{"id":431438,"date":"2026-01-23T04:22:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T04:22:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/431438\/"},"modified":"2026-01-23T04:22:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T04:22:11","slug":"pat-rafter-on-tennis-fashion-and-function-over-form","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/431438\/","title":{"rendered":"Pat Rafter on Tennis, Fashion, and Function Over Form"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Elliot<\/a><\/p>\n

Readtime: 5 min<\/p>\n

Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more.<\/a> For more information on how we test products, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tennis<\/a>, for most of its history, hasn\u2019t been big on self-expression. Players wore what they were given. Whites at Wimbledon. Branded kits elsewhere. Personality came through in shot selection, not outfits.<\/p>\n

Pat Rafter came up in that era, and he\u2019s honest about how little attention he paid to what he wore.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never really worried about it,\u201d he says, slightly out of breath after a quick ride on his push bike before the chatting to Man of Many. \u201cThey gave me the clothes and I wore them. Sometimes they were fun, sometimes pretty conservative. Wimbledon was obviously very conservative.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"PatAsh Barty and Pat Rafter wearing Rallee on court | Image: Rallee <\/p>\n

It\u2019s a mindset that still shapes how Rafter views tennis today, particularly as the sport slowly loosens its grip on uniformity. Recent moments, like Naomi Osaka\u2019s pre-match fashion statements<\/a>, have reignited debate around whether tennis should make room for more personal expression.<\/p>\n

Rafter doesn\u2019t see it as a problem. But he doesn\u2019t romanticise it either.<\/p>\n

Further Reading <\/p>\n

\u201cIf she wants to go for it, then go for it,\u201d he says. \u201cShe clearly enjoys it and likes making a bit of a scene. That attention comes with it. If that\u2019s what she wants, fair enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

For him, though, the trade-off would have been too high.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d find it really distracting. That\u2019s just me,\u201d he says. \u201cI was all about focusing on tennis, not thinking about fashion when I was playing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

That distinction matters. Rafter isn\u2019t pushing back against style. He\u2019s drawing a line between expression and distraction, between clothing as a statement and clothing as a tool. <\/p>\n

Which perfectly illustrates his involvement with Rallee<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Designed in Byron Bay and just 12 months into its life, Rallee sits deliberately on the practical end of the spectrum. It\u2019s not dressing athletes for tunnel walks or social media moments. It\u2019s focused on gear that works before, during and after play, across tennis, padel and pickleball.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d still call it fashion,\u201d Rafter says, \u201cbut it\u2019s based on traditional sportswear, with a different attitude attached to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

That attitude, as he describes it, is function-first. Comfort, movement, and wearability come before anything theatrical.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou couldn\u2019t wear what Naomi wore and go out and play sport in it,\u201d he says. \u201cThis stuff has to be practical. Function comes first, with an attitude attached.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"PatPat Rafter during the 1997 US Open final | Image: Rallee <\/p>\n

Rafter\u2019s relationship with on-court style isn\u2019t as rigid as it might sound. In fact, one of the most recognisable moments of his career<\/a> came from something he wasn\u2019t meant to do.<\/p>\n

At the 1997 US Open final, he didn\u2019t wear the shirt he\u2019d been issued for the tournament. He tried it, didn\u2019t like it, and reached for another one instead.<\/p>\n

\u201cI put the shirt on and I didn\u2019t like the American one,\u201d Pat Rafter says. \u201cSo I wore the German one.\u201d Rafter went on to win the title wearing a look rarely seen on US courts. In hindsight, it captures his position perfectly. Not style as spectacle, but function winning out when it mattered most.<\/p>\n

\"PatPat Rafter\u2019s iconic outfit from the 1997 US Open | Image: Rallee <\/p>\n

That approach lines up neatly with how racquet sports are changing more broadly. Tennis is still the benchmark, particularly in Australia, where the Australian Open<\/a> continues to anchor the sport culturally; it\u2019s \u201cthat good\u201d, Pat says.<\/p>\n

But newer formats are growing faster, and for different reasons.<\/p>\n

Padel has exploded across Europe. Pickleball has surged locally, with Pickleball Australia reporting a 67 per cent year-on-year jump to around 155,000 players. These aren\u2019t niche numbers anymore. They point to a wider shift in how people want to stay active.<\/p>\n

\u201cTennis is a tricky sport,\u201d Rafter says. \u201cIf you haven\u2019t played from a young age, it can be hard to pick up. With pickleball and padel, the racquets are smaller, the ball doesn\u2019t bounce as much, and people feel like they can jump in and get a workout without it being overwhelming.\u201d<\/p>\n

The social side plays an equal role. Four players on a court. Constant interaction. Less emphasis on technique, more on participation. Community over competition, though there\u2019s still plenty of tournaments about.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why they\u2019re so attractive right now,\u201d he says. \u201cIt feels more inclusive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rallee has grown alongside that shift, positioning itself as racquet-sports apparel that doesn\u2019t stop at the baseline. Clothing designed for movement, but also for the reality that most players aren\u2019t stepping straight from the court into a press conference.<\/p>\n

\"PatRallee pickleball paddle in use | Image: Rallee <\/p>\n

The brand recently marked a major milestone with Ash Barty joining as both an investor and long-term brand ambassador<\/a>, alongside Rafter. It\u2019s a notable endorsement, but not the core of the story. The bigger signal is timing. A racquet-sports label gaining traction just as participation diversifies and social play takes centre stage.<\/p>\n

For Rafter, the appeal is straightforward. No spectacle. No overthinking. Just really good sportswear.<\/p>\n

Even now, the priorities haven\u2019t changed much. Move well. Stay comfortable. Don\u2019t let anything get in the way of the job. Or the ride before the call.<\/p>\n

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