Wimbledon star Jelena Ostapenko lifts up skirt to make point in dress code row

Wimbledon star Jelena Ostapenko lifts up skirt to make point in dress code row

The tennis star was involved in an awkward incident during her doubles match at Wimbledon on Saturday as she was questioned by the umpire over her outfit.

Ostapenko lifted up her skirt after being asked about her outfit (Image: Eurosport )

Jelena Ostapenko seemed perplexed when questioned about her outfit during Wimbledon. The umpire, Jamie Crowson, appeared to query the sports star's outfit as she prepared for a doubles match.

Ostapenko and her partner Hsieh Su-wei were warming up for their second-round match against Marta Kostyuk and Elena-Gabriela Ruse when the umpire seemed to take issue with her clothing.

‌

After a brief exchange with Ostapenko, the Latvian player gestured in frustration and lifted her skirt to reveal green undershorts, which are in compliance with the tournament's dress code.

‌

Jelena Ostapenko (Image: Anadolu )

Wimbledon maintains a strict all-white dress code, but amended their rules ahead of the 2023 tournament to permit female players to wear dark undershorts, addressing potential anxiety related to menstruation.

"We are committed to supporting the players and listening to their feedback as to how they can perform at their best," stated All England Club Chief Executive Sally Bolton, reports the Mirror.

Article continues below

"I'm pleased to confirm that, following consultation with players and representatives of several stakeholder groups, the Committee of Management has decided to update the white clothing rule at Wimbledon.

"This means that from next year, women and girls competing at The Championships will have the option of wearing coloured undershorts if they choose. It is our hope that this rule adjustment will help players focus purely on their performance by relieving a potential source of anxiety."

Ostapenko and Hsieh triumphed over Kostyuk and Ruse 5-7 6-2 6-2 and are set to face Ekaterina Alexandrova and Zhang Shuai in the third round come Sunday.

Article continues below

Earlier in the tournament, Ostapenko was ousted from the women's singles and mixed doubles events, suffering a 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 defeat by Britain's Sonay Kartal in the opening round on Monday. She also exited the mixed doubles in the second round following a loss to the duo Taylor Townsend and Evan King.

The 28 year old clinched her Grand Slam singles title at the French Open in 2017, overcoming Simona Halep 4–6, 6–4, 6–3 in the final. In 2018, she made it to the semi-finals at Wimbledon but was ultimately defeated by Angelique Kerber, the champion that year.

Click here to read article