NEW YORK—Clothing controversies can't obscure championship character says Venus Williams.

The two-time US Open champion came to younger sister Serena's defense after the French Tennis Federation president suggested the black cat suit the 23-time Grand Slam champion wore in Paris was disrespectful to the sport.

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Earlier this week, FFT president Bernard Guidicelli was quoted in a magazine article as saying: “I think we sometimes went too far. The combination of Serena this year, for example, it will no longer be accepted. You have to respect the game and the place.”

Asked her reaction to those comments, Venus said people should focus on the bigger picture.

"Serena has done so much for tennis, so much for tennis, so much for people in the world," Venus Williams said after out-dueling 2004 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in her US Open opener. "I think that's the only focus that we can focus on."

Eleven-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal weighed in on the issue after his first-round triumph over compatriot David Ferrer.

Asked his reaction to Roland Garros tournament director Guy Forget recently saying the tournament is considering a dress code, Nadal, who brought back the sleeveless shirt for this US Open, said every Grand Slam has a right to a dress code.

"I think that everybody is fair to do whatever works better for the tournament," Nadal said. "I really believe when you have a tournament like Wimbledon that they do what they want. You cannot say to another event that they have to do another thing. That's my opinion."

Photo credit: Roland Garros Facebook