Strict Wimbledon officials announce ban after tennis player’s outfit breaks the rules
Wimbledon is famous for its strict all-white dress code, and some players have been reminded to stick to the rules.
Jessica Bouzas got a friendly warning from the umpire when her black undershirt briefly showed at the lower back during her match against Anastasia Potapova. Despite this, Bouzas stayed focused and won comfortably 6-2, 6-3. She then beat Dayana Yastremska to reach the third round, where she’ll face the world No.4, Jessica Pegula, just days after the dress code reminder.
Bouzas isn’t the only one to get a clothing warning. Matteo Berrettini tried to wear an outfit like Taylor Fritz’s, but Wimbledon said it wasn’t white enough. Berrettini, who is also sponsored by Hugo Boss, shared pictures of his look on Instagram but learned it was “a little off-white.” After beating Arthur Fils in the second round, he explained the club’s rules: players must wear tennis clothes that are almost entirely white, with no solid blocks of color except tiny trims no wider than 1cm. Even off-white or cream colors aren’t allowed.
Berrettini admitted part of his outfit was “a little brownish,” which is why it wasn’t approved. He’s now preparing for a tough third-round match against Grigor Dimitrov. Although he’s dropped to No.51 in the rankings, Berrettini is playing well again after reaching a career-high top six in early 2022. He was runner-up to Novak Djokovic in the 2021 Wimbledon final and believes he can beat anyone on his day.
After his win over Fils, Berrettini said, “I know my level and that I can challenge any player, especially on this surface. Tennis is a fine balance between fear and confidence, and knowing how to manage that is key. If you don’t feel confident, maybe it’s time to step back and figure out why. Only one player will win this tournament; everyone else will lose at some point.”
Berrettini has played Dimitrov twice before, winning once, and he’s the favorite to win again on Saturday.