According to the former number one tennis player in the world, Serena Williams, the catsuit she wore for her French Open first-round match helps to prevent blood clots from forming.
The 23-time major winner, who hasn’t played on clay since 2016- after taking time away to have her daughter- likened her outfit to something from Marvel’s Black Panther, saying
“I call it my Wakanda-inspired catsuit. It’s really fun. Although we designed it way before the movie, but still, it kind of reminds me of that. I feel like a warrior in it, like a warrior princess kind of… queen from Wakanda maybe. I’m always living in a fantasy world. I always wanted to be a super hero, and it’s kind of my way of being a super hero. I feel like a super hero when I wear it.”1
(However, they did not appreciate her clothing at the French Open. Check out the video above to learn more about that.)
But the suit isn’t just for fun, it’s meant to help her combat blood clot issues she’s had since giving birth in September and bring attention to the issue.
Not all superheroes wear capes. Ours certainly doesn’t.
Serena Williams on @TennisChannel:
“All the moms out there that had a tough pregnancy and have to come back and try to be fierce, in a middle of everything. That’s what this represents. You can’t beat a cat suit, right?” pic.twitter.com/VzU1MdBLVe
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) May 29, 2018
She said, “It’s not easy to come back with everything I have been through and there has been so many other women that have been through the same thing, and we just don’t talk about it. So no one really knows about it, but now that we have that platform and now that we are talking about it, I am vocal about it. Yeah, it feels like this suit represents all the women that have been through a lot mentally, physically with their body to come back and have confidence and to believe in themselves. I definitely feel like it is an opportunity for me to inspire a whole different group of amazing women and kids.”2
We applaud her for not only bringing attention to this important issue but for wearing that catsuit on the court. Get it, girl.
