Serena Williams’s U.S. Open Dress Carried a Lot of Meaning

A win on and off the court.

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Serena Williams started her last U.S. Open with a win both on the court and with her tennis fashion (which she has become known for). On Monday, the tennis legend faced off against Danka Kovinić in a nighttime singles game, and her custom Nike dress for the occasion carried a lot of significance.

Williams teamed up with the brand to design a bedazzled black frock with mesh details and a pleated skirt. In a statement, the company shared some insight into the process, noting that Williams was very involved in creating the piece, which also had a lot of special hidden meanings. “Her outfit, inspired by figure skating competition apparel, incorporates a six-layer skirt, referencing Serena’s six prior Flushing titles,” the brand’s website read. “A crystal-encrusted bodice alludes to the night sky at the tournament.”

As for her footwear, Williams chose the PE NikeCourt Flare 2 sneakers embellished with a diamond version of the brand’s signature Swoosh and gold lace deubrés by Serena Williams Jewelry. The athlete also accessorized with a coordinating hairband and rhinestone accents strategically placed in her hair.

: A Look Back at Serena Williams’s Best Tennis Fashion Moments

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During the match, Williams’s daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr. (known as Olympia) and husband Alexis Ohanian, cheered her on from the stands. Olympia wore an outfit nearly identical to her mother’s game look and paid homage to the G.O.A.T.’s iconic first U.S. Open hairstyle with white beaded cornrows. In 1997, Serena and her sister Venus Williams made their debut at the tournament with a similar hairstyle.

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Williams won the match with a 6-3, 6-3 victory, and will play with Venus on Wednesday in a doubles game. Earlier this month, Williams told Vogue that she planned to “evolve away from tennis” after the U.S. Open, making this year’s tournament a historical event in sports.

“I have never liked the word retirement. It doesn’t feel like a modern word to me,” Williams said in the interview. “I’ve been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people”