Aryna Sabalenka is not the only player wearing a Nike dress at the 2024 Australian Open, but her kit differs from the rest of the players.
Before every event, players get shown what type of outfits are in contention for them to wear by the companies they're signed to; for Sabalenka, it's Nike, which boasts a pretty strong roster, including Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Holger Rune.
On the women's side, they have players like Paula Badosa, Victoria Azarenka, Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu, and many more; however, Aryna Sabalenka got a special honor this year in Melbourne, as the highest-ranked player on the WTA Tour that the brand sponsors.
The company made one red dress instead of the usual color scheme for everybody else, and Sabalenka got to wear it. She was asked about it following her most recent win over Amanda Anisimova, and she confirmed that it wasn't something she initiated or was even part of the process, but she's happy to have been offered to wear a different dress.
"I mean, yeah, you're right, I'm the only player who's wearing red dress. It's not like I was - how to say - included in part of the process, preparing the color and everything, no. They just show me the dress I will play with, and I was super excited to wear the only red dress."
Sabalenka further explained that she'd actually like to have something more, possibly a unique design and not just a different color. She's always been quite interested in expressing herself through various means, and this could be one of those chances.
"But, I mean, I'm super happy. I feel so special. I really thanks to Nike that they give me this opportunity to feel special. But, of course, I want to have something more, like not just the different color."
We'll see what happens in the future, possibly if she wins her second major, but for now, it's just a different colour, and in Melbourne, the colour is red.
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