Olympic Tennis Fashion 2012. Who's wearing what and why.

Getting your head around London 2012 tennis fashion is a bit of a challenge with all of the various Olympic alliances out there.

adidas is the official sportswear partner of London 2012 and you will see lots of it during the games (they are partners with 11 different nations with 3,000 + athletes) BUT you will see other brands as well and often not the ones you are used to seeing on your fav players. Here's why.

Any player representing a National Olympic Committee (NOC) or Federation will wear their country's Olympic product in the brand name sponsoring that NOC or Federation. Pictured above, for example, Heather Watson of Great Britain hams it up in some of her Team GB kit by Stella McCartney for adidas. During the regular tennis season Watson is sponsored by K-Swiss.

Nike, as further example, represents the US Tennis Federation and so all Team USA athletes will wear Nike even if it is not their year-round sponsor. We saw a glimpse of John Isner in Nike on the cover of a recent Tennis Magazine. He usually wears Lacoste. Andy Roddick is the same. 

It will be interesting to see what Team USA's Venus Williams will do. EleVen has released an image of a dress she is planning to wear. No swoosh in sight. Serena is all set. 

Enjoy what, from some countries, may turn out to be some seriously unusual fashion. Can't wait. Post Olympics, they will be back in their regular sponsor's brand.

adidas notes that contracted athletes representing countries where adidas does not partner with the NOC or Federation have been given generic International Olympic Committee (IOC) compliant outfits that they can wear if deemed ok by that individual's team federation, so their may be some leniency built in.

Next up, a look at the actual Olympics goods. Torch please. 

Comments

[pam]

Not sure where you got your info, but as far as I know the United States Tennis Association doesn't have a clothing sponsor. Players usually wear their own sponsored clothing at Fed Cup and Davis Cup and at all the previous Olympic games also. Like all other Americans, they will wear the official medal ceremony uniform on the podium should they be lucky enough to win a medal.

[Karin]

Thanks for your note Pam. My sources are all apparel providers to athletes at the Olympics. I reported the information provided to me.

We will see how it all plays out soon.

Thanks for reading. I appreciate your interest.

K