Wimbledon holds a special place on the Grand Slam circuit for a few reasons. The most obvious: it’s the only all-grass tournament, compared to the hard courts of the U.S. and Australian Opens or the red clay surface of the French Open. And while all of them are huge celebrity-draws, Wimbledon is a favorite among royalty.
Tennis, in general, is a huge stickler for rules in propriety compared to other sports. But Wimbledon has much more specific dress codes for both the players and the attendees, compared to the non-specific “evening casual wear” offered by Roland-Garros.
Wimbledon has a detailed list of nine rules for clothing and equipment. First and foremost, the most critical rule is that players must wear all white. This sartorial requirement dates back to the Victorian era. The first Wimbledon tournament was held in 1877, and in those days, any kind of sweat was considered unseemly. So, it was deemed that colorful clothing revealed sweat stains more easily than white clothing did. Thus, the tennis whites rule was born, elevating Wimbledon to a classier echelon among sporting events.
Coco Gauff of the U.S. shakes hands with Britain’s Sonay Kartal. Aaron Chown - PA Images - Getty ImagesEvery single player who is competing has to wear white, although this has been ever-so-slightly relaxed in the last two years, allowing women to wear dark-colored undershorts only following protests over concerns for female players who are menstruating.
Paula Badosa of Spain in action at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Robert Prange - Getty ImagesAs the official rulebook reads, "Competitors must be dressed in suitable tennis attire that is almost entirely white and this applies from the point at which the player enters the court surround. White does not include off white or cream." This applies to headbands, bandanas, wristbands, socks, baseball hats, and even bandages.
Italy’s Jannik Sinner during the 2024 quarterfinals. HENRY NICHOLLS - Getty ImagesThe restrictions extend to shoes as well: “Shoes must be almost entirely white. Soles and laces must be completely white. Large manufacturers’ logos are not encouraged. The grass court shoes must adhere to the Grand Slam rules. In particular shoes with pimples around the outside of the toes shall not be permitted. The foxing around the toes must be smooth.”
A detailed view of Carlos Alcaraz’s shoes. Patrick Smith - Getty ImagesAdvertisementAdvertisement#«R1bekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2bekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe For the most part, players have not had difficulty abiding by these rules. But there have been a few challengers over the years. Andre Agassi boycotted Wimbledon for years because he didn’t like the dress code rules, although he eventually caved and won in 1992. In 2024, Ons Jabeur was sent back to the changing rooms for wearing black, although she said she momentarily forgot about the rule while warming up.
Nick Kyrgios of Australia walks out to the court in red, not all-white, tennis shoes. Clive Brunskill - Getty ImagesAustralia’s Nick Kyrgios bucked the rules in 2022 with very red Air Jordans, which coincidentally were developed with the inspiration to break an NBA uniform rule. His response to the critics? “I do what I want.”
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