Wimbledon's strict all-white dress code has been a tradition since the 19th century, originally implemented to hide sweat stains. Since 1963, the All England Lawn Tennis Club has required players to wear 'predominantly white' clothing, with rules tightened in 2014 to mandate 'almost entirely white' attire for both practice and matches.
2014 Bra Controversy
In 2014, Wimbledon faced backlash after several female players were reportedly ordered to remove bras that violated the dress code, which stipulated that any visible undergarments must be entirely white. British star Naomi Broady was among those affected, forced to go braless during her second-round straight-sets defeat to former Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki.
Pat Cash, the 1987 Wimbledon men's champion, reacted furiously: 'Some of the girls have been told to go back and change their bras and tops because they had slight colour on them. I believe some of the girls didn't have suitable sports bras and had to go without them. It has absolutely gone ridiculous.'
Underwear Rules for Men and Women
The all-white rule applied to underwear for both genders. Cash added: 'One of the players was called into the referees’ office because he had blue underwear that showed through when he got sweaty. So he was told not to wear dark underwear.'
2022 Rule Relaxation
In response to growing calls for modernisation, including from the Address The Dress Code protest group, Wimbledon relaxed its rules in 2022. The change allowed women to wear dark-coloured undershorts, provided they are no longer than their shorts or skirt. Sally Bolton, chief executive of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, said: 'We are committed to supporting the players and listening to their feedback as to how they can perform at their best. It is our hope that this rule adjustment will help players focus purely on their performance.'
