‘I didn’t know it would cause such a stir’: Serena Williams reveals how catsuit became an iconic fashion moment

When Serena Williams returned to the 2018 French Open just months after giving birth to her first child, there was very little talk about her straight sets victory over Kristyna Pliskova.

When Serena Williams returned to the 2018 French Open just months after giving birth to her first child, there was very little talk about her straight sets victory over Kristýna Plíšková. Instead, the conversation largely revolved around what she was wearing: the now iconic superhero ‘catsuit.’ And, boy, was there a conversation. “I didn’t know it would have such an impact,” Williams tells CNN Sport’s Amanda Davies. “Here I am, just trying to be healthy, I was a new mom and just trying to be me. It was a great moment. I didn’t know it would cause such a stir.” Williams was banned from wearing the catsuit at future French Open tournaments after French Tennis Federation President Bernard Giudicelli said that Roland Garros would be introducing a dress code. “It will no longer be accepted,” Giudicelli said of the catsuit at the time. “One must respect the game and the place.”