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The 2014 tennis season is underway and players colored the courts in Melbourne for the year’s first Grand Slam. The Australian Open marked the debut of a new crop of designs from apparel companies. The game’s stars were styled in vibrant hues and unique graphic motifs, as players continue to fuse their personal style into their competitive gear. A Glam Slam broke down the top trends down under:

Pink proved to be a hot hue among female players. Serena Williams, Li Na, Victoria Azarenka and Sloane Stephens were among those dressed in a form of the color.

Serena Williams’ Nike Oz Open dress merged both sporty and feminine characteristics. Design features included a v-neck in front and deep v in the back, while black side panels offered a slimming effect. She continued her trendsetting style on-court, adding a matching pink blazer.

Sloane Stephens maintains a style that is simple yet strong, wearing a sleek, Under Armour racerback dress in an eye-catching neon hue. Additional pops of neon were incorporated through her accessories.

Li Na’s crisp and classic approach to dressing was a sharp contrast to Victoria Azarenka’s youthful, edgy vibe, though each incorporated pink into their Nike apparel.

From fashion runways to center court, color blocking remains a popular trend. Rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic each donned a variation of the aesthetic. Nadal’s Nike crew featured a color blocked front, while Djokovic’s UNIQLO kit included asymmetrical blocks of color.

Jelena Jankovic’s Center Court dress from Fila was also on-trend, boasting a color blocking effect with contrast stripe inserts on the front and side. Jankovic’s style evoked a vintage vibe with a modern twist, in a cool combination of purple and blue hues.

Players on the men’s and women’s side added interest to their competitive ensembles with the use of graphic patterns. From stars and stripes to tie dye and plaid, the sartorial surprises were numerous.

Bernard Tomic and Grigor Dimitrov combined multiple trends. Each paired the same color blocked, baseball inspired Nike crew with plaid and striped shorts.

Benoit Paire, Milos Raonic and Radek Stepanek each wore graphic polos, but with distinctly different designs. Paire’s Lacoste polo featured a printed block motif on the chest and shoulders. Roanic’s New Balance polo featured vivid hues with a graphic pattern across the chest. Stepanek’s white shirt from Alea was emblazoned with a large red graphic design.

Svetlana Kuznetsova’s bright yellow Qiaodan dress was decorated with black stars.

Venus Williams’ time in the tournament was short-lived, but her tie-dye tank dress from EleVen by Venus made a memorable impression.

Elina Svitolina made several style statements throughout the tournament, thanks to a range of outfit changes. Among the fashions were these two dresses from Ellesse, each featuring all-over patterns.

Caroline Wozniacki and Flavia Pennetta chose different versions of Stella McCartney for adidas Spring designs. Wozniacki wore a feminine dress style with a pleated ruffle button and elastic tank straps, in a fresh yellow pattern. The same pretty print was feature on Pennetta’s top, which she paired with a vivid yellow skirt.

Ana Ivanovic’s blue adidas dress seemed simple from the front view. She made a striking exit with the back’s sheer, microweb design and visible orange sports bra.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands made pattern mixing a priority, pairing contrasting stripes with a colorful, graphic bottom. Her purple locks, headband and signature high socks finished off the look.

Eugenie Bouchard blue Nike racerback top was paired with a skort that had a perforated elastic waistband and gray and black stripes.

Tomas Berdych’s H&M ensemble caused major fashion buzz among fans, landing it in a category all its own. The ensemble, which paired a blue and white striped crew with red shorts, drew several comparisons to soccer uniforms.

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• Tennis
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• SportsPLUS
• Fashion

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• Australian Open

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