Serena Williams is making headlines for not only winning her first-round French Open match, but winning it dressed like a real life superhero.
Specifically, fans and Williams herself decided her skin-tight black Nike catsuit evoked the iconic Black Panther vibranium getup.
Catsuit anyone? For all the moms out there who had a tough recovery from pregnancy—here you go. If I can do it, so can you. Love you all!! pic.twitter.com/xXb3BKDGNF
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) May 29, 2018
“I call it like my Wakanda-inspired catsuit. It’s really fun,” Williams joked after her victory against Kristyna Pliskova at Roland Garros on Tuesday.
“I feel like a warrior wearing it, a queen from Wakanda.”
The real #BlackPanther has arrived. Lead us Serena???? pic.twitter.com/fgSosKAUkQ
— Nelisiwe Msomi (@NeliMsomi) May 29, 2018
While Chadwick Boseman indisputably makes a damn fine fictional Black Panther in the recent Marvel films (Wakanda forever!), you can’t deny that Serena Williams has earned the title of real life superhero.
@chadwickboseman Hand over your Black Panther suit to Serena Williams
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.#SerenaWilliams #marvel #blackpanther #chadwickboseman pic.twitter.com/IWfjvZkWhZ— ????? (@meghnificent_) May 29, 2018
After winning the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant, then surviving the traumatic, life-threatening childbirth of her daughter just last September, the previous world #1 player has worked hard to get back on the court. And here she is, absolutely slaying.
So eat your heart out, Boseman. (Although we’d like to remind you that he’s 42 and still working it.)
While Williams has leaned into to the link to the Wakandan aesthetic, she did specify that her outfit was designed before the film’s release. The Nike one-piece is also designed to help with her blood circulation, as Williams has had a lot of problems with blood clots over the last 12 months.
So it’s both functional and an epic aesthetic.
'Black Panther 2' starring Serena Williams. #FrenchOpen #RG18 pic.twitter.com/PzR0k8O5Yc
— Akhil Nair (@akhiln) May 29, 2018