Tennis legend Billie Jean King has launched a scathing critique of Wimbledon's all-white clothing rule, calling it a "total mistake" that hampers the viewing experience.
The 81-year-old, who won 20 titles at SW19 throughout her illustrious career, believes the strict dress code makes it unnecessarily difficult for spectators to distinguish between players.
"There's a match that comes on, you sit down, and you look – let's say it's television – who's who?" King told the Telegraph in an interview ahead of Wimbledon 2025.
"I shouldn't have to look at a mark.
Billie Jean King is fed up with trying to work out who's who at Wimbledon
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"I shouldn't have to look at anything. I should know [who's who]. My sport drives me nuts."
The American tennis icon, who first played at Wimbledon in 1961, acknowledges the tournament's quintessentially British traditions but remains adamant that change is necessary.
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"You can change tradition," she retorted when challenged about the historic nature of the all-white rule.
King's solution involves introducing numbered jerseys with players' names, similar to other major sports.
"I'd have merch with their names on the back so they'd make money, the tournament makes money, everybody makes money," she explained.
"We're losing out on millions and millions because of that. Numbers are really important! Kids love numbers and they can retire numbers like a Federer."
The six-time Wimbledon singles champion emphasised the commercial opportunities being missed by maintaining the current dress code.
She pointed to the financial success of numbered jerseys in other sports as evidence of untapped revenue potential.
King herself wore dresses featuring blue and pink embroidery during her playing days at Wimbledon, but the all-white rule became more restrictive in the mid-1990s.
Despite having spent her life championing tradition-breaking changes in tennis, including her instrumental role in securing equal prize money at the US Open in 1973, she remains frustrated by what she sees as an outdated policy that hinders both viewer engagement and commercial growth.
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Billie Jean King believes Wimbledon is missing out on 'millions'
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The tennis legend's criticism comes as she continues her lifelong mission to modernise women's sport.
Speaking from London ahead of her annual pilgrimage to SW19, King expressed particular frustration with tennis's resistance to adopting successful strategies from other sports.
"It's so obvious. Take what other sports are doing and what people like from other sports," she stated.
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