Wimbledon star lifts up her skirt in dress code spat with umpire on court
Jelena Ostapenko was involved in a bizarre incident during her doubles match at Wimbledon on Saturday, as the Latvian was questioned by the umpire over her outfit
Jelena Ostapenko was involved in a clothing dispute with an umpire
(Image: Rob Newell - CameraSport, CameraSport via Getty Images )
Jelena Ostapenko lifted her skirt in a strange clothing dispute with an umpire at Wimbledon, while stunned fans watched on.
The Latvian was getting ready for a doubles encounter when Jamie Crowson approached her with what appeared to be concerns about her clothing.
Ostapenko had taken to the court with partner Hsieh Su-wei for their second-round battle against Marta Kostyuk and Elena-Gabriela Ruse when the official seemed to raise objections to her outfit during the warm-up phase.
Following the umpire's approach and subsequent exchange, an exasperated Ostapenko gestured with frustration before lifting her skirt to reveal she was wearing green undershorts, which comply with the tournament's clothing regulations.
Wimbledon maintains a rigorous all-white clothing policy, though modifications were made prior to the 2023 championships to permit female competitors to wear dark-coloured undershorts, helping to reduce potential concerns during menstruation, reports the Mirror.
All England Club Chief Executive Sally Bolton said at the time: "We are committed to supporting the players and listening to their feedback as to how they can perform at their best.
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Ostapenko lifted up her skirt after being asked about her outfit
(Image: Eurosport )
"I'm pleased to confirm that, following consultation with players and representatives of several stakeholder groups, the Committee of Management has taken the decision to update the white clothing rule at Wimbledon.
"This means that from next year, women and girls competing at The Championships will have the option of wearing coloured undershorts if they choose.
"It is our hope that this rule adjustment will help players focus purely on their performance by relieving a potential source of anxiety."
Following their victory, Ostapenko and Hsieh are set to face Ekaterina Alexandrova and Zhang Shuai in the third round on Sunday. Ostapenko's journey in the women's singles and mixed doubles at Wimbledon, meanwhile, has come to an end.
She suffered a first-round defeat by Britain's Sonay Kartal 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 on Monday and a second-round exit followed in the mixed doubles alongside her partner against Taylor Townsend and Evan King.
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The 28-year-old boasts a Grand Slam title from the 2017 French Open, where she triumphed over Simona Halep in the final with scores of 4–6, 6–4, 6–3. She also made it to the semi-finals at Wimbledon in 2018 but was bested by Angelique Kerber, who went on to win the tournament.
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