The hottest duo gets hotter

Two of my favourite tennis players joined forces late last season to become the hottest doubles team on the WTA tour. Victoria Azarenka and Maria Kirilenko play seldom together, but when they do, they are up for a great performance. They showed us a proof last week in Stanford, when they have captured their third trophy together. After easy wins in earlier round, the duo posed a convincing display to defeat doubles legends Lisa Raymond and Liezel Hubel in the final act.

The courts from the Stanford University bear a special significance in their hearts, as they mark the opening chapter of their story. Last year, in their first showing together, Maria and Victoria advanced to the semifinals. To build on their great start, a couple of weeks later, playing in their second tournament, they ended up victorious by capturing the prestigious Cincinnati title.

This year, the duo has committed to playing more often and the results did not fail to come. After reaching the final of the Australian Open and winning the Premier crown in Madrid, this title comes as another glimpse of their huge potential. Both are very promising singles players. While Maria is still struggling to fulfill her talent, Azarenka's career is in full bloom. Moreover, Maria is a regular doubles player, while Victoria owns a strongest doubles resume. She has two mixed doubles Slams under her belt, plus several other Slam finals both in mixed and women's doubles. Nevertheless, as in singles, it's their inconsistency that impedes them from reaching the highest heights. Even so, given their excellent achievements in their scarce outings, their future looks bright, the duo starting to strengthen its credentials as one of the toughest on the tour.

Women's tennis needs a spark to ignite a rather dull period and I think that Victoria and Maria possess all the attributes to fill in this gap.

photos:  GETTY IMAGES

The white fashion scoop

Under the strict rules & regulations of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, the tennis elites were quick to showcase the white masterpieces they prepared for this year's edition. With their creativity being already restricted to this sole colour, the players needed to come up with something really spectacular to steal the show. In recent year, the Williams sisters own the event, both based on their on court performances, as well as their fashion choices. This time around it looks to be no exception with Venus scoring high at the fashion department once again.
Overall, we are witnessing a pretty quiet Wimbledon, no player, except for Mattek Sands and maybe Venus, going overboard. The trend is towards simplicity, especially from Nike who came with a retro collection. Adidas is back at its best with some joyful, fresh pieces. Nevertheless, I somehow miss all the glam and sophistication of previous years when Federer, Sharapova, the Williamses transformed the Centre Court into a genuine catwalk.

'Relight my fire'. Venus is back with a bang. As expected the American saved the best for London where she made headlines with her spectacular jumpsuit. Although the lacy fabric might seem a bit too precious for a tennis court, Venus's outfit landed in the fashion history of the sport as one which will probably open many doors in the future. I find it incredible how well she fulfills her designer potential by putting her brand on the map everytime she steps on the court. As she's always reinventing herself, she is so beneficial for the game and for fashion. I am glad to have her and her tricky style back.

Serena Williams barely escaped being one of the block by wearing this personalized retro cardigan. I am into this kind of sweaters, so I applaude her choice. Plus it's something she never wore in the past.

Julia Goerges and Petra Kvitova also wore the Nike retro collection. Really simple, all white outfits, just some black lines here and there to emphasize some key parts.

Without his personalized blazers, Federer looks to have lost his aura when he stepped on Center Court. I hope the Swiss Master will turn the tables on his main rivals and recaptures his Wimbledon credentials by claiming a seventh crown.

Victoria Azarenka and French Open champion Na Li opted for a rather dull Nike attire that doesn't help them stand out from the crowd. While the Chinese added a shaky on court performance which saw her exit the tournament in the second round, I hope the Belorussian will be more fortunate. It really is time she takes that ultimate step towards Grand Slam glory.

Kimiko Date Krumm and Maria Kirilenko look fresh and cool in these Adidas outfits. While the Russian would look good no matter what she wears, the 40 years old Japanese manages to turn back time, proving tough competition for her younger rivals when it comes to on-court looks also.

'The Queen of Waffles'. World number 1 Caroline Wozniacki insists on bringing her Stella McCarthy 'waffles' to the court wearing the white version of the dress she showcased earlier this year at Indian Wells or Roland Garros. Besides not liking it, there is not much more to say.

'Lady Fucking NOT Gaga'. Although she lost in the first round, Bethanie Mattek-Sands made headlines at this year's Wimbledon after teaming up with one of Lady Gaga's designer, Alex Noble. After the disaster she wore at the pre-party, the American showed another monstrosity when she stepped on court. I guess that not everything that is Lady Gaga connected has to be a success. Moreover, not anyone can be Lady Gaga. Some, i.e. Bethanie, can only dream about it though. This is just another example of her sick passion for pushing the fashion boundaries in the most hideous way. I hope she'll take a break soon.

 

'One day only'. Jankovic might have opted for a rather decent dress (i.e. for her standards), but by failing in her first round match to Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, she ended her London adventure quicker than expected. No chance to get a second look at her apparel.

The 'Godmother' Aravane Rezai looked like she was about to fulfill her role at a cheap wedding. She was building on the heavy criticism she received for her over the top, hideous outfits, but it appears like success is eluding her. She failed one more both on court and fashion wise.

'The Most Athletic of Them All'. I might have said it before, but once more I am a fan of Gael Monfils' K-SWISS attire. The athletic French looks utterly fit in the sleeveless T-shirt and sporty shorts. He is one of the few men players who managed not to look dull at this year's championship.

photos (top-down / left-right):  EPA; AP (x2), Reuters, GETTY IMAGES (x13), ?, AP, MurraySanders, AP (x2), GETTY IMAGES (x4)

My French Disillusion

After the early defeats of Kim Clijsters, Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Wozniacki, I have put all my faith in Victoria Azarenka, who became many people's top contestant for the Suzanne Lenglen cup. As the Belarus showed amazing form lately, winning two consecutive titles and losing just one match since Miami (i.e. to Petra Kvitova in the Madrid final), I genuinely believed this could be her year. Although she experienced some medical issues which forced her to retire from Stuttgart and Rome, she came out swinging at Roland Garros progressing to the quarterfinals without losing a set. She had played some Slam quarterfinals before, but for whatever reasons she couldn't pass this stage. Facing such a wide draw, I was really expecting Victoria to go all the way this time. Even though her opponent, Chinese Na Li, has beaten Azarenka in 3 of their 4 previous meeting, this was definitely Victoria's chance to break her habit. She failed to take it though, losing it in straight sets. Li, who is currently experiencing a surprising dream run on the French clay, looked solid throughout the match, breaking decisively in the 12th game to seal a 7-5 first set win. She recovered from an early break in the second to win it even more convincing, 6-2. Azarenka is left to meditate on yet another missed opportunity, while Li is turning a great season into an exceptional one.

 

Unfortunately, the series of disappointments didn't stop here. Turning to the women's doubles tournament, both my favourite duos suffered early loses. While Dulko & Pennetta's chances were hindered after the Argentinean retired from her singles match due to injury, Azarenka & Kirilenko looked set to capture a great claycourt season by winning their first Grand Slam together. Both teams lost in the quarterfinals stage, Dulko/ Pennetta to red-hot Elena Vesnina & Sania Mirza, while the latter to experienced Lisa Raymond & Liezel Huber. After their great performances, I would have liked the hot duo to get a much deserved Slam. They should fancy their chances at next week's Wimbledon, where they can finally fulfil their dream. This defeat makes Azarenka my biggest disillusion of this year's French Open. She started the week with such great odds both in singles and doubles, but she failed lamentably.

The men's doubles tournament added up to the disillusion, as the top seeds Mike and Bob Mike suffered a shock semifinal defeat at the hands of Colombian Juan Sebastian Cabal and Argentinean Eduardo Schwank. After a tight first set which was won 7-6 by the South American duo, the Bryans looked to have regained control storming to a double break 3-0 second set lead. It all came tumbling down though when the Americans lost focused, allowing their opponents to take 6 consecutive games. It marks a rather disappointing end to what has been an excellent claycourt season for the Bryan twins.

photos (top-down): AP, FFT, AP

Tennis Moods Style: Maria Kirilenko by Stella McCarthy

Maria Kirilenko is probably one of the most underrated players on the WTA tour. A prominent junior who won the US Open title in 2002, the Russian was always overshadowed by her more famous compatriots after turning pro. It is true that Kirilenko is yet to match the performances of her fellow Russian women (i.e. Kuznetsova, Myskina, Dementieva or Sharapova), but her game definitely hints that success is within her reach. Maybe she is a late bloomer. Nowadays, after Schiavone's magical run at the 2010 Roland Garros, nothing seems impossible anymore.
However, if when it comes to tennis Maria might be an easy target, when it comes to fashion Maria puts in a fierce fight. It all started at the 2006 Australian Open, when the young Russian became the face of Adidas by Stella McCarthy. This collaboration put her on the map, generating media fuzz and ensuring everyone's attention. It marked the perfect blend of good-looks, charm, appropriate fabrics and great clothes. For me, during this period, the Russian was the best dressed tennis player in the world. She might have benefited from the services of a  renowned fashion designer, but her overall fashionista demeanor surely played a utterly important part. Being a shy, introvert personality, Kirilenko didn't like to brag too much about her looks and tried to focus on her game. This probably cost her the deal in the end, as young gun Dane Caroline Wozniacki stole the spotlight in late 2009. 
These three years can be regarded as a successful recipe as the McCarthy clothes perfectly reflected Maria's inner self. Though not spectacular, just simple cuts and a rather pale colour palette, the pieces had a bit of edge, were unique, classy and wearable. Kirilenko looked adorable in them, resembling a genuine tennis princess. However, now, after losing her throne, the Russian faces a tough challenge to retain her status. She is still the cute, lovable girl, but the regular Adidas clothing she is forced to wear don't do her much justice. The spark was lost, I just hope she can regain it.

 

The 2006 Collection

The 2007 Collection

The 2008 Collection

The 2009 Collection

photos (top-down / left-right):  ? (x6), GETTY IMAGES (x19)

Something to spoil Azarenka's party!

What a week this could have been for a red-hot Victoria Azarenka! She cruised through her first three singles matches losing only five games and looking poised to maintain her recent fine run of form with yet another title at the Premier event in Madrid. She then overcame a tricky opponent, i.e. Czech Lucie Safarova, who managed to win a set during their quarterfinal clash before bowing out to the powerful Belorussian. What should have been the toughest nut to crack, proved a relatively easy affair for Victoria, who dismissed the other in form player at the moment, German Julia Goerges, with a routine 6-4,6-2 win. Just when everything was starting to go her way, Petra Kvitova came along. She looked utterly sharp and determined  since the very beginning. She kept her demeanor throughout the final, coming out on top of a tough two setter to spoil Azarenka's party. She may have been overpowered by Kvitova, who denied her the third title of the season, but Victoria definitely has enough reasons to celebrate. Her steady results and impressive string of victories ensured she became the first Belorussian to crack into the top 4 when the new ranking will be released on Monday. Previously she shared the record with compatriot Natasha Zvereva, who made it to number 5 in the world back in 1989. 

 

Moreover, her victory in the doubles adds up to the celebration. Ever since she joined forces with Russian Maria Kirilenko, the duo found instant success. Last year, in one of their first tournaments together, they've won the Premier event in Cincinnati. More significantly, this year, the two were a set and 4-1 up in the Australian Open final, before finally succumbing to world number 1 Flavia Pennetta and Gisela Dulko. They got a well deserved revenge in Madrid, knocking them out in the quarterfinals stage. Besides having to dispose of the number 1 seeds, their path to glory was really challenging, Radwanska/ Hantuchova, King/ Shedova  and Srebotnik/ Peschke being among their opponents. They won each battle handily and collected the biggest trophy of their resume. Both being excellent doubles contestants, I am sure this is only the beginning of a fruitful collaboration.

Adding everything up, I am really glad to see Azarenka delivering and consolidating her place among the world's best. This is where she belongs and probably many were expecting her to make the transition there sooner. Nevertheless, her coming of age is great for women's tennis and if she can stay injury free and pick up consistency, the future can only look better.

photos (top-down): Reuters, GETTY IMAGES

It's getting HOT in here!

In the last decades, tennis courts have become hotter than catwalks.  The early 90s saw Argentinian Gabriela Sabatini emerge as the most beautiful player ever to have graced this sport. Immediately after her retirement, a teen sensation from Russia stole the show. Backed by her remarkable run to the Wimbledon semis in 1997, Anna Kournikova quickly turned into the media darling. Fan's all around the world were enchanted by the flirty, sexy teenager who bewitched crowds whenever she made an appearance. These two players are the pioneers who transformed tennis from a pure athletic sport into a beauty pageant.  Sabatini had a strong career behind her. Kournikova on the other hand never rose to the expectations. However, her legacy is so strong that she'll always be mentioned among the world's best champions. 

The below list comprises five of the sexiest tennis player of all time. All of them are still in their 20s, although some have hanged up their rackets, retiring prematurely due to injury.

Exotic Ana

Ana first burst into the scene in 2005 by making it to the quarter-finals of the French Open. She was a bit chubby then, but even so she managed to arouse people's interest. As her tennis got better, so did her looks. In 2007 when she became the first Serb player to reach a Grand Slam final at Roland Garros, she was already a top contestant for the sexiest player title. Although the competition was fierce, Ana had an advantage. Her results on court kept improving and after winning Roland Garros and making it to number 1 a year later, she became the hotter player ever to reach the top position. She had the world at her feet, but unfortunately, immediately after, a string of negative events saw lose her grip. In 2010 she reached a dead end when slipping out of the top 50. She managed to get herself together by winning two tournaments and making it back to the top 20 by the end of the year.

photos (top-down / left-right): anaivanovic.com, GETTY IMAGES, anaivanovic.com (x2)

Demonic Anna

As mentioned, Kournikova was always a good player, but she never really fulfilled her potential. After her incredible run at Wimbledon, everyone was expecting her to make it one step further and play, even win, Gland Slam finals. Unfortunately for her fans, the Russian bombshell, never even won a title, although she played several finals. Even so, her constant top 10 rankings ensured she was hanging out there with the best, enabling her to capture all the attention. At one point, her successful partnership with Martina Hingis ended because the two Divas fought about who should get the most coverage. Kournikova reportedly told her Swiss partner: "you might be world number 1, but I am the star of the team". The duo managed to get pass their differences and joined forces to win two Australian Open trophies. Anna wasn't a magnet only for the press, but also for sponsors. Big companies paid millions of dollar to have the beautiful Russian endorse their products. She basically opened the door for the young generation who nowadays gets more money from advertising than from tennis prizes. Although she quit in 2003, Anna will always be remembered for her persona. She brought sex-appeal, charisma, good looks and the much needed attention this captivating sport was lacking.

photos (top-down / left-right):  ? (x2), Sports Illustrated, ?

Angelic Maria

I got to know Maria Kirilenko as this sweet, angelic Russian teenager who was wearing unique Adidas outfits. Later on I found she was the spokesperson for the Adidas by Stella McCarthy brand. One of the most promising player of her generation, Maria remained incognito for a long period of time. Being over-shadowed by her most famous colleague, Maria Sharapova, Kirilenko had to fight hard to capture people's attention. Although she experienced some success in tier 2 tournaments winning a few, her true breakthrough came when least expected. In 2010, in Melbourne, she turned her first round match against Sharapova around and emerged victorious. This win made all the difference in the world to Maria. Relieved of the pressure of always being the underdog in the battle with her nemesis, Maria made it all the way to the quarter-finals, her first Grand Slam appearance. The remaining season was good, consisting of steady results. She played the final of her hometown tournament in Moscow and returned to the top 20. Although she lost her deal with Stella McCarthy to Caroline Wozniacki, Kirilenko remains one genuine fashionista on and off the courts. A really nice person who still has time to shine.

photos (top-down / left-right):  ? (x2), Sports Illustrated, ?

Brilliant Brunette Sorana

Sorana is a really interesting case for me. I am usually not into Romanian players. They are all promising, especially the young generation, but for one reason or another they never deliver. Sorana proved at Roland Garros in 2009 that she has the stamina to fight against the top player and to come out on top. After dismissing Jelena Jankovic, the young Romanian made it to her first Grand Slam quarter. An impressive result considering she was among the first within her generation (i.e. a generation that includes amid others the Dane Caroline Wozniacki) to accomplish this feat. Since then she struggled with a lack of form, barely hanging in the top 100. Her youth is her main advantage though and I can only hope that, in time, she will learn how to make use of her huge forehand. That shot is definitely one that can help her reach top 15 if she remains consistent. 

photos (top-down / left-right):  ?, GETTY IMAGES, ?, GETTY IMAGES

Naughty Tatiana

With Tatiana, it was always about her moods. At times she played unbelievable, stunning, looking capable to make it to number 1 in the world. Soon after, her game fell apart and you were left wondering how can a top tennis player play so poorly. In this roller-coaster ride, one thing always remained constant: she really enjoyed her time on the court. She seemed this funny, likable teenager looking to have the time of her life. Success didn't come as soon as expected though. The 2007 season was her best. Unfortunately, it was also her last. She won two titles, pushed Justine Henin (i.e. the undisputed world number one at the time) all the way in two fierce battles and things seemed to be heading in the right direction. Sadly, at the start of 2008 she picked up an injury that ended her career. Although she's only 23 and genuinely missed, there are no signs of her attempting to return to the tour anytime soon.  

photos (top-down / left-right):  Sports Illustrated, ? (x2), Sports Illustrated

Maria Kirilenko

Maria Yuryevna Kirilenko (Russian: Мари́я Ю́рьевна Кириле́нко; born in Moscow on 25 January 1987) is a Russian professional tennis player. Kirilenko won her first WTA Tour title in 2005, defeating Anna-Lena Grönefeld in the China Open. Kirilenko reached 18, her career-high singles ranking, on the WTA tour in July 2008. She won the junior event at the 2002 Canadian Open, as well as the 2002 US Open junior tournament. She has reached one Grand Slam quarterfinal at the 2010 Australian Open. As of 8 November 2010, Kirilenko is ranked World No. 20.

Maria Kirilenko Images

Maria Kirilenko Tennis Gallery

Personal life

Born in the Soviet Union of paternal Ukrainian heritage, Kirilenko is a good friend of fellow WTA players Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanović, Agnieszka Radwańska, and Marta Domachowska. Kirilenko is affectionately called Makiri. She is in a relationship with tennis player Igor Andreev.

Tennis career

Junior career

Maria Kirilenko started showing a passion towards tennis at age 5, but it was difficult to get the practice in while she was attending school. Her father enrolled her in a tennis school, and hours of fierce training started to pay off as she won several tournaments.

When Kirilenko was twelve years old, an Honored Master of sports, Elena Brioukhovets, saw her while training. All the next year Elena watched Maria making progress and then offered to work together with her. A three-year program was made and a special team was selected. In less than three years Maria became the number one in her age group and the number two in the group under eighteen. The well-known tennis-players Yevgeni Kafelnikov, Andrei Olhovskiy and Max Mirnyi, who had created an organization supporting young tennis-players, helped Kirilenko to arrange her training-process and to attend tournaments.

In 2002 Kirilenko became one of the youngest winners of the Canadian Open and the US Open Junior Tournaments.