US Open Tennis Style Through the Decades
Ella Chochrek
Assistant Digital Editor
From its founding in 1881 to today, the U.S. Open has evolved — and so have the styles worn on the court.
Looking back to the 1960s, style was more like what one might expect at Wimbledon today, with athletes stepping out in tennis whites. Arthur Ashe sported a polo shirt, crisp shorts, crew socks and white sneakers as he battled his opponents in 1965.
The 1960s also brought with them the launch of the Adidas Stan Smith. (The tennis star received the Manolo Blahnik Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017 FNAAs.)
The now-iconic shoe was initially named after French pro Robert Haillet. But when Adidas wanted to boost the sneaker’s U.S. presence, designer Horst Dassler searched for a new sponsor and landed on Smith.
Smith wore his namesake sneakers — Haillet’s name was fully removed by 1978 — to the U.S. Open.
In the 1970s, athletes began to infuse more color into their on-court looks. Two-time U.S. Open champ Tracy Austin stepped out in a pastel pink look with bows in her hair in 1977, wearing pom-pom socks with her white and pale blue sneakers.
By the 1990s, tennis looks had become more similar to what we expect today. Serena Williams, sponsored by Puma in the 1990s, sported a coordinated — and heavily branded — look as she won the Grand Slam in 1999.
In years since, Williams has continued to push the bounds with her style, whether it be by sporting bold colors or by wearing a Matrix-esque outfit complete with a leather jacket, like she did at the 2004 Open.
Throughout the 2010s, wild on-court looks have become the norm — and the fashion has become almost as big of a deal as the matches themselves.
For instance, Roger Federer made headlines at last year’s tournament in Off-White x Air Jordan 1 kicks.
And Williams will follow suit this year, already generating tons of buzz with the Virgil Abloh-designed looks she plans to wear on the court.
Click through the gallery to see more U.S. Open style through the decades.
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