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Serena Williams' Fierce French Open Outfit Is Fit For A 'Goddess'

The tennis star made a bold statement at Roland Garros, where officials have banned her from wearing a "Black Panther"-inspired catsuit.

Serena Williams sent a fierce message with her French Open outfit.

The tennis star made a badass fashion statement at the Paris tournament on Monday, a year after angering organizers by wearing a black catsuit to deal with post-birth blood clots.

Williams warmed up on court at Roland Garros ahead of her first-round victory over Russia’s Vitalia Diatchenko in a cape emblazoned with the French words for “champion,” “queen”, “mother” and “goddess.”

Jean Catuffe via Getty Images
Jean Catuffe via Getty Images
Jean Catuffe via Getty Images

She removed the cape for the actual game:

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Williams had previewed her outfit, designed by Virgil Abloh and Nike, on Twitter Sunday:

She famously wore a black catsuit at the 2018 French Open.

It was her return to Grand Slam tennis after almost dying giving birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia, in 2017.

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“I feel like a warrior in it, like a warrior princess kind of, (a) queen from Wakanda,” Williams said at the time, in reference to the box office hit “Black Panther” movie.

“I’m always living in a fantasy world. I always wanted to be a superhero, and it’s kind of my way of being a superhero,” she added. “I feel like a superhero when I wear it.”

However, the outfit was singled out by French Tennis Federation President Bernard Giudicelli in August when he announced a new dress code for the sporting event.

“It will no longer be accepted,” he reportedly said. “One must respect the game and place.” Days after Giudicelli’s comments, Williams wore an Abloh-designed tutu in the first round of the U.S. Open:

She followed it up with this lavender tutu, later on in the tournament:

Williams’ latest on-court fashion choice has inevitably made waves on social media:

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.