On Monday, the best tennis players from around the world will converge to compete in Wimbledon. Top seeds like Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova will bring their best to the courts in the 136th year of the tournament. Tennis fashion has evolved since women first started competing in the games in 1884: Gone are the tea-time-appropriate ankle-skimming skirts, long-sleeve blouses, and wide-brimmed sun hats, replaced by butt-skimming custom tennis skirts, bathing-suit-like tops, and sleek visors that optimize a playerโs game and keep her looking photo-ready. To get in the tennis spirit, take a look back at some vintage shots of ladies looking a bit more demure with their tennis racquets, from Althea Gibson, the first African-American to win Wimbledon, to actress Joan Crawford, who surely never broke a sweat on a tennis court.
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Woodrow Wilson's daughter Jessie, circa 1910sPhoto: ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Joan Marsh, thirtiesPhoto: ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
1940Photo: American Stock/ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Joan Frey, 1925Photo: ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
1934Photo: ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Ruth Roland, 1930Photo: ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Circa forties Bettmann/Corbis Photo: Philip Gendreau/ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Claudette Colbert, twentiesPhoto: ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Circa 1900Photo: DaZo Vintage Stock Photos/ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Nancy Richey, 1961Photo: ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Eileen Percy, circa 1920 John Springer Collection/Corbis Photo: ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
1955Photo: ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Circa fortiesPhoto: Philip Gendreau/ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
1952Photo: ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Helen Wills, 1925Photo: ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Joan Crawford, 1928Photo: ยฉ Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
