Wimbledon is the oldest and the most prestigious of the four tennis Grand Slam tournaments.The Australian Open, The French Open, the US Open are the other three Grand Slam Tournaments.
And it is also famous for several strict traditions and rules, but one rule that stands out is the dress code for players.
It is compulsory for all the players participating in Wimbledon to dress “predominately in white” or “almost entirely in white.”
The rule is so strict that the referee can force players to change under threat of disqualification (in 2002, Anna Kournikova was asked to replace her black shorts with white).
Those not ready to comply can decide not to participate in the tournament (Andre Agassi didn’t participateWhen he came back, he had to abide by the all-white rule. in the tournament from 1988 to 1990 for this reason).
Even off-white and cream shades are not allowed, and the rule applies to the accessories as well (Roger Federer was warned in 2013 for wearing a pair of white shoes with orange soles).
The tradition of wearing white began in the 1870s, during the Victorian era when things were characterised based on social class.
And in higher social classes, a lot of importance was given to being “incredibly proper” (e.g., discussions about sex and body needs were considered inappropriate, more so for women).
In this era, which later became famous for its double standards, even sweating was considered inappropriate.
And so, white clothing was enforced in sports because it was considered more breathable and less hot than other colours.
Therefore, it was believed that players would sweat less in white, and even if they did, the sweat wouldn’t be as visible.
The English Club, which hosts Wimbledon, is known for being insistent on following traditions, and thus, this practice has continued.
