Photo: Instagram/@australianopen
Cover Image: Instagram/@australianopen

These tennis stars were serving looks at the Australian Open that made us want to dust off our tennis rackets and hit the courts in style

Additional reporting by Andrea Saadan.

At the highly anticipated Australian Open 2021, there were plenty of hits and misses—and no, we're not talking about the tennis balls on the court. We are, in fact, referring to all the outfits worn at the sport event. 

Catsuits seemed to be a top trend: Naomi Osaka showed up in a camouflage-printed catsuit while Serena Williams' show-stopping one-legged Nike catsuit with bright pink and red colour blocks has essentially gone viral. 

(Related: Tennis Star Naomi Osaka is Tag Heuer's Newest Brand Ambassador)

But the ladies weren't the only ones who showed up in style. Spaniard tennis star Rafael Nadal took to Instagram to reveal some behind-the-scenes pictures, where fans saw him in NikeAir Zoom Vapor Cage 4 shoes. 

Below, we round up some of our favourite looks on the court:

Naomi Osaka

Twenty-three-year old rising tennis star Naomi Osaka won her fourth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. Knocking out Serena Williams in the semi-finals and beating Jennifer Brady in the finals, the tennis star swept through the tournament with calm and ease.

And it wasn't just her performance which captured the attention of sports commentators and spectators around the world. Her camouflage-printed catsuit was accented with a pleated, florescent pink tennis skirt with matching wristbands and NikeCourt Air Zoom GP Turbo shoes. Facilitating one of the more light-hearted moments of the tournament, Osaka's bright ensemble also attracted a stray butterfly, which fluttered around her skirt and landed on her face. Perhaps it was the good luck charm she needed to help clinch her win!

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Photo 1 of 3 Image: Instagram/@australianopen
Photo 2 of 3 Image: Instagram/@djokernole
Photo 3 of 3 Image: Instagram/@australianopen

Novak Djokovic

Acing his on-court outfits, Novak Djokovic beat Daniil Medvedev and secured his 18th major title at the Australian Open in custom white and green Lacoste ensembles, paired with matching Court FF Novak tennis shoes by Asics. The Serbian tennis star has been an ambassador of the French fashion label, known for its green crocodile logo, since 2017. Most recently, he released a capsule collection in collaboration with artist Ysy in August 2020. 

(Related: Roger Federer Ranked By Forbes As World's Highest Paid Athlete Of 2020)

Elise Mertens

It turned out that pink was the It colour at this year's Australian Open and Elise Mertens did not disappoint. Throughout the tournament, Mertens could be seen in ensembles by Lotto Sports featuring geometric patterns in various shades of pink. Elise Mertens and Aryna Sabalenka won the Australian Open women's doubles title for their second Grand Slam trophy.

Tatler Asia
Photo: Instagram/@serenawilliams
Above Image: Instagram/@serenawilliams
Tatler Asia
Photo: Instagram/@serenawilliams
Above Image: Instagram/@serenawilliams

Serena Williams

It was a bittersweet moment for tennis enthusiasts when long-time favourite Serena Williams was knocked out by Naomi Osaka in the semi-finals of the Australian Open. But the 39-year-old still holds the crown as the most fashionable tennis star to date. With 25 years on the pro circuit, she has been consistently serving looks and this year was no different. In an iconic one-legged Nike catsuit with bright pink and red colour blocks, Williams paid tribute to track legend, Florence Griffith Joyner or Flo-Jo.

(Related: Tennis Star Angelique Kerber On Beating Serena Williams)

Elina Svitolina

Elina Svitolina was seen wearing leopard prints, crisscross straps and cutouts in her Australian Open court outfits but our favourite was her simple, black and olive green ensemble from the NikeCourt Melbourne Collection. Flashes of black from her visor and the edges of her asymmetrical Spring Melbourne skirt framed her Spring Slam Melbourne Tank — bringing a colour-blocking effect that made the earthy tone pop.

Tatler Asia
Photo: Instagram/@australianopen
Above Image: Instagram/@australianopen

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal has never been one to shy away from pink and purples. If you look closely at this backstage photo, you can see the familiar horns logo on his jacket—a reference to his nickname as 'the raging bull'. Under this stylish white and purple ensemble, he reveals a shirt in florescent pink, which matches his mask and NikeAir Zoom Vapor Cage 4 shoes.

Coco Gauff

At 16 years old, Coco Gauff was the youngest player in the Australian Open tournament this year. Wearing a custom look by New Balance, the American tennis star displays her potential as a rising star in tennis and fashion. The outfit is a racerback dress with stripes fading from orange to navy blue on the front and a diamond cutout on the lower back. 

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