Male players following Osaka's lead on Wimbledon's fashion runway

LONDON, July 3 : It is not just Naomi Osaka and her "Kill Bill" walk-on kimono that have turned heads at Wimbledon. Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz's attire has also caught the eye at the All England Club as the male players and their sponsors seize their moment too.

Djokovic has been coming onto court wearing a personalised Lacoste blazer and shorts, while Fritz is wearing a white cotton Hugo Boss jacket, long pants and a white silk scarf.

"This is the first tournament where the guys are really stepping it up, which is fun to see," Joelle Michaeloff, chief creative officer at Wilson sports brand, told Reuters, saying it highlighted a growing trend among male players to use clothing as a form of self-expression.

“They’re seeing what’s going on right now and ... looking back at these iconic moments in Wimbledon history," said Michaeloff, who works with clients including Australian fifth seed Alex de Minaur and Ukrainian 12th seed Marta Kostyuk.

PLAY HAS GOT TO MATCH THE OUTFIT, SAYS FRITZ

While it is the only Grand Slam requiring players to wear all white, limiting the colourful creations worn at the other majors, Wimbledon has been the stage for many fashion moments including the white bodysuit created by British designer Ted Tinling in 1985 and Swiss maestro Roger Federer's jacket in 2007.

For Fritz, seeded six, the high-profile entrance brings its own peril.

"I really like to keep it low key," he said. "You can't walk out with an outfit and go out in the first round. It just looks so bad."

Fortunately, Fritz has made it to the third round without dropping a set - so when he rips off the trousers that are joined down the sides for easy removal, ready to play in his match shorts, he has been able to keep his cool so far.

OPPORTU