At 145 years old, Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, but the prestigious competition still upholds a dress code best left in the 19th Century.
“Competitors must be dressed in suitable tennis attire that is almost entirely white,” the rules dictate. For female athletes and those that have periods, the dress code has raised questions of inclusivity and attitudes towards women in sport. Originally, white was chosen to reduce the appearance of sweat, which was seen as unseemly and improper, particularly on women. So it’s no surprise that as conversations about periods have opened up – from period poverty to menstrual leave – female athletes and those that menstruate are challenging Wimbledon to update the rulebook.
And finally, after much backlash, Wimbledon officials are expected to change the rule on women having to wear ‘all white’ underwear. The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club are in talks with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and kit manufacturers about switching up the archaic rule, with changes expected to come into force next year.
In an interview with The Telegraph back in June, sports broadcaster Catherine Whitaker told Fiona Thomas that she thought it was time for the rules to change, sparking a country-wide conversation. “If [Wimbledon] had a clothing policy that affected men in the way that it does women, I don’t think that particular tradition would last,” she said. “I cannot imagine going into the biggest day of my life, with my period, and being forced to wear white.”
‘Period TikTok’ is empowering a new generation.
In a country where generations of women have been conditioned to believe that periods are shameful and should be treated privately, the responsibility should not land on female athletes to challenge this problematic perception. Professional tennis players such as Rennae Stubbs, who has played at Wimbledon three times in her career, and Russian-French player Tatiana Golovin agreed that it’s a very real source of anxiety, shame and distress for players, which has the power to affect their performance.
“I think it might have been the one time that I actually left the court at Wimbledon, when I did have my period,” Stubbs told The Telegraph. “The match went three sets and I had to go off and change.” Golovin adds that wearing darker shorts – as she was scolded for doing in 2007 – is more comfortable. “It’s very tricky to wear white because you have the photographers, you have pictures everywhere, you’re sliding on the court, you’re falling, you’re playing, your skirt’s flying up,” she says. The thought of a leak is mortifying enough for most women, such is the stigma around menstrual blood, but for those in the public eye, with an audience watching your every move, the pressure is unimaginable.
For decades, womenswear on (and off) the court has been carefully policed. After Alize Cornet’s red briefs became visible during a match in 2013, rules were tightened the following year to ‘crack down’ on the so-called scandalous attire. In 2017, Venus Williams was made to change her underwear mid way through a game because her pink bra-straps were visible. In a post-match conference, she responded to questions about it with the withering disinterest it deserved: "I don’t want to talk about undergarments. It’s kind of awkward for me. I’ll leave that to you. You can talk about it with your friends. I’m going to pass."
In one supermarket the cost of ten, basic maxi pads had doubled over the past year.
It’s no coincidence that society’s simultaneous, paradoxical objectification of and discomfort with the female body is reflected in its squeamish response to athletes’ underwear in particular, but Wimbledon’s dress code simply ignores the biological, physical and emotional impact a period can have on a person, and calls to change it reflect the success of campaigns that aim to destigmatise periods.
At the French Open earlier this year, Chinese player Qinwen Zheng spoke candidly about how her period held her back in a game against Iga Swiatek, explaining that a leg injury was ‘easy’ compared to the pain of period cramps. “If I don’t have my stomach [pain], I think I could…run better and hit harder, to give more effort on court. It’s a pity that I couldn’t give what I wanted to give," she explained. International tennis stars such as Martina Navratilova, Petra Kvitova and Heather Watson have all expressed concern at how periods can affect players. “It sounds like an excuse but for women, it is a reality,” Navratilova told Radio 5 Live. “You don't want to use it as an excuse, but it can affect some players in a big way. I never talked about it but it certainly was there.”
X content
According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, 93% of athletes reported symptoms during their period, and 67% believed that these symptoms impaired their performances. And it’s not just the period itself that can affect people menstruating: pads can be itchy and sticky; tampons can be uncomfortable or distracting. Pain medication is not always an option – some are banned in sport, as they contain performance-enhancing drugs – and those who take approved medication to alleviate pain may suffer side effects. Those that feel it’s simply easier to go on the pill or have an IUD inserted are making decisions about their body and their fertility based on a centuries-old dress code designed by men.
It's so empowering that, as a woman, I can do my bit to not only save the planet, but also make my periods more comfortable and affordable.
In 2015, drummer and athlete Kiran Gandhi ran the London Marathon and was widely celebrated for ‘free-bleeding’ as she visibly bled through her clothes and illustrated how much shame half the population are subjected to because of a natural bodily function. Luckily, it looks as though female tennis players won't be forced to do the same in order to bring about a rule change.
Wimbledon – the ball is very much in your court and we're certainly know what side of the net we fall in.
After more periods content? Shop our edit of the best period pants for a more sustainable period.
