Former Wimbledon finalist 'concerned' over tournament's women's dress code | Tennis | Sport

Eugenie Bouchard has admitted that Wimbledon's strict dress code is a source of concern among female tennis players, particularly during their menstrual cycles.

The prestigious London Grand Slam of tennis requires all competitors to wear all-white attire, a rule dating back to the 1880s, when sweat stains were considered unsightly and white clothing minimized their visibility.

These regulations, although in force today, can pose problems for female athletes. In response to these concerns, Wimbledon introduced a new rule allowing women to wear dark underwear as long as it was not visible under their white skirts.

During an interview with Valeria Lipovetsky on the Not Alone podcast, Canadian tennis star Bouchard admitted that being forced to wear white can still cause anxiety. She revealed: “Unfortunately we can't plan our own tennis matches, that's something completely out of our control. »

“The tournament decides the schedule and when you play, so there's no chance for that. I definitely experienced very bad menstrual cramps, pain, and I remember having them the day before the US Open in New York.

“And I thought, ‘Thank God it’s only one day of practice today, because if I had to play my match today it would be really difficult.’ I played right away the next day, so it wasn't the best, but it's just something we have to deal with. We can't control the schedule, so it's just luck.

“And I know some of the girls on tour are also a little nervous when it comes to Wimbledon because you have to wear white. So it just makes you a little more self-conscious if you're… you know. It's is tough, but now they changed the rules that you can wear a different color underwear – so your ball shorts under the dress can be a different color But this is a very new rule.

Bouchard, who has since swapped tennis for pickleball, also called out the sexism she encountered in the sport throughout her career and revealed how it dissuaded her from participating in off-court activities she appreciated.

She added (via the mirror): “I would like to say that a little bit earlier, I was open to doing projects off the field or different things – and that's something that I sometimes received negative feedback on, because it was like 'Well, you're a playful tennis player, shouldn't you do a photo shoot for Vogue?'

“At the time, I think it was a lot less acceptable to do that. People really wanted you to stay in your box a lot more. And so that made me feel bad, it made me feel guilty. I'm like, 'well , I trained for another four hours today, I swear, and I just felt this aggressive sort of guilt come over me.

“I've really stuck with tennis – a few off-court projects here and there – and then more recently, I'm now playing pickleball and getting my hands on several different things, and I get immense pleasure from it, because ever since. five, since eight, since nine, it’s really just tennis and I love it.”

The comments follow her public laments over what she perceives as double standards for women in professional sports.

She recalls being “crucified” for admitting she liked being in the spotlight, calling out newcomer Jack Draper who said in an interview with Vogue: “I like being in front of the camera, if I'm in shape, of course.”

Bouchard responded candidly about

One of her supporters said: “Raducanu is still criticized, nothing has changed for women. Double standards still exist,” while another added: “You would still be today!”

Wimbledon is scheduled to begin next month, with the draw for the first matches scheduled for Friday June 28. Bouchard's most successful run at the tournament came in 2014, when she advanced to the women's singles final after defeating Angelique Kerber in the quarterfinals and Simona Halep in the semifinals.

However, she fell short in the final against Olympic bronze medalist Petra Kvitova, losing in straight sets 6-3, 6-0.