I’m A Tennis Woman Now — Right here Are The Skorts Getting Me Into The Sport

You’ll be able to think about my shock when my boyfriend invited me — a lifelong volleyball participant who had barely set foot in a tennis court docket — to go and swing rackets with him on the native court docket. Tennis was by no means a sport I paid consideration to. Yearly, when the US Open got here round, I didn’t perceive why associates had been in a frenzy over heading to Queens to catch the good Grand Slam winners. However ever since my boyfriend obtained me a racket and inspired me to take up the game, I’ve been hooked on enjoying and watching tennis. 

I hadn’t put any effort into my court-ready outfits till sooner or later I noticed a lady enjoying beside us in an ideal tennis outfit: an ‘80s-inspired white jacket, paired with a white pleated skort and matching visor. She had been enjoying for greater than an hour however her outfit was on level. In the meantime, I used to be dressed within the outdated health club shorts I had worn to train for years, having paid no consideration to the entire outfit. And that’s once I realized that, past Kate Middleton’s Wimbledon fashion, tennis is definitely a classy sport. 

For proof, look to the good tournaments. Anne White performed in a full white catsuit at Wimbledon in 1985, whereas Venus Williams as soon as wore a lingerie-inspired gown to play on the French Open in 2010.  Earlier than her retirement in 2022, Serena Williams was recognized for sporting out-of-the-box athletic put on, from bodysuits and crop tops to corseted tops and animal print clothes. Extra lately, in the course of the 2023 Wimbledon match, the place there’s a strict all-white gown code, 2023 champion Marketa Vondroušová sported a sheer skort (pictured above) that appeared like a ballet skirt to win the ladies’s singles remaining.

But, the skort — which dates again to the Nineties and was first worn to play tennis within the Nineteen Thirties by Spanish participant Lilí Alvarez, who performed in a white knee-length model by Elsa Schiapparelli that resembled culotte pants — is the principle protagonist in tennis. In line with Dan Bloxham, the top coach and grasp of ceremonies at Wimbledon, tennis put on ought to enable “vary of motion,” including that “tennis skorts are an effective way of reaching this type of motion.” He additionally emphasizes that tennis skorts with pockets enable easy accessibility to tennis balls in the course of the sport. 

As a style author, I couldn’t proceed my tennis journey with out attempting skorts on the court docket too. In spite of everything, it’s a convention of nice tennis gamers to be style icons — it doesn’t matter what floor they sort out.

Listed here are the tennis skirts which have made my time on the court docket a style Grand Slam.

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GymShark Seamless Skort

That is the primary tennis skort I ever tried. And, instantly, I might see why prime tennis gamers go for this silhouette. The skirt is constituted of a breathable material that’s meant to catch sweat, so it moved swiftly to accommodate my runs up and down the court docket. In the meantime, the thick waistband saved my again straight and safe all through my matches. However what I most like about this skirt is the shorts as a result of they’re principally lengthy sufficient to be bike shorts, holding me assured as I soar and run to beat my boyfriend (quickly sufficient).

Alo Yoga Aces Tennis Skirt

I’ve to confess that is essentially the most fashion-forward of all of the skirts I’ve tried to this point. The asymmetrical entrance, paired with the pleats within the again are a match made in tennis heaven. The material can be actually gentle, but the shorts are a bit brief for my physique. All through my classes, I’ve needed to preserve tugging them right down to keep away from my thighs rubbing in opposition to one another, an uncomfortable feeling for any (wannabe) athlete. Nonetheless, the pockets on the shorts are tremendous accessible and made holding the balls useful a lot simpler.

Free Individuals Scorching Shot Mini Skort

It’s brief, gentle, and cozy — all the things I ever needed in a tennis skirt. Whereas this one particularly is just not designed for tennis, I can attest that it’s completely appropriate for the game. And even when I’m a fan of the pristine aesthetic of tennis put on, the washed impact on this skirt is an efficient method to specific my private type (extra goth than preppy) on the tennis court docket. Though the shorts haven’t any pockets, the edgy type of this skirt makes it price it. 

Athleta Ace Tennis Skort

If there’s a skort that makes me really feel like a professional tennis participant, it’s this one. Named after some of the badass issues you are able to do on a tennis court docket — an ace is if you serve so properly the opposite participant can’t hit again — this skort feels fashionable and sporty, an ideal combine. The shorts are lengthy and have pockets, whereas the skirt has a thick, voluminous material that makes it bounce with each transfer. Simply because I’m choosy: My solely caveat is that placing balls within the pockets is a bit arduous due to the density of the skirt material. 

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