Serena Williams’ ‘Wakanda-Inspired Catsuit’ Banned By French Open

"One must respect the game and place," an official said months after she wore it at the tournament.
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For a tennis tournament based in Paris, the French Open isn’t being very fashion-forward.

The Grand Slam event has banned Serena Williams from wearing her black catsuit again, according to a report.

While discussing a new dress code for 2019, French Tennis Federation President Bernard Giudicelli singled out Williams’ celebrated outfit from last spring’s tourney, Associated Press reported, citing Tennis Magazine. “It will no longer be accepted. One must respect the game and place,” he said.

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Serena Williams, pictured last May in the tournament, said her "Wakanda-inspired catsuit" made her feel like a superhero.
Tim Clayton - Corbis via Getty Images

Giudicelli said the tournament will be regulating the players’ dress code more thoroughly from now on, though not as strictly as Wimbledon. “I think that sometimes we’ve gone too far,” he added.

In a reference to the movie “Black Panther,” Williams wore what she called her “Wakanda-inspired-catsuit” to much fanfare at Roland Garros during her Grand Slam return from maternity leave last spring. The ensemble was designed to help prevent blood clots after Williams suffered a near-fatal episode following the birth of her daughter, Alexis Olympia, last September. She dedicated the catsuit to “all the moms out there that had a tough pregnancy and had to come back and try to be fierce.” She said it made her feel like a “superhero.”

Even if Williams did not feel the need to wear the outfit any longer, the French Open isn’t scoring PR points by singling out a three-time winner of the tournament, fan favorite and G.O.A.T. all in one.

HuffPost has reached out to the French Open for comment. Williams, who chairs the board of advisers for HuffPost’s parent company, Oath, competes in the U.S. Open beginning next week.

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Before You Go

Serena Williams' Style Evolution
1990(01 of47)
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Venus and Serena Williams with President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy. (credit:Getty Images via Getty Images)
1992(02 of47)
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Playing tennis in Florida. (credit:Ken Levine via Getty Images)
1998(03 of47)
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At the beach in Key Biscayne, Florida. (credit:Clive Brunskill via Getty Images)
1998(04 of47)
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A portrait taken during the 1998 U.S. Open at the USTA National Tennis Center. (credit:Getty Images via Getty Images)
1999(05 of47)
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In Paris on Feb. 28, 1999. (credit:William STEVENS via Getty Images)
1999(06 of47)
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Wearing traditional Chinese dresses, called cheongsam, at the players' party for the Super Power Challenge Cup on Jan. 6, 1999. (credit:ROBYN BECK via Getty Images)
2000(07 of47)
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At the Champions Ball after the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on July 9, 2000. (credit:Gary M. Prior via Getty Images)
2000(08 of47)
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At the Teen Choice Awards on Aug. 6, 2000. (credit:Chris Weeks via Getty Images)
2000(09 of47)
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At the Women's Sports Foundation Gala in New York City on Oct. 16, 2000. (credit:Evan Agostini via Getty Images)
2000(10 of47)
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At Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the Year" award ceremony in New York City on Dec. 12, 2000. (credit:Evan Agostini via Getty Images)
2001(11 of47)
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At the Essence Awards at Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 27, 2001. (credit:Evan Agostini via Getty Images)
2001(12 of47)
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With Chris Tucker at the Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary Celebration at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Sept. 10, 2001. (credit:KMazur via Getty Images)
2001(13 of47)
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Attending the Smirnoff Ice Victory Party in Las Vegas on Nov. 17. 2001. (credit:Denise Truscello via Getty Images)
2002(14 of47)
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Walking in the Super Bowl XXXVI Gridiron Glamour Celebrity Fashion Show in New Orleans on Feb. 2, 2002. (credit:KMazur via Getty Images)
2002(15 of47)
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At the 2002 ESPY Awards in Hollywood, California. (credit:SGranitz via Getty Images)
2002(16 of47)
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Walking back to the baseline while playing Corina Morariu during the U.S. Open on Aug. 26, 2002. (credit:Ezra Shaw via Getty Images)
2003(17 of47)
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Attending the premiere of "Bringing Down The House" on March 2, 2003, in Hollywood, California. (credit:Jon Kopaloff via Getty Images)
2003(18 of47)
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Appearing on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" at the NBC Studios on July 15, 2003, in Burbank, California. (credit:Kevin Winter via Getty Images)
2003(19 of47)
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Attending the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards in New York City. (credit:Dimitrios Kambouris via Getty Images)
2004(20 of47)
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Attending the CAA party at Variety's Beach Club during the 57th International Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2004, in Cannes, France. (credit:Evan Agostini via Getty Images)
2004(21 of47)
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Wearing three different outfits during her first three matches at the 2004 French Open in Paris. (credit:JACK GUEZ via Getty Images)
2004(22 of47)
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Posing backstage at the 12th Annual ESPY Awards on July 14, 2004, in Hollywood, California. (credit:Mark Mainz via Getty Images)
2004(23 of47)
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Warming up in her match against Lindsey-Lee Waters at the 2004 US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sept. 1, 2004. (credit:TIMOTHY A. CLARY via Getty Images)
2004(24 of47)
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Returning a shot during her match against Sandra Kleinova during the US Open on Aug. 30, 2004. (credit:Ezra Shaw via Getty Images)
2004(25 of47)
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Attending the "VH1 - Big in '04" on Dec.1, 2004, in Los Angeles. (credit:Carlo Allegri via Getty Images)
2005(26 of47)
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Posing for a portrait in 2005 in Los Angeles. (credit:Harry Langdon via Getty Images)
2005(27 of47)
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Christening the $5,000 Evian bath in the presidential suite at the Hotel Victor on Feb. 23, 2005, in Miami Beach, Florida. (credit:Gustavo Caballero via Getty Images)
2006(28 of47)
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At Olympus Fashion Week Fall 2006 in New York City. (credit:Desiree Navarro via Getty Images)
2007(29 of47)
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Posing with the trophy in the players' garden after winning the Australian Open women's final match against Maria Sharapova on Jan. 27, 2007, in Melbourne. (credit:Ezra Shaw via Getty Images)
2007(30 of47)
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At MTV's Total Request Live on Aug. 28, 2007, in New York City. (credit:Scott Gries via Getty Images)
2008(31 of47)
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At the Luca Luca Spring 2009 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week on Sept. 8, 2008, in New York City. (credit:Bryan Bedder via Getty Images)
2009(32 of47)
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Arriving at the 2009 ESPY Awards on July 15, 2009, in Los Angeles. (credit:Jason Merritt via Getty Images)
2009(33 of47)
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Attending the Gucci for FFAWN Day event alongside Donald Trump on Sept. 16, 2009, in New York City. (credit:Mike Coppola via Getty Images)
2010(34 of47)
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Arriving at the 2010 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Graydon Carter on March 7, 2010, in West Hollywood, California. (credit:Michael Buckner via Getty Images)
2011(35 of47)
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Attending the 4th Annual Essence Black Women In Hollywood luncheon on Feb. 24, 2011, in Beverly Hills, California. (credit:Jason LaVeris via Getty Images)
2011(36 of47)
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Attending the 8th annual Keep A Child Alive Black Ball at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Nov. 3, 2011, in New York City. (credit:Gilbert Carrasquillo via Getty Images)
2012(37 of47)
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Attending "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" on Sept. 10, 2012. (credit:NBC via Getty Images)
2013(38 of47)
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Attending an announcement for the 6th annual BNP Paribas Showdown at MSG on Aug. 24, 2012, in New York City. (credit:James Devaney via Getty Images)
2013(39 of47)
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Posing for a portrait during day one of the 2014 Brisbane International at Queensland Tennis Centre on Dec. 29, 2013, in Brisbane, Australia. (credit:Chris Hyde via Getty Images)
2014(40 of47)
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Attending the 2014 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Graydon Carter on March 2, 2014, in West Hollywood, California. (credit:Pascal Le Segretain via Getty Images)
2014(41 of47)
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Attending the Taste Of Tennis Week: Taste Of Tennis Gala at the W New York on Aug. 21, 2014, in New York City. (credit:Brad Barket via Getty Images)
2015(42 of47)
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Holding the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup during a photocall after winning the 2015 Australian Open on Feb. 1, 2015, in Melbourne, Australia. (credit:Scott Barbour via Getty Images)
2015(43 of47)
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Attending the Serena Williams Signature Statement by HSN show on Sept. 15, 2015, in New York City. (credit:Grant Lamos IV via Getty Images)
2016(44 of47)
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Posing at the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills, California, on Feb. 28, 2016. (credit:ADRIAN SANCHEZ-GONZALEZ via Getty Images)
2016(45 of47)
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Leaving the Versace show during Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2017 on Sept. 23, 2016, in Milan, Italy. (credit:Jacopo Raule via Getty Images)
2017(46 of47)
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Alexis Ohanian and Serena Williams attend the "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between" Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017, in New York City. (credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
2017(47 of47)
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Attending the launch of the Burberry DK88 Bag hosted by Christopher Bailey at Burberry Soho on May 2, 2017, in New York City. (credit:Astrid Stawiarz via Getty Images)