what fans will be wearing to the 2026 tennis competition

January 17, 2026 — 5:00am

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For decades tennis was a blank canvas for fashion, with Cloud Dancer whites the only option available for stylish serves. Explosions of colour in the ’80s and ’90s missed the mark, but at this year’s Australian Open distinct tribes of label-conscious spectators are preparing to take over the stands.

Grab your binoculars and spot the correct species between serves.

The wannabe WAG

They might not be able to lift a racquet but the selfie game of preened poses in crop tops, low-waisted skirts and clinging dresses is stronger than the scent of Glossier You at Melbourne Park.

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Well-positioned content creators such as Morgan Riddle, the partner of US player Taylor Fritz, and Paige Lorenze, fiancee of US player Tommy Paul, have forged an aesthetic for sexy singles looking for hot doubles partners.

Most elements of the Wannabe WAG look are easy to achieve, with the choice of hairstyle flipping from high ponytail to Charlie’s Angel’s blowout, and dresses plucked from accessible labels such as Meshki, I am Delilah and Dissh.

What sets Wannabes apart from real WAGS is the shoes. With chauffeurs and assistants, WAGS are willing to risk blisters in high heels while regular mortals ground their looks with mesh ballet flats or sandals, suitable for rushing to the bathroom mid-match and reapplying lip gloss.

Prep school

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Yuppie puppies, too young to remember the popped-collar polo shirt outbreak of the ’80s, have made Melbourne Park their playground. You can spot them from the nosebleed seats, carefully holding their Aperol spritzes away from pristine white jeans or exiting the Ralph Lauren pop-up store with exhausted credit cards.

The effect is meant to be casual, but the rolled sleeves of those blue-and-white-striped shirts have felt the full force of an iron, to hold firm through long rallies.

With polo shirts, it’s a battle royal between Ralph Lauren’s lost-looking polo pony and Lacoste’s equally confusing crocodile. No matter what logo you’re wearing, the collar should be turned upwards towards centre court’s retractable roof, to reflect the serious styling at recent runway shows in Paris and Milan.

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Add a panama hat, Ray Ban Wayfarer or Clubmaster sunglasses and the occasional shout of “well done” or “top shot” and you’ve graduated from prep school to top of the class.

The off-court athlete

The sweatbands on the wrists of these dedicated tennis watchers are as useful as ashtrays on electric scooters. The only liquid these accessories mop up is overflow from sports drinks consumed from their seats.

While the off-court athlete’s dream is to be mistaken for a tennis player, even from the masters league, they could also pass for a shop assistant from the nearest Rebel Sport store.

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Their T-shirt is made from the lightest man-made fabric, with the same logo as their favourite player, whose name they will shout at every opportunity during the match. While their top can be as bright as US player Frances Tiafoe’s attire, the shorts are inevitably black and billowing.

Tops are a size too small and shorts a size too large. The latest sneakers endorsed by their heroes fit perfectly, with white socks at full mast providing a cool contrast.

Take a close look at the soles of those sneakers and you can tell that they’re box fresh, not yet having seen the surface of a court. Chances are high that they will go back in their box until next AO.

The off-court athlete watches the match with unrivalled intensity from behind reflective Oakley sunglasses favoured by coaches.

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Advanced spectators carry backpacks or duffel bags, reluctantly accepting that racquet holders may be a step too far.

The princess-in-waiting

Do you even need to ask which princess these perfectly groomed spectators bow down to? Since Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s return to the US to pursue Kardashian-style fame, Catherine, Princess of Wales has redefined royal dressing for tennis matches.

Followers of the princess favour form-fitting dresses in block colours that stay within the lines when it comes to propriety by being hemmed mid-calf.

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Cleavage is concealed with high necklines. Short sleeves are the only concession to sportiness.

If it wasn’t for the absence of a hat, pretend princesses could be off to the Melbourne Cup (the members grandstand, not the Birdcage – which is much more Wannabe WAG). If it’s sunny, they may resort to a straw hat, to stop skin damage from using moisturisers with hyperactive ingredients, but there will be no feathers or suggestions of a fascinator.

Tennis bracelets are permissible displays of wealth, along with gold earrings and necklaces that look like they could have been handed down from Mummy.

Shoes walk the fine line between sensible and sexy. At the sensible end, low square-heeled pumps, like those worn by the late Queen Elizabeth II, put stealth wealth in your step.

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The day tripper

This new breed of tennis-goer is more interested in seeing The Veronicas play on stage than Naomi Osaka on court. If they do see a game, they’re watching from bean bags. What’s the point of sitting inside where no one can appreciate your latest calf tattoo?

The wardrobe is heavily influenced by Burning Man, episodes of Love Island, and anything worn by Bella Hadid. Denim shorts are a staple, either worn tight enough to sous vide internal organs or in the baggy skater style silhouette championed by Billie Eilish.

T-shirts are worn in extreme sizes, with medium styles left on the rack for Boomers and Gen X. Your choices are shrunken baby T-shirts that inevitably creep over stomachs for casual cropping, or boxy styles that can double as doona covers.

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Damien Woolnough is the fashion editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The AgeConnect via Facebook.

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