Serena Williams is a true legend on and off the court; really, every tennis fan would agree. While her tennis exploits need no mention, the American legend is a multi-talented personality off the court too. Over the course of her illustrious career, Williams has managed to win an astonishing 23 Grand Slam titles, along with a host of other big titles. Moreover, she is a fashion icon and often sports interesting outfits while playing in these tournaments. Recently, an old kit of hers at the French Open went viral on social media, and sparking all kinds of appreciation from fans.

During the 2002 French Open, the former world No. 1 wore a green and yellow number made by Puma. It consisted of a sleeveless, verdant green dress with a yellow border all around and red piping. To complement her skirt, she wore yellow knee-length socks and green shoes with yellow laces. The dual-colored outfit, designed by Puma, looked amazing on Williams and was unique in and of itself, and thus, it became a talking point on social media over 20 years later.

But that’s not all. This was an outfit that was a head-turner in 2002 because it wasn’t just any green outfit; the whole look was inspired by the Cameroon soccer team, who were playing at 2002’s soccer World Cup. Why Cameroon? Well, ahead of the World Cup, FIFA issued a ban on the Cameroonians’ iconic sleeveless jerseys. Claiming that they were vests, not shirts, Puma, who sponsored both Williams and Cameroon’s national soccer team, chose to insert black short sleeves into the shirts to circumvent the ban. With the French Open overlapping with the World Cup, Williams’ kit was a direct homage to the Cameroonians, though she underwent an outfit change in Round 3.

“I was reading an article where it says that Cameroon is everyone’s favorite team,” said Williams at the time. “[Even] if you’re supporting England, a lot of people have this love for Cameroon because they’re always fighting so much, it seems. They’re the best African team.” 

Further, the American legend went on to win the tournament, and it was her maiden Roland Garros title and just her second major win. That title truly began the start of Williams’ era, and she went on to win the Wimbledon and the US Open titles that year to cap off one of her most successful seasons. Dominating her opponents on the court, Serena Williams also made a style statement with that outfit.

Serena Williams’ old French Open outfit leaves fans in awe

Williams is fond of fashion design and also has a luxury fashion brand by the name of S by Serena on her resume. In the past, she has also shown her fans various outfits designed by her. With supreme fashion sense, Williams’ 2002 French Open outfit still resonates with fans. An astonished fan wrote, “Oh, it was the greatest kit ever! Hands down!”  The chic two-tone outfit with matching socks and shoes, combined with its inspiration and the timing, made it iconic in every sense.

Meanwhile, the outfit also resembled the colors in the Jamaican flag, not just Cameroon. As a result, a fan hilariously quipped if Williams was representing Jamaica. They wrote, “I mean, sure if this was Davis Cup and she was representing Jamaica,” satirically expressing their opinion on the kit.

Further, another X user wrote that it was a complete kit from top to bottom, even the matching shoes. “Agreed. Right down to the soccer-inspired shoes. Amazing kit,” said a fan. Her shoes did indeed resemble soccer cleats, thus further driving the homage home.

While this kit surely caught the eyes of fans, another Twitter user remembered some of the other kits worn by Williams, which also stole the show (and there’s really no shortage there). The fan commented, “This and her 2004 US Open Jean skirt kit! Her 2016 Wimbledon kit was stunning too!” Indeed, Williams never let the opportunity of displaying her fashion sense go to waste, often combining street style and activewear, like she did with the aforementioned denim skirt.

Lastly, one fan agreed with the others that the green French Open kit was the best that Serena Williams had put on in her career. “Serena’s Puma era was a time!! And as much as I love the black catsuit, this green one was probably her best,” a fan wrote, remembering the American legend’s initial years in the sport and the Nike catsuit she wore to the 2018 French Open—an outfit that grabbed headlines and also led Roland Garros to issue a ban on catsuits.

With Williams now retired, there have been many players who have taken up the fashion mantle in the sport. Among them are Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff, with both of them sporting some unique outfits (think Osaka’s giant bow dress or Gauff’s navy and yellow set by New Balance). Nevertheless, Williams remains above all, and her fashion statements are tough to match, like her exploits on the court.