The Evolution of Tennis Fashion: Rafael Nadal

SI Staff | Sep 30, 2014

The Evolution of Tennis Fashion: Rafael Nadal /

The Evolution of Tennis Fashion: Rafael Nadal

2003

Here's 16-year-old Nadal, sporting his short-shorts and incredibly baggy T-shirt. Do those sleeves cover his elbow? Yes, they do.

2003

Still swimming in shirts -- and he wasn't the worst one at the tournament.

2003

Nadal's billowing shirt -- in a new, lime-green color -- makes it easier for torso exposure during the match.

2004

Still sticking with the white headband, Nadal finally opts for a better-fitting top.

2004

Nadal continues the aggressive look of his soon-to-be signature sleeveless shirt and makes his transformation into a style icon.

2004

A mustard yellow sleeveless top and thick, white wristbands for New York.

2005

The addition of his "piratas" marked the birth of Nadal's trademark look: sleeveless tops and capri-length pants.

2005

The beginning of Nadal's love for orange, and Nike's love for waved, two-toned designs.

2005

Nike put a green-spin on Rafa's signature style just in time for his maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open.

2005

Rafa went with an all-white, collared and quarter-zip version of his sleeveless top for the All England Club.

2005

Nadal sported a rare monochrome top for his win over Andre Agassi in the final of the Rogers Cup.

2005

This skin-tight, sleeveless crop top was a one-time wonder at the U.S. Open, after Nadal lost in the third round.

2006

Back to orange -- and a distinctive Nadal dive -- at Indian Wells.

2006

Nike went with a two-toned sleeveless top for the French Open. Black in the back...

2006

...and Roger Federer-matching blue in the front. And with that, never again did Nike try to make two kits out of one swath of fabric for its two male stars.

2006

Rafa looks sleek and sharp in his Wimbledon whites, adorned with strokes of black.

2006

Stephen Hilger/Bloomberg News/Getty Images

Nadal got a brief respite from his capris with these long shorts for the summer. (He lost to Mikhail Youzhny in the quarterfinals at this U.S. Open.)

2006

Nadal embodies his country's colors with this red and yellow ensemble as he represented Spain at the Davis Cup.

2007

Back to the piratas, looking like a man prepared to hit the Australian Outback.

2007

Pirata twinsies!

2007

At this point it became clear that while Nike would kit Roger Federer out in conservative solid colors, Nadal was going to get the bold neon colors.

2008

Nadal in Karate Kid patterned headbands? No.

2008

Nadal goes green in his 2008 French Open winning kit.

2008

Greatest match of all time = Greatest kit of all time? Is that how it works?

2008

The orange headband and wristbands were odd, but Nadal's Spain kit was worthy of a gold medal in Beijing.

2008

Nike's insistence on putting random patterns on Rafa has always been a head-scratcher.

2009

Nike finally goes with a polo shirt with sleeves. And thus begins the fashion maturation of Rafa Nadal.

2009

An underrated kit. Simple, clean, but still fun.

2009

At this point it became clear that collars were not going to work on Rafa.

2009

Nadal's only loss at Roland Garros came in this garishly-pink collared shirt. Not a trophy-worthy look.

2009

Patterned shorts. Let's not.

2010

Then again, patterned shorts done right. The subtlety is key.

2010

Nadal wins his second Wimbledon title in a v-neck.

2010

This was 100 percent, hands down the best kit Rafa's ever worn. Darth Nadal was a treat.

2011

Nadal ended up tearfully losing to David Ferrer in the quarterfinals at this Australian Open, but all we can remember is his distractingly large t-shirt.