Why do the French have to be so very...well...FRENCH???
Serena Williams returned to the Grand Slam Circuit in the grandest of style less than a year after the birth of her daughter, Alexis Olympia. Not only did she win the match, she won it in a Wakanda-inspired catsuit that looked fierce and served the critical medical purpose of preventing blood clots. She nearly died from an embolism right after her daughter's birth. Since then, Williams has suffered from many clots, and they can be life-threatening. The skintight pants help with her circulation, giving her much-needed medical reassurance while she dazzles the world with her super-hero-like artistry on the court.
“It feels like this suit represents all the women that have been through a lot mentally, physically, with their body to come back and have confidence and to believe in themselves,” Williams said, after beating Kristyna Pliskova 7-6 (4), 6-4 at Court Philippe Chatrier.
“I definitely feel like it is an opportunity for me to inspire a whole different group of amazing women and kids.”...
“I had a lot of problems with my blood clots, and, God, I don’t know how many I have had in the past 12 months. So it is definitely a little functionality to it,” Williams said.
“I have been wearing pants in general a lot when I play, so I can keep the blood circulation going. It’s a fun suit but it’s also functional, so I can be able to play without any problems.”
Well, it appears French Open president Bernard Giudicelli disapproves. The outfit Queen Serena wore will no longer be allowed at the French Open in the future, because it is not sufficiently conservative. He singled her out specifically for criticism.
“I believe we have sometimes gone too far. Serena’s outfit this year, for example, would no longer be accepted. You have to respect the game and the place.”
Hmmmm. I wonder what one could conclude from an old white man telling a young, strong, Black woman that she should have respect and know the/her place? Might there be racism at play? Sexism? Misogynoir, as the kids call it nowadays?
Many sports legends have come out roaring in support of our beloved tennis goddess, including Billie Jean King and Jemele Hill.
Here's a brilliant clapback that will give you political and religious whiplash...
Being the graceful and lovely human that Serena Williams is, she has already moved on from this, because she has bigger things to conquer, I suppose...
I know I am not alone, though, in hoping we get to see the living legend in whatever she wants to wear to compete, free from the condescending imposition of racist and sexist restraints of old, white, Frenchmen.
