The garment has since been banned from future events by the French Tennis Federation for going 'too far'.īut Williams' clothing drama is just a snippet of the controversy that has surrounded the sports brand this summer.

The tutu-style outfit provided an alternative to the Nike-designed black catsuit that Williams wore at the French Open earlier this year. But the packs can also be removed so that the clothing is 'lightweight and form-fitting', and suited for less strenuous activity in warm-ups, and rests between and during games.įor this year's US Open, which began 27 August and runs until 9 September 2018, Nike also teamed up with fashion designed Virgil Abloh to create a kit for Serena Williams. The vest's cooling action is intended to kick in during intense periods of exercise. 'This can hinder athletic performance, both physically and in an athlete's mind.' 'Nike researchers found that roughly 25 percent of energy used during exercise goes toward moving muscle, and the remaining 75 percent becomes heat that increases body temperature,' said the brand. Nike Sport Research Lab started developing the garment for its NikeCourt tennis collection with a series of tests, measuring the correlation between an athlete's body temperature and their performance.

Related story Virgil Abloh and Nike to dress Serena Williams for the US Open

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