LONDON (AP) 鈥� Naomi Osaka knows how to create a buzz with her walk-on outfits at Grand Slam tennis tournaments.
Wimbledon throws up some challenges, however, with its all-white regulations.
Osaka, who likened one of her French Open ensembles , had a message for fans this week after Nike released her 2026 Wimbledon playing dress to the public.
“You guys selling out my Wimby dress before I even had the opportunity to wear it on court is really gagging me. Okay fashionistas, I see you! (I got you for the walk on though),鈥� .
Will it be iconic? We鈥檒l see.
Here are some memorable fashion moments in Wimbledon history:
Anne White’s bodysuit in 1985
Yes, a bodysuit. Neck to ankles. All white, mind you, but apparently not appropriate.
White wore the outfit for her first-round match against Pam Shriver. They split the first two sets before play was suspended because of darkness. White came out the next day in more traditional wear 鈥� and lost the match.
White said in 鈥� 鈥淔it for Purpose鈥� 鈥� that the tournament referee told her 鈥渢hat I can鈥檛 wear that suit again, it was not deemed suitable attire in the eyes of the All England Club.鈥�
鈥淚 wanted to prove a point that 鈥� it was fashion and function 鈥� and I think I was just a little ahead of my time.鈥�
The bodysuit was created by tennis clothing designer Ted Tinling 鈥� a name associated with several Wimbledon fashion moments over the years.
Going vintage in cricket pants
Trey Waltke sported an all-white vintage look for his 1983 first-round match against former champion Stan Smith 鈥� he of the iconic Adidas shoe.
Giving 1920s vibes in cricket pants that he bought locally plus a button-up shirt, he advanced and then wore it again in the second round against 鈥� this time on Centre Court.
鈥淚 just did it because I thought it would be fun and different. I didn鈥檛 think I was going to be in Time magazine, which I was,鈥� Waltke told The Associated Press in a phone interview from California.
Waltke hadn鈥檛 informed anyone 鈥� including Wimbledon 鈥� of his plans. He said he bought cricket pants at sports retailer Lillywhites.
鈥淭hey weren鈥檛 terrible. They weren鈥檛 the most flexible once I put a ball or two in the pocket, but they were fine.鈥�
After the first match, the designer Tinling tracked down the American and said 鈥漎oung man, you don鈥檛 have the proper attire until you have your club tie as your belt,鈥� Waltke recalled. 鈥淪o, he asked if he could take my pants and actually sew some belt loops on it and put a Wimbledon tie in there. I said, 鈥楽ure, go ahead.鈥�”
Waltke then lost in straight sets to Lendl.
Brazil star Maria Bueno pushes boundaries
Bueno, a three-time Wimbledon singles champion, in 1962 wore a Tinling outfit that was 鈥渂ursting with colored petals,鈥� the .
For the following year’s tournament, the All England Club specified that players must be dressed 鈥減redominantly in white.鈥� Years later, that was upgraded to 鈥渁lmost entirely white.鈥�
Tinling was also behind Gertrude 鈥淕ussie鈥� Moran’s outfit at Wimbledon in 1949. It was deemed inappropriate because the undergarment had lace trimming.
Vamos: Nadal鈥檚 pirate pants
Call them what you like 鈥� pirate pants, 鈥榩iratas,鈥� pantaloons 鈥� Rafael Nadal鈥檚 capri-style, three-quarter shorts in 2005 were of great interest to the staid spectators of Wimbledon.
The charismatic teenager had just won the French Open 鈥� his first Grand Slam title 鈥� at age 19 in the talked-about long shorts and a sleeveless shirt. He brought the same look to London 鈥� this time in all white. Nadal lost in the second round but reached the final against Roger Federer in each of the next three editions, winning in 2008.
Sinner makes quite an entrance
Two years before , the Italian star created a buzz by walking onto court carrying a Gucci duffel bag, which displayed Gucci鈥檚 GG monogram. It was a departure from Wimbledon tradition. On his other shoulder he carried his white Head bag containing his tennis rackets.
The All England Club clearly didn鈥檛 mind. In , Wimbledon said it was one of Sinner鈥檚 鈥渋conic鈥� moments: 鈥淲alking on to Centre Court with a custom-made Gucci bag.鈥�
Wimbledon鈥檚 white-clothing rules note that, 鈥淢edical supports and equipment should be white if possible but may be colored if absolutely necessary.鈥�
Regarding logos, the clothing rules say 鈥渓ogos formed by variations of material or patterns are not acceptable.鈥� A paragraph on shoes adds: 鈥淟arge manufacturers鈥� logos are not encouraged.鈥�
What else do the rules say?
Players 鈥渕ust be dressed in that is almost entirely white 鈥� there should be no solid mass or panel of coloring other than females鈥� dark undershorts should they .鈥�
White 鈥渄oes not include off-white or cream.鈥� Even the underbills of caps and soles of sneakers must be white.
The clothing rules have several references to color, such as a single trim of color around the neckline or down the outside seam of shorts and skirts being not wider than one centimeter (less than half an inch).
鈥淭he (All England Club) currently works collaboratively with around 25-30 different manufacturers to ensure clothing worn on court meets the rules,鈥� the club said in its 2026 clothing rule guidelines.
___
AP tennis:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
