‘Tenniscore’ fashion aces it for summer 2024: from TikTok trends to Zendaya’s new Challengers film, preppy courtside styles are being served by Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu and Ralph Lauren

Apr 4 , 2024

Guests in Ralph Lauren at the Australian Open, January 2024. The “tennis core” trend continues to endure as a sign of wealth and taste through the ages. Photo: Handout

Challengers owes its fashion sense to director Luca Guadagnino and Loewe’s Jonathan Anderson, while the sport itself is enjoying a luxury makeover, with Ralph Lauren outfitting the recent Australian Open

Lululemon, Tory Burch and Sporty & Rich offer on- and off-court looks for well-dressed Wimbledon and US Open fans – who are perhaps inspired by Vogue’s tennis-mad Anna Wintour

It’s safe to say the combination of Zendaya, Luca Guadagnino and Jonathan Anderson is an unholy style trio. Indeed the film that brings them together, Challengers, due out in the US on April 26, might be about a high-stakes ménage à trois between three tennis pros, but the aesthetics will be unparalleled. Anderson, creative director of Loewe and his own brand, has collaborated with Guadagnino (whose films include A Bigger Splash and Call Me by Your Name) on the costumes. The designer’s take on tennis style ensures the enduring fascination with all things cable knits, strawberries and cream, and pleated skirts continues.

Entwined in the “old money aesthetic” and the resurgence of preppiness, #tenniscore – with its proximity to leisure and crisp, WASP-y staples – has become TikTok fodder with millions of views. But it’s also that rare “aesthetic” that actually translates into the real world. This is as true for Alexa Chung knotting a cable knit jumper around her shoulders at Wimbledon as it is for the likes of Miu Miu and Tory Burch championing the flippy little tennis skirt – whether you’re going for a grand slam or not.

Zendaya in Challengers. Photo: MGM/YouTube

“We are drawn to tennis style as it allows people to effortlessly lean into the trend without fully committing to a sporty look,” says Sinead Cutts, style director at The OutNet. “It really doesn’t get much chicer than courtside at tennis, and this season we’ll be sure to see subtle nods to quiet luxury and preppiness, giving tennis style a modern edge.”

The other appeal of “tenniscore” is that you’ll often already own many of the staple pieces. “To get the on-court look, I would suggest breathable fabrics, and classic items such as wide-legged pants and an oversized blazer are always the go-to. It’s the perfect opportunity to have fun styling elevated and preppy pieces such as polo shirts, A-line skirts and sunhats,” adds Cutts.

Diana, Princess of Wales opens the Women’s International Tennis Association European Office in London, in 1988. Photo: Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

That said, working with staple pieces such as polos and blazers means there’s a little wriggle room.

“I would love to see the spring/summer 2024 sheer and sorbet shade trends making an appearance. Pairing a crisp white cotton shirt with a sheer midi skirt would feel elevated and very ‘on point’,” says Cutts.

Tennis has always been a particularly stylish sport. As Vogue wrote in 1926 of dashing fashion designer Jean Patou’s scandalous new costume for tennis star Suzanne Lenglen – a pleated knee-length skirt, orange headband and sleeveless cardigan – it was “a tennis costume that is extraordinarily chic in the freedom, the suitability, and the excellence of its simple lines”.