Why do Wimbledon athletes have to wear white? The reason behind one of tennis' most iconic traditions

A tradition that has been in place since the 1880s, the all-white dress code at Wimbledon is one of tennis’s most iconic formalities.

Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, first held in 1877. There is widespread agreement that the SW19-based event is one of, if not the most, iconic tournaments on the tennis calendar. While some may describe the dress code as restrictive, there is a reasonable explanation for why the famous all-white requirement exists.

The dress code is in place due to reasons of hygiene and aesthetics. Wearing all white minimises the visibility of sweat on players and, as a result, is also more visually appealing for viewers around the world. While modern-day norms have evolved to the point where it is universally accepted that athletes sweat, the rule remains in place for these exact reasons. When a player wears bright colours or certain neutral tones like grey, sweat marks become far more noticeable.

A term long associated with Wimbledon is ‘tennis whites’, which refers, of course, to the iconic white outfits we see at SW19 every year.

These rules at the All England Club apply to everyone, regardless of ATP rankings or Grand Slam victories, as seen in 2013 when Swiss star Roger Federer was asked to change his orange-soled shoes before his next match after failing to comply with the longstanding rule.

While these rules have been slightly adapted in recent years to provide more support for women’s menstrual cycles and ease anxiety over potential mishaps with all-white clothing, Wimbledon has updated its dress code. Female players are now allowed the option of darker undershorts, which helps address concerns about players starting their period while on court. However, there is a requirement that the shorts must not be visible beneath their white skirts, maintaining the aesthetic of the event.

British female tennis player Heather Watson spoke positively about the rule change last year, suggesting that discussing the female reproductive system should not be considered taboo and that it is completely normal.

"When Wimbledon announced that about the under-shorts I was so happy because it makes such a big difference".

"I speak openly about my period and being on my period. I don't think it's a taboo subject. I would love for people to talk about it more, especially women in sport".

"So, when I heard this I was really happy because last year I went on the pill to stop myself bleeding because I knew we had to wear white under-shorts, and I didn't want to face any embarrassment".

"We're running around sweating, doing the splits on the court".

First round action at Wimbledon is underway with Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz all taking to the court during the first day.