The Australian Open is now a major fashion event, rivalling Australian Fashion Week and the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Brands such as New Balance, Ralph Lauren and Mecca Beauty are spending millions of dollars to be a part of the action at Melbourne Park, and local labels are throwing dollars and clothes at tennis WAGs, AFL WAGs, and anyone open to selling dresses through Skimlinks.
So, why are most of the outfits at the event, known as the “Happy Slam,” making us sad?
On court and in the stands, the AO is struggling to find its signature style. Whether it’s Jannik Sinner playing in a Nike kit that resembles a bruised avocado, Delta Goodrem looking ready for a Stan Christmas special while spruiking a Melbourne Park champagne bar in a red evening gown, or Naomi Osaka’s viral on-court moment, tennis dressing in 2026 is filled with double faults.
Osaka’s very personal collaboration with couturier Robert Wun and Nike on a jellyfish-inspired outfit might have changed the relationship between tennis and fashion, but it looked like someone had thrown every idea at the drawing board and covered it with a mosquito net for good luck.
Here are the people and players who got it right:
Aryna Sabalenka
On court the champion’s ’60s swirl of colours pays tribute to Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, but her off-court embrace of fashion is the real winner.
Sabalenka announced her new role as an ambassador for Gucci on social media wearing a feather-trimmed logo gown by the label’s new creative director, Demna. The Belarusian is clearly having fun with fashion, returning volleys and black high heels.
“It’s a perfect time to bring fashion on court,” Sabalenka said, after defeating Anastasia Potapova in the third round. She even donned Gucci sunglasses in the post-match interview.
Now she just has to convince Nike to team up with Gucci so that she can wear the label in grand slams.
“Gucci is the best brand, the best fashion brand with the best designer right now.”
Novak Djokovic
Sometimes you have to wait for your personal style to come into fashion, and it seems like Djokovic’s moment has arrived. For years, the Serbian champion has demonstrated as much fashion edge as a pair of jorts, but arriving at an event for his sponsor, Lacoste, on Melbourne’s Yarra River, he was ready for his close-up.
Wearing a cobalt (not cerulean) blue baggy tracksuit and sunglasses, Djokovic was tapping into the Adam Sandler approach of making comfort cool and demonstrating serious swagger.
This is big dad energy.
Caroline Daur
There’s a new TWAG in town. The partners of male tennis players are largely responsible for bringing an onslaught of influencers to the AO. Morgan Riddle and Paige Lorenze have become social media staples but German model Caroline Daur, who is reportedly dating Alexander Zverev, having once been romantically linked with Romeo Beckham, has conquered the VIP seats and media walls.
In smart skirt suits and short sets, simple white dresses from Melbourne label Henne and funnel-sleeve jackets, Daur gets to the heart of tenniscore. It’s chic, crisp and relaxed daywear. With 4.5 million followers on Instagram, Daur’s smart Sunday barbecue style might catch on.
Alex de Minaur
Style is not the first word that comes to mind with the male players’ on-court uniforms. Sinner needs to talk to his management team about his current eyesore of a uniform, and Carlos Alcaraz’s colour combination resembles a Splice Pine Lime ice-cream dropped on the road.
From the confusion emerges de Minaur, whose classic Wilson uniform with its burgundy shorts, matching cap and white shirt brings understated sophistication to the game.
It could be a private school boy’s uniform, but that’s better than looking like an extra in an Austin Powers movie.
Special mention: Ben Shelton
The graphic design of US player Ben Shelton’s kit from Swiss brand On stands out on centre court. If it didn’t remind me of the black mould I once experienced in an overpriced Sydney rental, it might have made the top five.
Ploy Rida
With Ralph Lauren an official sponsor of the event, Melbourne Park is swarming with celebrities, content creators and models who look ready for an afternoon at the polo. Model Ploy Rida managed to rewrite the label’s preppy signature.
“I wanted to feel like a chic island girl attending the tennis,” she tells me.
With a floral wrap skirt, ’40s-inspired black and white heels, and layered shirts, Rida tastefully avoided the tennis cliche of trying to look like an off-court athlete.
The double shirt trick was also perfect for the Melbourne weather that can go from heatwave to “did I bring a jumper?” in seconds.
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