Federer: Wimbledon's all-white clothing enforcement "too strict"

[tennisaddict]

Federer: Wimbledon's all-white clothing enforcement "too strict"

Never one to mince words..

He knows Novak and several other players share the same opinion . Good on him to speak out.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2014...-clothing-rule-too-strict/51989/#.U7V025RdX4Y

Federer said he hopes Wimbledon might be less rigid with the all-white clothing rules in the future.

''My personal opinion, I think it's too strict,'' he said. ''But I respect. I understand. Maybe one day they'll loosen up the grip again a bit, but that's the time we go through right now. ''

 

[ivan_the_terrible]

Is that Fed or Nike talking?

 

[augustobt]

That's really "entirely white"

 

[Sentinel]

White is just fine. What is his issue with it ?

Who was it who was saying that white was chosen to make it difficult for the poor to play tennis since they could not afford to wash their clothes or something ?

 

[dh003i]

White is just fine. What is his issue with it ?

Who was it who was saying that white was chosen to make it difficult for the poor to play tennis since they could not afford to wash their clothes or something ?

White is the easiest and cheapest thing to wash -- just use bleach.

 

[dh003i]

I wouldn't mind a year where Wimbledon goes back to the attire required in the Bill Tilden days -- long khakis, button up long-sleeve shirt.

So I disagree with Federer -- the all white attire looks very nice and proper.

 

[Mainad]

White is just fine. What is his issue with it ?

Who was it who was saying that white was chosen to make it difficult for the poor to play tennis since they could not afford to wash their clothes or something ?

You mean the white clothes have to be CLEAN as well? I didn't know that was in the rules too! :shock:


Maybe Fed is still a bit miffed that they banned his gold embroidered man-purse a few years back? :wink:

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

are they allowed to wear flashy pink lace underwear during the matches ?

 

[Deleted member 3771]

It seems that he always has something to whinge about.

 

[volleynets]

IT has gotten more strict. In 2007 he had the polo with gold highlights on the shoulders. Now they would not allow those gold highlights so everybody's clothes look the same and boring. Before everybody did wear white but you could still see differences in the apparel besides company due to small highlights here and there.

 

[Mainad]

are they allowed to wear flashy pink lace underwear during the matches ?

Only the men!

 

[Dedans Penthouse]

f e d s t f u, p l s

Dear Fed,

Love the 'flowing forehand' and game and all, but lately you're getting a little preachy.

And, you're starting to sound like you should be on "The View."

Please stop the 'yenta' act and put a sock in it already...please?

I know your 'metro' side's getting the better of you with this all-white foolishness but seriously, this picayune whinny b.s. should be beneath you.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
An Admirer



p.s. the reason tennis established the all-white customo was two-fold (aside from the aesthetic'):
- it was cooler (didn't absorb the rays of the sun as much)
- the "all-white" blended into the background better and wouldn't be as distracting as colors would be to players on adjacent courts (monotone)

 

[Faster]

Roger didn't say that the all-white dress code is too strict, but that it is too strict this (and last) year. Like last year he got some trouble with the tiny bit of orange on his shoes.
He would like to see them loosen it up again a little bit like it was a few years back.

 

[Vcore89]

Upper mgmt at Nike say, blurt something and then it's ''ka-ching'' for Fed! Pretty simple, absolutely fantastic!

All white is bright!

 

[KtM]

I rather like it. It suppresses the marketers and clothing giants from being as effective in turning players into walking advertisements.

 

[tennisaddict]

LOL at the responses.

If we had a thread 'Fed supports Wimbledon's all white Clothing enforcement' , the same fellas would be saying how Fed is spineless to go with the establishments.

 

[frinton]

LOL at the responses.

If we had a thread 'Fed supports Wimbledon's all white Clothing enforcement' , the same fellas would be saying how Fed is spineless to go with the establishments.

exactly this! and then, if you have trouble with Federer saying this, what is Nadal usually complaining about? Everything and its mother :twisted:
I thought Rogers last year's shoes were really cool and that banning them for the orange soles was a bit too much...it was not like he was wearing to many colors:shock:

 

[JMR]

For decades in the open era, Wimbledon's dress code for players was "predominantly white." This meant that various colored pinstripes, colored trim, colored patches, splashes of color here and there, were all acceptable. This is objective Wimbledon history. Just look at photos of players from the 1970s, '80s, '90s, etc. Wimbledon's new interpretation of its clothing tradition is "almost entirely white," which appears to rule out most of the uses of color that were previously permitted.

When Federer and other players complain about the dress code this year, that is what they are objecting to. Not the concept of white attire in general.

 

[dh003i]

If you go back far enough, it was all white.

Maybe they want to go way old school.

And it has a certain stylistic appeal -- understated.

Also, looking at some of the pictures of the women, I think their attire is very inappropriate (the skirts).

 

[TMF]

I wish Wimbledon is strict on time wasting instead.

 

[Mustard]

Well said, Fed. Wimbledon needs to get rid of all these ridiculous "traditions". They need to go the same way as the bowing and courtesying.

I can't help but imagine how hysterical some people would have been if Nadal had said what Federer said about the all-white dress code.

 

[Sid_Vicious]

It seems that he always has something to whinge about.

Dear Fed,

Love the 'flowing forehand' and game and all, but lately you're getting a little preachy.

And, you're starting to sound like you should be on "The View."

Please stop the 'yenta' act and put a sock in it already...please?

I know your 'metro' side's getting the better of you with this all-white foolishness but seriously, this picayune whinny b.s. should be beneath you.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
An Admirer



p.s. the reason tennis established the all-white customo was two-fold (aside from the aesthetic'):
- it was cooler (didn't absorb the rays of the sun as much)
- the "all-white" blended into the background better and wouldn't be as distracting as colors would be to players on adjacent courts (monotone)

You call that whining? He was asked about it an interview.

Of course, Sampras's fanboys always have something to whine about as well when it comes to Federer.

 

[Sid_Vicious]

 

[Mick]

Back in the old days, Borg wore a red Fila jacket at Wimbledon and the officials didn't say anything about it :shock:
The rules probably changed and became more restrictive.

 

[Steve0904]

exactly this! and then, if you have trouble with Federer saying this, what is Nadal usually complaining about? Everything and its mother :twisted:
I thought Rogers last year's shoes were really cool and that banning them for the orange soles was a bit too much...it was not like he was wearing to many colors:shock:

That's the first thing I thought about too. Like Federer, I understand why it is and respect the tradition, but it is a little strict. Banning Federer's shoes last year was a bit much IMO.

 

[ollinger]

Fed is starting to sound like your elderly relative stumbling around at Thanksgiving dinner screaming about Obama. Suddenly, after all these years, it's a problem to wear white? It's free, Roger!!!

 

[Federer20042006]

LOL @ the complete morons in this thread not realizing Federer was merely answering a question.

Federer doesn't ask himself these questions, dolts.

 

[Hood_Man]

Fed is starting to sound like your elderly relative stumbling around at Thanksgiving dinner screaming about Obama.

I believe that was Sampras

I like the white rule, it's a nice bit of tradition that makes everything that little more special.

It shouldn't be so strict, though. Add some splashes of colour to make everyone stand out from one another a bit.

 

[ollinger]

^^ I once played a team match at a particularly fancy country club with an all white rule (clothes and other things, I surmised). I was told my clothing was okay but they had concerns about my tennis shoes which, I swear, were at least 80% white, but which the club thought had too much trim. They decided that as I was a guest, they would not shepherd me over to the pro shop and make me buy one of their pairs of solid whites.

 

[Bartelby]

The white rule is a pseudo-tradition.

They've made the white rule stricter this year, which is obviously not tradition.

This is a branding exercise, and the brand companies may not like it.

The players in all white end up advertising Wimbledon and one generic white outfit looks like any other.

The ball used to be white and the officials used to look like working class tradesmen and now they're kitted out in Ralph Lauren, so there is very little that's traditional at Wimbledon.

As usual, what you are offered is the freshly-minted illusion of tradition.

Having said that, I quite like the white but as it was interpreted in the photos above.

 

[Bartelby]

In short, the predominantly white rule is a good one. The new all white rule except for minimal colour piping is a bad branding exercise.

 

[smoledman]

Fed is starting to sound like your elderly relative stumbling around at Thanksgiving dinner screaming about Obama. Suddenly, after all these years, it's a problem to wear white? It's free, Roger!!!

Are you a teenager Nadal fan by chance?

 

[Rippy]

I think banning his orange-soled shoes was a bit much, especially with what other players have gotten away with, but I very much like the predominantly-white dress code.

 

[veroniquem]

The "all white" is a bit boring (and makes it hard to differentiate players during matches). I think "predominantly white" would be good enough.

 

[The Green Mile]

Are you a teenager Nadal fan by chance?

That would make him at LEAST 9 years old when he joined......hanging out with the big guys since 2004...

 

[ultradr]

Federer: Wimbledon's all-white clothing enforcement "too strict"

Never one to mince words..

He knows Novak and several other players share the same opinion . Good on him to speak out.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2014...-clothing-rule-too-strict/51989/#.U7V025RdX4Y

Federer said he hopes Wimbledon might be less rigid with the all-white clothing rules in the future.

''My personal opinion, I think it's too strict,'' he said. ''But I respect. I understand. Maybe one day they'll loosen up the grip again a bit, but that's the time we go through right now. ''

Yes, I agree but I really loved Ivanovic and Sharapova in white.

 

[Bartelby]

Predominantly white is good, all white is bad.

The only reason why white is a tradition is probably because white was always sporting gear with a colour sash if playing a team sport.

It comes from the era when you had one white outfit until it wore out and then you bought another white outfit.

It's a tradition born out of necessity but if Wimbledon want to run with it as a brand they should do so, reasonably.

 

[Mustard]

Any colour dress code is bad. This is another thing of Wimbledon doing things differently to every other tournament on tour, like the seeding system. The world didn't end when the bowing and courtesying to the Royal Box was stopped after 2002 Wimbledon, and neither would the abolition of these other "traditions".

 

[martini1]

Is it because Rolex is the only sponsor to be allowed to have the "big logo" in the background and no other colors to "distract" the view? Who knows.

Although I like the all white attire, it makes it harder to tell who is who when you just tune in or watching a random clip. Especially when you don't know the player very well or they are wearing the same outfit (like the WTA players).

They should also allow the women to wear less if they choose to. I remember there was a ruling about their outfit being "too sexy" a few years back. As long as they are fashionable and classy, why being so outdated and conservative?