Look of the Week: Venus Williams’ fuzzy tennis racket case was a major serve

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Featuring the good, the bad and the ugly, ‘Look of the Week’ is a regular series dedicated to unpacking the most talked about outfit of the last seven days.

As soon as seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams stepped foot onto the court for the 2025 US Open, in the eyes of many fashionistas she had already won. On the day of her mixed doubles match alongside Reilly Opelka, Williams arrived dressed in a custom navy and white-trimmed tennis dress by the New York-based label Khaite. Later, for the Stars of the Open exhibition match — a series of charity games between tennis’ most eminent players — she wore a charcoal black merino-wool dress with a pleated skirt and a ruffled track jacket by rising American brand Luar.

But her greatest serve was yet to come. On Monday, Williams strutted to her place at the rearmost line of the court in a white tennis skirt, matching buttoned polo shirt and jacket, custom made by ERL, the label founded by Los Angeles native Eli Russell Linnetz. What really made her look sing was what looked like a chicken drumstick at her side — but was, in fact, a blonde, fuzzy tennis racket case with an aged leather strap and handles. The fun, fluffy accessory was decidedly retro, conjuring the kind of brightly colored dyed pelt bags sold by Blumarine or Juicy Couture in the 1990s.

All of Williams’ US Open outfits so far has been styled by Ronald Burton, who has worked with Solange Knowles, Erykah Badu and Mickalene Thomas.

Venus Williams wore a custom look by ERL, complete with fuzzy racket case.

Earlier in the tournament, Williams was seen in a custom Khaite tennis dress.

While Williams isn’t the first tennis player to push the envelope of uniform rules, she’s one of the most accomplished at doing so. Rules and regulations across the board make displaying sartorial personality a battle unto itself. In 2023, Jannik Sinner was required to seek out special dispensation from the International Tennis Federation, Association of Tennis Professionals and Wimbledon just in order to switch out his all-white duffle bag for a Gucci monogrammed holdall.

Williams, along with her sister Serena, have spent their entire sports careers carving out space for stylistic expression — a journey that hasn’t come without controversy. As a teenager, Williams was infamously penalized by an umpire at the 1999 Australian Open for her choice to wear beaded braids after some fell onto the court. In 2010, she made headlines for wearing a black and red lace mini dress with a ruffled skirt which some likened to lingerie. While competing at Wimbledon in 2017, she wore a hot pink bra under her tennis whites and was forced to change after it became exposed (the event has long mandated that all players only wear white undergarments. The rule was relaxed in 2022).

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This might be ERL’s first time on the tennis court, but the independent label has enjoyed a flurry of starry endorsements recently. In July, the brand designed a custom suit jacket and trousers for Rihanna — which she wore shirtless, in typical Rihanna maternity style — and a handmade polka dot tie. A few weeks later, her partner A$AP Rocky stepped out in the same look, though he wore his version shirt-on.

Even for a daring dresser as seasoned as Williams, her recent appearances at the US Open show there are plenty of new ways to experiment on the court. Her fluffy racket case is perhaps the best proof of all.