Why Tennis Is Taking The Fashion World By Storm On And Off The Court
serving looks
By Victoria Lewis | 19th June 2026Though the ball has just stopped bouncing at the French Open, channeling the effortlessly sporty style of the athletes is still very much front of mind.
There is no better way to say it: tennis has fashion in a chokehold. It is far from a new concept that fashion influences tennis and vice versa, but lately, the fashion on the court has become as much of a spectator sport as the game itself. But why? We take a deep dive into the relationship between the age-old game and its dress code, what the tenniscore trend looks like in 2026, and, of course, how you can emulate the look at home.
Why do fashion and tennis pair so well together?
That is the age-old question. The link seems to have existed since the very beginning of tennis, a sport dripping in prestige, where players’ on-court outfits reflected the fashion trends of the time. As time went on, streetwear made its way onto the court, pushing the boundaries of what constitutes high-performance activewear. What an athlete wore became a form of self-expression, cultural awareness, and even rebellion against the institution itself.
Now, tennis is a sport that merges athletics and fashion in a uniquely accessible way for consumers. Separate from your F1 driver’s off-duty looks or NBA players’ tunnel fits, when it comes to tennis, you can literally shop the looks athletes wear on court. At the recent French Open, iconic sportswear brand Wilson Sporting Goods even staged an activation at Merci Paris to launch its new collection alongside the tournament, with athletes wearing pieces from the same collection available to shop online. Meanwhile, in Australia, Wilson hosted a Roland-Garros-inspired soirée, again reinforcing tennis’ global influence on fashion.
What fashion inspo are we taking from tennis right now?
The tennis court is a major source of fashion inspo right now. People are really resonating with this trend at the moment for many reasons, one being that tenniswear is where function doesn’t have to sacrifice personality. It’s part of a broader shift towards wanting to look unique without sacrificing comfort, and the tennis aesthetic is the more polished version of athleisure.
Another reason we think tenniscore is really having a moment right now is its strong retro influence. Similar to the vintage activewear trend taking over Instagram feeds at the moment, the tennis look is heavily rooted in decades past. Taking a page from the preppy style of the nineties, tennis ‘fits are reverting to polo shirts and tennis dresses, accessorised with sweatbands and crew-length socks, and, of course, white tennis shoes to complete the sporty-chic look.
Fresh off the 2026 French Open, drop waists and traditional silhouettes are showing up strongly in classic hues of navy blue, emerald green, and cream. As for that personal touch, athletes took to the court in sheer fabrics and floral prints with a new sporty persona.
See the looks we are sporting on and off the court right now:
Imagery: @wilsonaustralia / @radkaleitmeritz
