• by Sarah Mahoney , Yesterday

As the U.S. Open heats up, tennis’s biggest stars are dressed a little differently. Lacoste is temporarily replacing its trademark crocodile logo with a goat,  as brand spokesperson Novak Djokovic continues his quest to become the first tennis player ever to win 25 Grand Slam titles.

The logo swap is reportedly the first-ever for the 93-year-old brand. “From a crocodile to the GOAT,” the MF Brands-owned tennis classic says in the launch video. “Discover a collection that celebrates @DjokerNole, a one-of-a-kind player whose career is defined by passion, perseverance, and greatness.

The new campaign features posters of Djokovic on each of the four surfaces on which he created his legend: hard court, indoor court, clay and grass. BETC, based in Paris, is the agency.

Lacoste isn’t the only brand trying to make a fashion statement in Flushing Meadows.One of the loudest comes from Vuoiri, the athleisure brand, which recently lured Jack Draper (the No. 5 seed) away from Nike.

ON, which is already turning its relationship with legend Roger Federer into an empire, may also receive plenty of attention. The Swiss brand’s athletes include Ben Shelton (No. 6 seed) and Poland’s Iga witek, seeded at No.2.

New Balance is likely to be a bright spot with its latest collection for Coco Gauff, ranked at No. 3, featuring a new colorway called Urgent Red and Monarch Burgundy.

American Amanda Anisimova, No. 9 seed, will also shine. She just announced a new partnership with Tiffany, modeling pieces from Tiffany’s HardWear Collection.

Tiffany, the official trophy sponsor of the event, is maxing its tournament moment with an elaborate pop-up. Spectators can view the giant Tiffany Blue tennis ball and the men's and women's Singles Championship trophies, crafted annually by Tiffany's master silversmiths. New this year is an AI experience that lets guests see themselves as tennis stars on the main court.

Nike, meanwhile, is drawing criticism from tennis’ devoted fashionistas, defending the style integrity of Aryna Sabalenka’s, the world's No. 1 player and a Nike athlete. Many took to social media to complain that the stunning black tennis dress with cutouts, allegedly designed exclusively for Sabalenka’s center court appearance, already made its debut, worn by another qualifying player.

A similar incident occurred at the French Open in May, with fans criticizing Nike for not protecting Sabalenka’s style.  Wrote one: “They really don’t respect World #1’s these days, and it shows.”