Sabalenka brings jewelry layering to the French Open court

Aryna Sabalenka turned the French Open’s opening round into a live test of whether bold necklace layering can work in motion, heat, and stadium light. The world No. 1 stepped onto Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris on May 26 wearing a custom Nike dress and a Material Good necklace suite, then beat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2 while two thick necklaces and statement studs flashed against the clay-court backdrop.

Material Good said the design fused three bold necklaces into one striking silhouette, built with more than 200 carats of garnets and 23 carats of diamonds. The brand said the crimson stones and mixed shapes were meant to echo the red clay of Roland Garros and Sabalenka’s energy on court, a clear sign that the necklace was conceived as performance jewelry rather than a red-carpet afterthought. In that sense, the piece pushed layering into a new lane: visible, athletic, and built to read from the stands.

The clothing was just as deliberate. WWD reported that Sabalenka’s Nike dress had a sleeveless shape, bold red fabric under a sheer black overlay, and a white Nike logo at the neckline. Sabalenka had initially planned to wear three necklaces, but decided that was too much. Temperatures topped 30C, and she chose two thick necklaces instead, later saying she felt comfortable in the jewelry and that looking good on court helps her perform better. The Associated Press noted that the diamonds sparkled in the sun during the win, a detail that matters because performance styling only becomes a trend when it survives real movement and harsh light.

The scale of the look underscored the point. The Telegraph said Sabalenka began her French Open campaign wearing more than $100,000 worth of jewelry, including three necklaces and a pair of earrings valued at $148,000, though she passed on the third necklace for match play. Material Good says Sabalenka is its first-ever Jewelry Ambassador, with custom MG Atelier designs debuting at the 2026 Australian Open and continuing through the season. Sabalenka has also said her 2026 French Open Nike kit was custom-made just for her, and that she wanted to revive the lighter peach tones she admired in earlier Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova Nike looks.

That combination of custom apparel, high-carat stones, and on-court visibility does more than decorate a champion. It gives layered necklaces a new legitimacy, not as styling excess, but as a mainstream sports-fashion statement with real staying power.