At the U.S. Open, Accessorizing Has Never Been More Exciting

When Aryna Sabalenka, the top-ranked player in women’s tennis, entered her first match of the U.S. Open wearing over $400,000 worth of high-jewelry, she set the tone for this year’s tournament. The custom pieces by New York brand Material Good—which weigh over 127 carats—were an explosion of color and texture, featuring handcrafted gold bases with bright, rare gemstones spanning sapphire, tourmaline, zircon, and garnet. On the court, they were anything but subtle: they swung around as she played and glistened with her as she sweat. The kaleidoscopic suite made for not only a bold accessorizing statement, but also signaled something about the evolution of fashion in tennis.

While Sabalenka’s U.S. Open jewels were the most maximalist of the season, she is not alone in her affinity for more-is-more adornment on the court. Coco Gauff had a sapphire “C” pendant custom-made by Chase Sapphire Reserve and Jennifer Fisher. Amanda Anisimova has an ongoing partnership with Tiffany & Co., which supplies her with its HardWare collection for matches. Naomi Osaka has gone viral for making the U.S. Open her runway with the help of stylist Law Roach. Even after she sheds her elaborate tunnel-walk ensembles, diamond studs remain a reliable blingy base.

The tradition of tennis players wearing expensive jewelry is not new, but it is more elaborate than ever, says Sunita Kumar Nair, author of ACE: The Times & Style of Tennis, a new book exploring the history of fashion in the sport. “Tennis has always been a reflection of what’s going on in society,” she explains. She traces accessorizing on the court back to the 1970s, when gender roles were shifting as women gained economic independence.

When Elsa Peretti introduced her revolutionary “Diamonds by the Yard” collection for Tiffany & Co. in 1974, she solidified the idea that diamonds were not just to be gifted to women for marriage proposals and black-tie galas, but also accessories they could buy for themselves for everyday outings—including playing sports. Once diamonds started to be worn by pros like Chris Evert—who coined the term “tennis bracelet” after pausing a U.S. Open match in 1978 to look for her fallen diamond wrist-piece—they took on a paradoxical meaning. “These women are going through such extensive physical regimes, and wearing fine jewelry is the ultimate act of femininity,” says Nair. “It kind of redefines you as a ‘real woman’ on the court.”

Tennis is primed for self-expression. Singles players are alone on the court, often for many hours, in front of an audience. “They’re not wearing anything that guards their body,” says Nair. There’s also no set uniform ordaining matching members of a team. It’s inherently about the individual, thus imbuing each sartorial statement with more meaning. “There are very few players who come from opulent backgrounds,” she says. “I'm sure it was such an arduous journey for all of these players to get to where they are, and the fact that they can now wear their ice on court is a testament to their diligence.” It’s a personality-filled statement that has been particularly present this season.

Atara Lev, Head of Design for Material Good, says Sabalenka’s pieces were crafted to reflect her tastes. She loves vintage styles, bold colors, and emerald (her birthstone), so those were worked in, doubling as good-luck talismans. Sabalenka is also fond of heart motifs, so they designed mismatched heart-shaped sapphire studs. Though the brand has worked with Sabalenka since last year, the 2026 U.S. Open yielded their biggest, most expensive pieces yet—and took over four months to make. On social media, there was no shortage of discourse. “I noticed a lot of people commenting, ‘Wow, that looks so heavy. How is she playing in that?’” says Lev. “I really want to reply to everybody and be like, ‘It’s actually lightweight!’” They did this by implementing negative space, hollowing out the backs, and using ultra-thin gems. Sunita points to the ridiculousness of the debate over whether jewels hinder a player’s performance in the first place. “None of these women would wear these pieces if it put them at risk of losing,” she says. “They’re training to win.”

Right now, Nair says we’re in a “renaissance period” of accessorizing on the court. Since there are no restrictions on how elaborate jewelry can be in tennis, she predicts that such adornment will only ramp up. For players, it means having more agency over self-expression, crafting personal brands outside the court, and building a larger cultural influence over time. Sabalenka’s jewels have been the standout of the tournament, but Lev hopes she will inspire others to accessorize outside the box. Her vision—and Sabalenka’s execution—is simple. “Don’t be scared of jewelry,” Lev says. “It should be worn; it should be loved.”