If you happened to turn on the TV in recent weeks, whether for the Madrid Open or the Italian Open, you might have felt a bit confused. Both tournaments featured matches with players wearing identical outfits.
It first happened in Madrid, with Francisco Cerundolo and Jakub Mensik. Not only were they dressed in the same Adidas kit, but they also sported identical backward hats and yellow wristbands on their right arms. If it weren’t for their tennis styles, it would have been almost impossible to tell them apart.
A similar situation occurred a couple of weeks later in Rome, again involving Mensik. This time, fortunately, his opponent Hubert Hurkacz wore his hat forwards. Yet, it still wasn’t a pleasant experience to watch the match, as viewers had to make an effort to remember at each point who was who.
Francisco Cerundolo and Mensik both wearing the same kit.
Both wearing a backwards hat.
This is going to be a headache to watch 😭 pic.twitter.com/3mCI5p5Ib7
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 1, 2025
Fans’ Reactions on Social Media
The debate ignited on social media, where people joined the conversation to express their opinions. While views varied, the general consensus was that a rule is needed to ensure players wear different outfits—similar to how, in football, each team has at least two kits: home and away.
One of the most recurring comments referenced the famous “Spider-Man meme.” As funny as it was, it also accurately represented the situation: two people facing each other in exactly the same outfit.
O Cerundolo e o Mensik assim com o mesmo kit pic.twitter.com/69AbO9HrG4
— Marina (@t3nnising) May 1, 2025
Players Dressed the Same: Why?
“Why does this happen?” some may wonder. The answer is quite simple: the brand sponsoring the players (Adidas, in this case) gives them all the same kit, without bothering to personalize it. Despite having significant design resources, brands like Adidas see significant style overlap in their tennis seasonal collections, and only unique powerhouse names like Maria Sharapova, the Williams sisters, Roger Federer and Naomi Osaka are given unique fashion collections in terms of the history of the sport.
The companies spending the most money on tennis apparel sponsorships include Adidas, Nike, Asics, Yonex and Lotto.
Some point out that this may reflect a lack of creativity and attention to detail; on the other hand, others have noted that a similar issue occurs every year at Wimbledon—where players are required to wear all-white outfits—and no one seems to complain about it.
A Call for Change
Even if there are no rules to prevent this kind of situation, fans have raised their voices, demanding action to improve the viewing experience. Personal opinions aside, it’s objectively a bad look for tennis.
While tennis enthusiasts might still be able to distinguish the players, for casual viewers it becomes almost impossible to follow the match. It would be a simple time change for the ATP and WTA Tour to adopt rules to prevent a “kit clash” similar to the rules many other pro sports leagues like the Premier League already have. That each player or doubles team must wear clothing with enough visible contrast to prevent confusion.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
