Serena Williams Comes Up With Another Surprise Outfit At French Open, What Is It That She Really Wants To Prove?
31 May 2019
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Serena William during her ladies singles match against Kurumi Nara of Japan during the 2019 French Open at Roland Garros on May 30, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

(CNN) — After the catsuit she wore during last year’s French Open was banned, Serena Williams is taking the court this year in a flashy, black-and-white set with a mesh underlay.

A few months after last year’s tournament, French Open President Bernard Giudicelli announced a stricter dress code, specifically called out Williams’ catsuit and said players should choose outfits “to respect the game and place.”

His comments sparked backlash, especially since Williams’ catsuit was designed with compression elements to help prevent blood clots, which she dealt with after the birth of her daughter in 2017.

The ensemble Williams has worn for her two matches this week was designed for Nike by Virgil Abloh, founder of luxury streetwear brand Off-White.

It has a short asymmetrical skirt, tucked up high on the left hip. The warm-up jacket — loose, hip-length — is of the same material, a bold black-and-white design with French words for mother, queen,  goddess and champion.

On the court, Williams wore it with a tight black shirt on Thursday and with a midriff-baring tight tank top on Monday.

Abloh, who also helms Louis Vuitton’s menswear line, designed the memorable tutu Williams wore during last year’s U.S. Open.

The 10th-seeded Williams has won both her French Open matches so far, 2-6, 6-1, 6-0 over Russia’s Vitalia Diatchenko on Monday, and 6-3, 6-2 over Japan’s Kurumi Nara on Thursday.  On Saturday she’ll play 35th-ranked Sofia Kenin, a fellow American.

Williams, 37, has won the French Open three times.