Eyewear & Tennis: The Champions' Look from McEnroe to Today

In few sports does individual personality dominate as much as in tennis. The player stands alone, with no team jersey to hide behind, and every detail of their look becomes a statement. Within this setting, eyewear — sunglasses or prescription glasses — has evolved into a recognisable element of identity. From the stands of Wimbledon to the open courts of Melbourne, the gaze behind a frame has written its own little history.

The '70s and '80s: the era of character

In the decades when tennis crossed over into mainstream culture, the great figures brought along a distinctive style of their own. John McEnroe, with his explosive temperament, became a symbol of an era when the player was both an athlete and a personality of the pop scene. Retro frames, headbands and relaxed elegance off the court created an aesthetic vocabulary that keeps coming back again and again.

In that period, sunglasses in tennis were more a matter of lifestyle than performance: you wore them arriving at the court, in photographs, in interviews. The frame worked as part of the persona, an accessory that complemented the character just like the bandana or the polo shirt.

The shift to performance

As the sport became faster and more scientific, a second relationship with eyewear emerged: the functional one. On outdoor hard courts under strong sun, dealing with glare and keeping the ball in clear contrast against the background became real concerns. This is how the image of the player with wraparound, sporty frames was born — a look we see today in many outdoor sports.

This logic is not limited to tennis: the entire universe of sport eyewear was built around the idea that glasses are not only style, but a tool. If you're interested in the practical side, we have a dedicated feature on sunglasses for tennis and padel, where we explain what really changes on the court.

Eyewear as a symbol of identity

Tennis shares with other sports the ability to turn accessories into symbols. As we saw in our feature on eyewear in sports from Davids to swimmers, when a top athlete adopts a particular look, it escapes the court and passes into street fashion.

In tennis this becomes even more pronounced because of the elegance traditionally associated with the sport. The all-white of Wimbledon, the minimalism of the major tournaments and the presence of players in fashion campaigns created an aesthetic where sunglasses work as a finishing touch — a point where sport and couture meet.

Today: between nostalgia and technology

The modern image of tennis balances between two trends. On one hand, nostalgia for retro frames returns in cycles, with classic shapes appearing again in courtside looks and on social media. On the other, lens technology keeps advancing, with options that help with contrast and protection.

This dual nature — retro aesthetic and modern performance — is what keeps eyewear relevant to the culture of tennis. It's no longer just a simple accessory, but a field where the player's personality, the era and the style of an entire scene are expressed.

• '70s–'80s: glasses as part of the persona and lifestyle.
• '90s–'00s: the appearance of the functional, sporty dimension.
• Today: a blend of retro nostalgia and lens technology.

If you want to explore the aesthetic that inspired generations of players, take a look at the sunglasses collection and let the style of the court inspire you — without having to hold a racquet.