand to release a limited run of watches.
Novak Djokovic also sees the potential of combining sport with fashion. (AAP: Darren England)
The time piece — of which there are only 100 in the world — has a matte blue case, which is a recycled composite made of his polo shirts and racquets.
Costing $78,000 and weighing less than a tennis ball, the watch’s price tag is almost as astonishing as Djokovic’s career.
One international tennis player who is no stranger to merging sport with fashion is Japan’s Naomi Osaka.
When she returned to the sport at last year’s US Open, Osaka donned a tulle skirt reminiscent of a ballerina’s tutu, a large green bow on her back, and tiny bows on her shoes.
Naomi Osaka says her 2024 US Open outfits were some of her best yet. (Getty Images: Mike Stobe)
The match was Osaka’s biggest since taking a break from the sport for mental health reasons, and to welcome her first child.
She wore another bow-themed outfit in her next round, this time black and white, but lost to Czech player Karolína Muchová.
At this year’s Australian Open, Osaka is all about sunflowers.
Naomi Osaka sported these sunflower accessories on the court. (Getty Images: Robert Prange)
The 26-year-old has been sporting sunflower clips in her hair, matching earrings, and orange shoes that read “the sun shines where you are”.
“Every slam this year will have a flower-themed shoe, so I think that’s really cute,” Osaka told the media.
“The Australian Open is the ‘Happy Slam’ so I thought it was really fitting for it to have a sunny theme.”
According to Osaka, the sunflower motifs represent vitality, good luck and longevity.
A sunflower pattern, as well as little petals, decorate Osaka’s shoes. (Getty Images: Hannah Peters)
At the Australian Open, Osaka finally beat Muchová, saying it was payback for defeating her in her “best outfit ever”.
“She crushed me in the US Open when I had my best outfit ever, I was so disappointed, I was so mad,” Osaka laughed.
“This was my little revenge.”
Sacrificing for fashion
America’s Coco Gauff is another international superstar who has teamed up with a brand to create a series of custom kits for the Australian Open.
Coco Gauff has been inspired by superheroes. (AP: Vincent Thian)
“I’m a huge Marvel fan so a lot of the female superheroes have a lot of cool cutouts on their outfits, so that’s what I wanted to do,” she said in a post-match interview.
“It’s actually kind of a pain to get into because it is a bodysuit. If you can’t hold your bladder it’s also not a good idea,” she laughed.
“You have to sacrifice for fashion. This is not the first time I’ve worn something like this. A couple of times I ‘ve had to ask the referee to help unzip me to use the bathroom.
“But it’s all in the faith of fashion.”
