The oldest and, often considered, as the most prestigious of the four tennis Grand Slam tournaments, the Wimbledon Championships is known as one of the most strict when it comes to traditions. And one of the most recognizable is the all-white dress code for the players.
In the dress code for the tournament it is stated that the players must wear “suitable tennis attire that is almost entirely white,” and that includes shoes, and accessories such as caps, socks, sweatbands and even rackets.
However, the Championships is finally allowing female players to wear underwear of a color other than white, as players have expressed concern about wearing white during their periods… But, why do players have to wear white during Wimbledon?
Wimbledon’s all-white rule: Where does it come from?
According to Brittanica, the “all-white” rule was adopted when the dress code was written in the 1880s in order to minimize the visibility of sweat stains. At the time, sweat patches were considered “improper and unsightly.”
After that, the rule has been maintained as a part of the many traditions that distinguish the tournament, such as the defending men’s singles champion opening the tournament with the first match played on Centre Court, or rituals such as ‘The Queue’ for fans.
In 2014, they stated new rules saying that off-white or cream clothing would not be permitted, with color limited to a one-centimeter strip on cuffs, necklines or sleeves of players’ attire.
As we said, not all players love the rule. Andre Agassi, for example, refused to play at Wimbledon from 1988 to 1990 in part because of the dress code, while stars such as Roger Federer or Martina Navratilova had to change part of their wardrobe after being reprimanded.