From one-legged catsuits to million-dollar watches: The wildest outfits in Australian Open history

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This story is part of the January 17 edition of Tennis magazine, brought to you by Good Weekend.

Australia’s “Happy Slam” has long been renowned for its lively, loud and laid-back atmosphere. In recent years, it has also evolved into tennis’s most expressive fashion stage – and it’s not just the eye-catching trends spotted on fans courtside. The Australian Open is the tournament that allows players to be bold, joyful and irreverent – sometimes all at once. It wasn’t always that way. For decades, tennis fashion at the majors was constrained by tradition and function. Wimbledon’s whites still rule, while Roland Garros and the US Open carry their own politely conservative aesthetics. But Melbourne invites mischief. The heat, the nightlife and the festive chaos of January all encourage colour, personality and the audacity to shine. Here are five times tennis players pushed the fashion boundaries at the AO with the bold, the elegant and the experimental.

Coco Gauff

Gauff’s New Balance 2025 court attire unveiled superhero-inspired cut-outs, mesh panelling and sculptural lines. It was a showcase of the American’s youth, power and rising status as a fashion-forward athlete.

Naomi Osaka

Osaka’s 2021 charcoal-and-black Nike catsuit, layered with neon-orange skirt and accessories, delivered peak confidence. Paired with Louis Vuitton jewellery, it set a benchmark for the fusion of luxury and performance.

Destanee Aiava

Aiava donned retro dresses sourced via vintage marketplaces to compete in the 2024 tournament – replicas of kits worn by former grand slam champions. When the Aussie won her first-round match in the Caroline Wozniacki-inspired blue, black and white dress, fans celebrated her ingenuity as much as her victory.

Serena Williams

This asymmetrical, one-legged catsuit, which Williams wore at the 2021 Open, was quintessential Serena: fearless, architectural, athletic. It paid tribute to late track star Florence Griffith-Joyner while rewriting the rules of tennis wear.

Rafael Nadal

Nadal wearing the nearly weightless $US1 million Richard Mille RM 27-04 watch while breaking the grand slam record for men’s singles titles at the 2022 Open was almost as talked about as the win itself. Luxury engineering met indestructible power.

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