Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has proposed a radical change to Wimbledon's traditional dress code, suggesting players should wear all black instead of the mandatory white attire.
The 30-year-old believes the switch would create a striking visual contrast against the grass courts and white lines.
"I think it'd be cool to mix it up. I think everyone should wear all black," Kyrgios told talkSPORT.
He argued the change would enhance the viewing experience, stating: "It would look super clean on the court and on TV. It would look amazing."
Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has proposed a radical change to Wimbledon's traditional dress code, suggesting players should wear all black instead of the mandatory white attire
PA
Kyrgios suggested the tournament could trial the new colour scheme for just one year to test its reception.
The controversial player has accumulated fines exceeding £400,000 throughout his career, with violations ranging from unsportsmanlike conduct to dress code breaches.
Kyrgios revealed to Logan Paul that his total fines amount to approximately $800,000.
These penalties have been imposed for various infractions including swearing at opponents and umpires, and spitting towards an abusive spectator in 2022.
Nick Kyrgios made the final of Wimbledon back in 2022
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The Australian claimed he was fined around $16,000 specifically for wearing Nike Air Jordans and a hat featuring red accents at Wimbledon a few years ago.
The All England Club has maintained strict enforcement of its all-white rule since the tournament's inception in 1877.
Kyrgios's latest proposal comes from someone intimately familiar with the financial consequences of challenging Wimbledon's sartorial standards.
Tennis legend Billie Jean King has emerged as an unexpected ally in the campaign to modernise Wimbledon's dress code.
READ MORE: Sue Barker, 69, returns to Wimbledon in new job three years after BBC exit
The 81-year-old, who won 20 titles at the Championships, expressed frustration with the current all-white requirement.
"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.
"I shouldn't have to look at a mark, I shouldn't have to look at anything. I should know [who is who]."
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King proposed allowing players to wear merchandise featuring their names and numbers on their backs.
"We're losing out on millions and millions because of that," she said, highlighting the commercial potential of such changes.
Andre Agassi famously boycotted the Championships for three years in protest against the dress code before eventually winning the title in 1992.
Nick Kyrgios is missing from Wimbledon this year amid injury issues
PAKing also advocated for adopting practices from other sports, suggesting retired numbers for legends like Roger Federer.
"It's so obvious. Take what other sports are doing and what people like from other sports," she said.
Kyrgios' best performances at Wimbledon came in 2022, when he reached the final. After taking the first set, however, he was eventually beaten by Novak Djokovic - who secured his seventh title at the All England Club.
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