French Open - Venus ramps up style in Paris

Reuters - Wed, 26 May 18:46:00 2010

Before sticking to the strict all-white dress code at Wimbledon next month, Venus Williams is indulging in some risque French cancan in Paris.

- 0

The American's black lace corset resembling an offcast from the nearby Moulin Rouge cabaret has been the talk of the French Open, and the accompanying tight skin-coloured knickers have raised just as many dumbstruck glares.

The second seed's 6-2 6-4 second-round win over Spain's Arantxa Parra Santonja was very much a secondary issue for many on Wednesday.

"The design has nothing to do with the rear. It just so happens that I have a very well developed one," she chuckled during her post-match press conference.

The opening Wednesday at Roland Garros is traditionally when Parisian schoolchildren are given priority for tickets, and they and their teachers almost got even more than they bargained for as the unconvincing red straps to Venus's dress threatened to reveal yet more of the American.

The world number two wore the outfit for the first time at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami earlier this year and she uses her daring court appearances to promote her own line of fashions.

"It's really about the illusion. Like you can wear lace, but what's the point of wearing lace when there's just black under," she added.

"The illusion of just having bare skin is definitely for me a lot more beautiful. So it's really not about anything else other than just that skin showing."

Venus, who seems to prefer to talk fashion than tennis, believes her outfit is the symbol of her personality.

"I try to represent what I think my personality is on the court. That's the first part of it," she said.

"The second part is sometimes you just dream it up. Sometimes you can see a dress and say, 'Hey, I really like those slits, so let me put that in my tennis dress'."

Reuters

Comment 308 - 327 of 327

Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

  1. IN MY COMMUNITY IN GHANA WE LOVE SOCCER BUT WE ARE VERY­ DISAPPOINTED WITH FISCAL CONDITION OF OUR SUPER BOY­ ESIEN, HOWEVER WE WILL STILL SHOCK THE WORLD AT SOUTH­ AFRICA, YOU KNOW WE ARE SMALL SCALE MINING COMMUNITY­ IN GHANA WEST AFRICA AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR RELIABLE­ BUYER WHO WILL DO LONG TERM BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH­ US.TO STRENGTHEN OUR SOCCER FANS CLUB,ALTHOUGH EVERY­ BODY THAT WILL WATCH OUR MATCH IN SOUTH AFRICA WILL­ NOTICE US IN OUR STAND BECAUSE WE WILL PAINT THE­ OCCASION WITH GOLD. CONTACT OUR COORDINATOR AT THIS­ EMAIL ADDRESS (paulmbeki@mail.kz) FOR MORE INFORMATION­ ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT US TO DEVELOP SPORT IN AFRICA.

    From collins, on Sat 29 May 1:18

  2. She looks like a Hippo from behind!

    From nick, on Fri 28 May 16:51

  3. im all for a bit of fashion but ffs its Tennis, so­ tennis whites should be adhered to somewhat,what what

    From John, on Fri 28 May 16:38

  4. Guys i think you have nothing to do. Recession time and­ u are talking about someone who is making money with­ her sport. Better go and do something for your­ life.
    Brice

    From BRICE, on Fri 28 May 11:05

  5. how about they give those outfits to ball boys, would­ like to see that lol!

    From Santa Claus, on Fri 28 May 7:47

  6. she looks like a prostitute. She just uses tennis to­ promote her line. But hey, who am I to judge.

    From Brian, on Fri 28 May 7:24

  7. id lash her outa of it

    From upthespurs, on Fri 28 May 6:51

  8. Venus should play on CLAY nude.
    She had shown the world­ the real flesh, of the most ridgid body of a black­ woman.
    Dont blame the likes of Tiger Woods, who­ selltled for a white woman. Never mind that, the white­ woman wants,
    $850 Million Dollars.So that Tiger could­ kiss another woman.

    I am black and proud. say it­ loud. I am black and proud.

    From George, on Fri 28 May 6:47

  9. The underwear matches her skin tone, so what? Don't­ see the any problem. Go Venus!.... you look stunning.

    From ho.wang, on Fri 28 May 6:26

  10. What's really bad about her dressing? is it the­ black lacy material or the nickers? Well I personally­ do not see anything bad in her dressing, infact I­ admire her and she is a beautiful black lady, she's­ got the nice figure, not a sort of size 8, she is a­ full african beauty, so there is nothing bad in showing­ off what she's got, and pls stop all these racial­ comments, we all know black is beautiful!

    From Rosemary, on Fri 28 May 5:58
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    quite disguisting...and styleless.

    From Danuta, on Fri 28 May 5:54

  12. Venus Williams sure is an interesting person :)

    From annaf, on Fri 28 May 5:50

  13. Margaret get a life your jsut jealous you dont have­ buns like that @Margaret

    From Roar, on Fri 28 May 5:03

  14. ah margret you prude, get a life, cant you just accept­ the humour in this? Its hilarious, shes pissing people­ off because of what she wears, i wonder why you care,­ and i laugh when you all get in a mini rage over it, By­ opposing this you just make yourself the butt of the­ joke

    From 1111111, on Fri 28 May 4:51

  15. hahahahahahaha wow what d hell is she­ wearing.???????????/

    From Yvonne, on Fri 28 May 4:49
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Venus Williams is quite simply using an outmoded ladies­ lingerie item as a tennis dress. Unfortunately the­ organisers - and some tennis commentators - are afraid­ to tackle the issue and tell the truth. This is an­ insult to any decent lady - of whatever age - to see­ her cavorting around the tennis courts in a basque (or­ have I got the wrong name for this item of corsetry).­ Shouls be left in the bin as she has nothing to­ recommend her to wear it - outside the privacy of her­ own bedroom
    Margaret

    From Margaret, on Fri 28 May 4:26
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    @tuana, " I say if ya got it, flaunt it!! " ­ Unfortunately for Venus, she has got NOTHING to flaunt­ !!

    From LeRoy, on Fri 28 May 3:59
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    maybe she good in tennis but look terrible, like a man­ , i do not see nothing femmine in her, Yeh I like­ comment at the begining:"304.Say it Loud; I am­ black and Iam proud!" that is the­ true.....:))))))))) that deffinetly applies to­ her...tasteless...

    From Kestas, on Fri 28 May 2:31
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Sleezy,trashy ghetto style . Puke !!

    From LeRoy, on Fri 28 May 2:17

  20. The poor girl must be very lonely as to show her back­ side to the world like that is just a sad thing to do­ she defo needs some help next thing she will come on­ court with nothing on and that is not on she will be­ like the king who wore no clothes and nobody said­ anything PLEASE put a stop to this now as there are a­ lot of people who dont want to see her arse and she is­ just degrading the sport

    From Kay, on Fri 28 May 1:58
Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account