LONDON : Naomi Osaka’s eye-catching Wimbledon entrances have dominated headlines, but the men’s game is also embracing the tournament’s growing fashion culture as players and sponsors use the All England Club’s famous walk-on as a showcase for style.
Novak Djokovic has been taking to Centre Court in a personalised Lacoste blazer and tailored shorts, while American Taylor Fritz has opted for a white Hugo Boss jacket, trousers and silk scarf before changing into his playing kit.
“This is the first tournament where the guys are really stepping it up, which is fun to see,” Joelle Michaeloff, chief creative officer at Wilson Sporting Goods, told Reuters.
“They’re seeing what’s going on right now and looking back at these iconic moments in Wimbledon history.”
Michaeloff, whose clients include Alex de Minaur and Marta Kostyuk, said male players were increasingly viewing clothing as an extension of their personalities.
Although Wimbledon remains the only Grand Slam to enforce an all-white dress code, it has produced some of tennis’s most memorable fashion moments, from Ted Tinling’s designs to Roger Federer’s iconic military-style jacket in 2007.
For Fritz, however, the stylish entrance comes with added pressure.
“I really like to keep it low key,” the sixth seed said.
“You can’t walk out with an outfit and go out in the first round. It just looks so bad.”
The American has avoided that embarrassment by reaching the third round without dropping a set, peeling away his tear-away trousers before each match.
Michaeloff said sponsors increasingly viewed Wimbledon entrances as valuable marketing opportunities.
“The relationship between athlete and brand is what’s really playing out here, and that’s what’s new and shifting,” she said.
Nike promoted Osaka’s kimono-inspired arrival across social media, Hugo Boss highlighted Fritz’s tailored look, and Wilson collaborated with Kostyuk on a new version of “The Marta Dress” ahead of the tournament.
“There is also an awesome opportunity right now to tell the story of personality and style, both on and off the court,” Michaeloff added.
Djokovic also generated attention after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas by joking that his Lacoste jacket should be compared with golfer Rory McIlroy’s coveted Masters Green Jacket as the pair exchanged smiles between Centre Court and the Royal Box.
Fritz said his pre-match look was driven by his sponsor.
“Boss did this whole thing. They’re my sponsor. They wanted me to do it,” he said.
“I thought the outfit looked good. So yeah, we were going to do it either way.”
Michaeloff said more players were becoming directly involved in designing their apparel, citing Karen Khachanov’s interest in everything from fabrics and fit to neckline details.
“He wants to be fashionable, but he also cares about how it performs,” she said.
Not every design makes it onto the court, however.
Former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini said one of his outfits was rejected because it failed to meet the tournament’s strict all-white requirements.
“It was not white enough,” the Italian said.
“There was an option, but they didn’t let me do it.”
Michaeloff believes the current trend echoes the style of Federer but has even deeper roots.
“Think of Arthur Ashe, the way he dressed, the way he showed up,” she said.
“The momentum and the reach has changed.”
Fritz expects more players to embrace elaborate walk-ons in future.
“I think the women have done more with the walk-out outfits, making it into a bit of a production,” he said.
“I mean, it’s cool. It’s fun. I think we’ll see if people do more moving forward.”
Osaka has led that movement throughout 2026, unveiling distinctive outfits at every Grand Slam, including a jellyfish-inspired ensemble at the Australian Open, a black Kevin Germanier skirt at the French Open and multiple “Kill Bill”-inspired kimono variations at Wimbledon.
Eleanor Thomas, collections lead at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, believes Osaka’s creations have already earned a place in the tournament’s fashion history.
“Naomi Osaka’s fashion for this year’s Championships would of course be considered an iconic moment in this year’s Championships,” she said.
