Serena Williams assured fans that she has resolved the controversy surrounding the “catsuit” she wore at the French Open earlier this year.
“Everything’s fine, guys,” Williams said on Saturday morning after explaining that she had already spoken with French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli. “He’s been so easy to talk to.”
She continued: “My whole team is basically French, so, yeah, we have a wonderful relationship. I’m sure we would come to an understanding and everything will be okay. Yeah, so it wouldn’t be a big deal.”
Giudicelli faced backlash after singling out the black and red catsuit that Williams wore at the tournament this past May. He used the outfit as an example of why he was implementing changes to the dress code at the tennis competition.
“I think that, sometimes, we’ve gone too far,” Giudicelli told Tennis Magazine. “[The catsuit] will no longer be accepted. One must respect the game and place.”
Many found his comments racist and sexist, especially because the outfit was specifically designed for Williams by Nike. The catsuit’s material helped avoid blood clots, which caused her to have a pulmonary embolism after giving birth in September.
At the press conference, Williams said that the grand slams had a right to set their own rules, but doubted they would step in if outfits were for health reasons. She also explained that she had already found “other methods” for addressing her circulation concerns.
