Wimbledon 2023: Coco Gauff and Daria Kasatkina welcome rule change on all-white dress code amid period concerns

Coco Gauff and Daria Kasatkina have welcomed the changes made by Wimbledon organisers in allowing female players to wear darker undershorts to address period concerns.

Ahead of this year’s event – which begins on July 3 – Kasatkina says the decision is a “big deal” and one which will reduce players’ anxiety.

“All the girls are really happy with this decision,” she said. “Because it’s one thing to deal on court with your opponent and your own stress and nerves.

“If you have additional stress of thinking about your period and stuff and whether your skirt will get dirty, it’s additional stress which you don’t want to think about.

“Finally we’ve got this little adjustment and I don’t think it’s going to hurt the tournament but for the players, for us, for the girls, it’s going to be such a big deal.”

Kasatkina’s comments echo those of American Coco Gauff, who earlier in the week described the change as a “big relief”.

“I support it a lot,” she told Sky Sports. “It’s going to be a big relief.

“I was on my period last year during Wimbledon and it was very stressful.

“You have the period underwear to help you but it’s still in the back of your mind. Sometimes when you go to the bathroom, I would go just to check nothing was showing.

“I think it’s going to relieve a lot of stress for me and other girls in the locker room for sure.

“I’m happy this is being talked about and the decision has been made.”

Wimbledon is the latest institution to recognise the need to acknowledge periods for female athletes and the need to make changes to reduce the stress.

“I think people underestimate the kind of worry that can cause and how much of a performance impact just thinking about that can have on an athlete,” she said.

“As well as just changing so that women can be in darker clothing, a lot of brands are now doing period-proof training wear, so shorts and leggings and things – there are a lot of period pants available on the market.

“So I think if you have a look now, things are getting better and better in terms of specifically made period wear for female athletes. I think that’s really on the up and that’s something that I’ve been really pleased to see the availability of things like that.”

On the same panel, Arsenal and England striker Jodie Taylor expressed her happiness that the Lionesses will switch to dark shorts for the upcoming World Cup.

“I’m very happy about that. I always seem to play for teams that have white shorts and I hate it. I really hate it.

“I think the awareness of it now and how clubs and organisations are willing to make change is very pleasing.

“I hate white shorts. I’m really happy to get rid of them.”

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