British tennis star Alicia Barnett has opened up about the stress of wearing Wimbledon whites while being on her period and the symptoms affecting her play. Gloucestershire-born Barnett, 28, made her SW19 debut on Friday by winning her first-round doubles games alongside fellow team GB player Jonny O’Mara.
The duo will be returning to the grass courts on Sunday for round two against Venus Williams and Britain’s Jamie Murray. Speaking with the PA news agency on Saturday, Barnett, from Painswick in Gloucestershire, said suffering with a “really heavy” period impacted her play in the qualifying matches for the Championships.
When asked whether the all-white dress code should be amended to alleviate stress on female players, she told PA: “I do think some traditions could be changed. I, for one, am a massive advocate for women’s rights and I think having this discussion is just amazing, that people are now talking about it.
