Serena Williams of the US in action during her first round match against Czech Republic’s Kristyna Pliskova. (REUTERS)
Serena Williams, who defeated Czech Republic’s Kristyna Pliskova 7-6(4) 6-4 in the first round of French Open 2018, said that she feels like a “princess warrior” in her new skin-tight bodysuit outfit. The American tennis star returned to the sport after giving birth to a daughter in September last year and is attempting to win her first title since pregnancy.
Speaking to the reporters after the match, the 36-year old compared her new attire to the fictional sub-African nation of Wakanda from Marvel Comics’ Black Panther. “I call it like my Wakanda-inspired catsuit. It’s really fun,” she said.
The 23 Grand Slam winning tennis player added that she feels like a superhero. “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 superhero, and it’s kind of my way of being a superhero. I feel like a superhero when I wear it,” she said.
Explaining the serious reasons behind the attire, Williams said that the suit helps her in keeping the blood circulation going. “Yeah, the catsuit, I had a lot of problems with my blood clots, and, God, I don’t know how many I have had in the past 12 months. So it is definitely a little functionality to it. I have been wearing pants, in general, a lot when I play so I can keep, you know, the blood circulation going. “It’s a fun suit, but it’s also functional so I can be able to play without any problems,” she explained.
Serena Williams will face the 17th-seed Ashleigh Barty in the second round of French Open.