Serena Williams at the 2004 US Open

She is one of the best tennis players in the world, but the talk surrounding her has nothing to do with aces or groundstrokes. When it comes to Serena Williams, the discussion turns to clothing.

She wore a pleated denim miniskirt for her first-round US Open victory on Monday and promised to make more distinctive fashion statements, including a see-through outfit, as she advanced. So the crowd was abuzz with anticipation on Wednesday before Williams’ match with Lindsay Lee-Waters.

The third-seeded Williams did not disappoint, taking the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium in skin-tight black short-shorts and knee-high black gaiters. She also wore a tight-fitting black jacket with “SERENA” spelled out on the back in shimmering silver.

When she removed her jacket to reveal a studded black tank top that showed off her diamond belly ring, some in the crowd cheered. Just before the match, she had her purse brought to her because she had forgotten to put on her plastic dangle earrings. But when Williams removed her bootlike gaiters, some fans urged, “Keep ’em on!”

Williams was not bothered that 90 percent of the reporters’ questions revolved around her attire. “Everyone comes in and talks about their game,” Williams said. “It’s so boring and redundant.”

There was nothing boring or redundant about Williams’ gear. When her outfit was revealed, one fan wondered aloud: “What is this? Beach volleyball?” Williams disagreed with one reporter’s description of her attire. “I didn’t consider it skimpy,” she said. “It’s really sexy and micromini.”

Williams defended her right to choose clothing to reflect her personality. “It doesn’t matter what you look like,” she said. “It’s all about having confidence in you. That’s not necessarily having to wear some short-shorts or an extremely small top. It’s just about believing in yourself. I think I represent that woman who believes in herself and has confidence in herself to be unique.”

Williams, who helps design her clothing along with Nike, said she had received mostly positive responses to the outfit. “For the most part, I think people like it,” she said. “I hope they liked it. It was a really fun design. It’s different. I think it’s always exciting to wear something that’s different out there, get people and other companies to start thinking on different lines and more fun things. I kind of feel like a superhero out there.”

That is how the former players Jim Courier and Tracy Austin described Williams as they broadcast the match on USA Network. Courier asked, “Is that Halle Berry in ‘Catwoman’ or Serena?” Austin likened her to Wonder Woman.

Williams said that she would one day play in her gaiters, which detach easily from her sneakers. But US Tennis Association officials say she would not be allowed to play in them, citing the 2004 Official Grand Slam Rule Book, which says, “Customarily acceptable tennis attire shall be worn as determined by each respective Grand Slam.”

David Newman, a spokesman for the USTA, said that Williams’ leg-wear did not fit the rule book description, but that the association had no problem with her outfits. “If it’s something that gets people talking about tennis and puts the sport of tennis on the fashion pages as well as the sports pages, so be it,” Newman said.

“Serena Williams, first and foremost, has proven to be a champion athlete many times and a trendsetter on the court and off of it.” Williams, who said she wanted to provide more than a display of athleticism on the court, admits that she is willing to wear something uncomfortable if it looks good.

“I always considered myself as an entertainer,” Williams said. “I remember always thinking of myself as a broader picture as opposed to just your normal athlete. I don’t think I’ve ever been your normal athlete.”