She might not be a household name, but Bethanie Mattek-Sands has won her share of tennis accolades, and definitely stands out from the crowd.
Since starting her competitive tennis career in 1999, Mattek-Sands has won five singles and three doubles titles, including the Australian Open and French Open in mixed doubles, in 2012 and 2015 respectively. She won her most recent title this year at the 2018 U.S. Open and also won a gold medal two summers ago at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro for mixed doubles. Mattek-Sands acknowledges, as a pro, she's been around the block.
"I've played all the Grand Slams and pretty much every single tournament out there, and I've been playing the U.S. Open since I was 15 years old," Mattek-Sands said, speaking to Forbes by phone. She notes that Arthur Ashe Stadium, the main home stadium of the U.S. Open, is a special place. "I remember playing a night match (there) versus Jennifer Capriati as a teenager and getting my butt kicked, but it was an amazing experience. So, it was a thrill to be able to come back after all these years and win there."
The road back to winning a Grand Slam wasn't easy for Mattek-Sands. Last summer she sustained a major knee injury while competing at Wimbledon, in a singles competition versus Sorana Cirstea. Two days after being stretchered off the court Mattek-Sands had surgery to repair her right patellar tendon, and a long rehab followed. Right after the incident, Mattek-Sands, who is a favorite among her fellow players, received hundreds of get-well cards.
VIDEO:Mattek-Sands in a ball gown made of tennis balls.
Off the court, Mattek-Sands is also known for her personal style, if not what you might call a fairly outrageous sense of fashion. Just before Wimbledon this year, Mattek-Sands got her hair done, as many players do before the opening ceremonies, but went with what she called in an Instagram post a "neon strawberry blonde" color, taking suggestions from a dedicated fan. Likewise, her on-court clothes have been the subject of comment from New York to Miami, and Mattek-Sands says her outfits often prompt "Where'd you get that?" questions from Serena Williams and other top names in tennis. Sports Illustrated once even ran a feature on a decade worth of Mattek-Sands' style choices, from her hats, metallic dresses and 'prep chic' to the eye black she wears while swinging the racket.
But it's not just ready-to-wear styles where Mattek-Sands dominates. In 2011, the 33-year-old right-hander worked with a London-based fashion designer on a very tennis-inspired dress for a public appearance during the 2011 WTA Tour. It's no wonder that some in and around the court have started to call her the Lady Gaga of Tennis.
In addition to that, just this fall Mattek-Sands signed on to start a new tennis fashion-related venture. The WTA's website announced a few weeks ago that Mattek-Sands was partnering with an activewear clothing company called Lucky In Love. Brad Singer, the CEO and founder of the firm was excited to have Mattek-Sands a part of their design team.
"We pride ourselves on taking a unique twist to traditional tennis wear," Singer said, "We feel that Bethanie’s style perfectly resonates with our brand."
Mattek-Sands says that comfort is one thing, but what players wear on and off the court should allow for at least some personal statement.
"What attracted me to the brand was its colorful, expressive approach. After all, that's what tennis is to me. Tennis is not simply all-white and collared shirts, but rather it's a place to express your creativity, your intensity as a competitor and your style too."
Aligning with next year’s Grand Slam tournaments and major tennis events, Mattek-Sands will debut her first Lucky In Love line called the Australian Open Capsule Collection. The collection will feature a range of crop tops and skirts, plus a limited-edition bomber jacket. Mattek-Sands says that the line will draw color and patterns not only from her style ideas and say-so but also that some of the items feature floral designs taken directly from the tattoos on her right forearm.
When asked about her time on the court and her fiercest tennis rivals, Mattek-Sands hints that certain competitors such as the Williams Sisters and Sloane Stephens stick out. But she also says that all of the opponents she's played on hard court, clay, and grass have had a cumulative effect on her growth as a tennis player and a creative mind. Tennis, Mattek-Sands says, is much more exciting now than in previous times.
"For anyone who grew up thinking tennis is stuffy, or it's preppy, I encourage them to see games live," Mattek-Sands said. "The athleticism has increased and so has the energy of the game, from personalities from all over the world. Tennis is such a great game and that's part of the vibe I want to give out."
