So Tommy Haas is not allowed to play without sleeves on his shirt, but Serena can show her breasts and 1/2 of her butt and no one objects.
Hmmmmm...Painter

This is actually a topic I've been fuming about for a long time. Women can wear just about anything in tennis, but guys have to wear stodgey, uncomfortable and often warm clothing at the pro level and at most local tennis clubs. Even at many of the gay tennis tourneys I've participated in, the tourney administrators often include a statement in their materials warning that players must adhere to what the venue deems appropriate material. That means sleeves for the guys.

I don't get it. Those big floppy sleeves are about as conducive to serving as jeans are to running. Sure it can be done. But no one actually thinks it's more comfortable. And why has it taken this long for guys to start ditching the annoying collars that go with those floppy sleeves?? At least some of the younger players have caught on to how nice it is to play in micro fiber t-shirts.

Nodding to tradition is nice, but I'd think that if the athletes could perform better or more comfortably without sleeves, let them go for it. And you can't tout "Tradition" as an argument while you let the women play in their underwear unless by maintaining tradition you mean you want tennis to continue being a sexist sport.

That said, I know Serena's outfit has gotten mixed reviews (don't all of hers get that?), but I'd like to firmly state I LOVE IT!! More is more, girl! I can't wait for the Wayans brothers to do a spoof where the sisters are playing doubles and Venus is just sitting up on Serena's tail filing her nails.

I know some of the tennis players are scrawny, errr, svelte, but if a few of them want to play less covered, I'm all for it.

[ August 29, 2002: Message edited by: curtj ]

When I arrived at Louis Armstrong Stadium, I saw Tommy Haas warming up in a sleeveless T. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. But when the nagging US Open official came onto the court to tell Tommy to change I was stunned. Though happy to be treated to a prematch shirt change, I and many around me found this to be a gross double standard. Its okay to see Anna K's bare stomach and Serena's ample booty, but we can't see a guy's upper arms? What a load of crap! Wasn't it last year when 16 year old Ashley Harkelroad played in that outfit with her boobs practically falling out? She was a 16 year old girl and wore something a pre-Disney Times Square hooker might be blushed by! Perhaps men's tennis might get a boost from sexing it up a bit. And if Haas is comfortable wearing it, then why can't he wear it?

I think the policy for men is a double standard as well.

As for Serena's outfit: Serena has an amazing body and there is nothing about it she should want to hide; however, the catsuit is atrocious. Even worse than the Cameroon tribute. Seeing her in it reminds me of a can of Pillsbury biscuits that you open by hitting against a counter -- and then all the dough starts popping out of tube!

"The female body is a work of art. The male body is utilitarian. It's for getting around. It's like a jeep." Elaine Marie Benes from Seinfeld, on why it's okay for women to walk around naked, but not for men.

"Why is this being discussed in the Politics and Religion forum?" Wm1865, on why this is being discussed in Politics and Religion forum

Because it's very political. Even my Mom, who is not a tennis fan, without prompting, sent me an email regarding this horrible double standard. I think every male tennis player in this year's Open should show up for his next match wearing a sleeveless shirt. P

Political...sure....

Yep, it's a double standard. Yes, Serena displays her bountiful behind in that leatherette catsuit. Yes, Anna's jugs' jiggle in her vacu-packed get-ups. Yes, we see far too much of Lindsay's burgeoning bottom....

But Tommy Haas? I mean, come on! WHO CARES? It's not like he's cute or anything! Let's see James Blake in a thong, or Roger Federer in Spandex, or Marat in a low-cut kilt, SOMEONE at least halfway hot, and then I'm in on the protest!

The whole clothing situation is ridiculous, but didn't I read that outfits have to be approved in advance and that's why he was told to change? So let Haas or someone else submit it for approval in advance of some future tourney, and then we'd see more of it.

Outfits do have to be approved; however, Haas's outfit would not have been approved even if it was submitted because it "violates" the dress code. Meanwhile, Serena's walking around in a hefty bag and Hantuchova's wearing a bandana for a skirt!

lol.... i just saw Tommy Haas and Shirt and started clicking furiously. I just assumed this was in the tennis section. Politically, this is a complete double standard issue. But for the guys, I just think sleeveless shirts would be more comfortable and restrict arm movement. I'm not arguing to see more skin. I'm arguing that the guys should be able to play in what's comfortable. Then hopefully it will filter down to the local club level so it will benefit my own personal comfort.

So men are now victims of a double standard? The poor things! Not to step on BoSoxRudy's toes, but I guess gays are just suckers for anyone who can claim to be a victim of something. But I suppose some of you might argue that women are victims here, too, because this particular double standard objectifies them by allowing them to expose more of themselves than men, who are taken more seriously in athletics and are thus expected to dress more professionally. So this standard is unfair because a) it allows Serena to wear less while forcing Tommy to wear more and it allows Serena to wear less while forcing Tommy to wear more. Wow! That's like a double double standard.

The answer here is not to allow Haas to wear less - tank tops on men playing tennis look ridiculous, which is probably why they've been banned all this time - but to make Serena wear more. Her outfit was a disgrace.

But if women are going to be allowed to reveal more, that's fine. I dig men as much as the next guy, but women are more graceful.

technical aside: a sleeveless T is not the same as a tank top

Serena really shouldn't wear anything that's that...ass-enhancing.

In the Los Angeles Times, Diane Pucin wrote an article about the absurdity of the whole situation. This paragraph, which doesn't deal directly with the issue at hand, gave me a chuckle:

"We know for sure Haas isn't an American because the young German did not immediately call his lawyer. He obediently changed his shirt to a nice, green thing with sleeves."

Heard Pam Shriver talk about the issue this morning; she thinks that changes (loosening up) in what men are allowed to wear on court will follow this imbroglio. She did make the valid point that women's tennis fashions have been pushing the envelope for a number of years--and that a number of women who wore "questionable attire" at matches had to change before the outfits were deemed acceptable--while the mens' uniform has been fairly standardized for a while & that Tommy Haas was merely facing what always happens to the pioneers. She claims that many of the men on tour would like to play without shirts.

~Adam

This would have fit better under Tennis. Many people skip P&R totally.

I agree. This topic is now in Tennis.

[ August 29, 2002: Message edited by: Tarkus ]