Tennis Moods Style: Anna Kournikova

She may not have won a tournament in her life, but Russian superstar Anna Kournikova managed to revolutionize the world of tennis. She reached fame at an early age when she advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals in 1997. This led to being perceived a tennis prodigy by many. She couldn’t take the ultimate step though, finding it hard to cope with all the pressure that was put on her fragile shoulders. She was always a top contestant, fighting on equal terms with the world’s best, but somehow she wasn’t able to put together a winning performance. And when she retired in her early twenties, her dream of glory was forever gone. Considering her talent and immense potential, the elusive maiden title remains one of biggest paradoxes in tennis. Nevertheless, Anna will always be remembered as the game's first media darling. The way she mesmerized the audience and the press remains unrivalled to this date.

Being an extremely beautiful blonde babe, Anna was always one to show off her sexuality. She teamed up with Adidas to design the most spectacularly revealing outfits which to perfectly emphasize her sexy curves. In terms of fashion, the Russian was a regular 'as hottest as possible' type. With a wardrobe that ranged from hot pants, to sexy dresses and top, Kournikova was one to provoke and to tease the imagination of her plenitude of fans. The lines were simple, the colour palette not too heavy (usually mono or bichrome) and overall, her style was fresh, joyful and young. Adding to this her incredibly sexy figure, the perfect combination was ensured.

The world's most adored teen

 

 

Anna mania started almost instantaneously, ever since the Russian first set foot on a tennis court. She was like a magnet, stealing the limelight like no other. Her fashion beginnings consisted of sexy dresses, which very well served their purpose, the Russian babe soon becoming the world’s sexiest sport figure. Although she wore angelic outfits (mainly white), her sexuality transpired. She didn’t dare too much, but she always made sure to stand out from the rest of the Adidas gang.

My favourite amid these batch is the blue-white striped dressed she wore when reaching the most important final of her career in 1998 at Key Biscayne.

Full-bloomed babe

 

 

Having established herself as a worldwide sex symbol, Kournikova found it easy to live up to the expectations. She started using hot pants (either tied or loose), introduced electric colours in her repertoire and played a bit with the cuts and lines of her pieces. Having matured and bursting out with confidence, she left the angelic phase behind and opted for a sexier, edgier on court appearance. I really liked the sunny intense yellow top she wore in Australia in 2001 and the irregular shaped apparels she showcased during the second half of the 2002 season.

Sexy ever after

 

 

 

 

 

After her sudden retirement in 2003, Anna Kournikova continued to play tennis occasionally, making some well-acclaimed appearances at several exhibition tournaments. After a fruitful collaboration, she parted ways with Adidas in the spring of 2007 and became a K-Swiss ambassador. Although sexiness is not their trademark quality, the new sponsor did a decent job in perpetuating her legacy. Considering her latest outfits, it looks like her fans have nothing to worry about. Although she lost some weight, the sexy Anna will continue to haunt the imagination of many with her on court display.

photos (top-down / left-right):  SI, ? (x3), Allsport, AP, ? (x3), Reuters, ?, GETTY IMAGES, ? (x3), Reuters, ? (x3), GETTY IMAGES, ? (x3), GETTY IMAGES, AP, GETTY IMAGES, ?, GETTY IMAGES, ? (x3), GETTY IMAGES, AFR, GETTY IMAGES (x2)

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)

Big Mamma set to regain her throne!

Last time she played, Serena Williams was on top of the tennis world. She had just defeated Vera Zvonareva in the Wimbledon final to win her 13th Grand Slam title, strengthening her position as the world's number 1. Soon after, she injured her foot by accidentally stepping on broken glass, spending most of last season fighting this recurring problem. Her plans of making a return for the Australian Open suffered a major setback when she was diagnosed with a life threatening pulmonary embolism. After having undergone surgery to remove the blood clot from her lungs, she postponed her comeback, spending time recovery both mentally and physically.

She finally felt ready to play again in Eastbourne, where she her first round opponent was Bulgarian Tsvetlana Pironkova. Serena was rusty in the beginning, losing the first set 6-1. She gradually regained her confidence though, finding her range and managing to turn things around and ensure a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 win. Pironkova, a semifinalist at Wimbledon the last season, was a tough opponent for the American, but the biggest test was to follow. Although she failed it, going out 6-3, 6-7, 7-5 to top-seeded Zvonareva, Serena achieved a decent result this week. Building on this, the two times defending champion looks determined not to lose her title without putting in a fierce battle.

 

While sidelined, Serena enjoyed life to the fullest. The lack of her regular intensive trainings took its toll and, as portrayed in a series of unflattering bikini pictures that circled on the internet, her body was beginning to look rather grotesque. She struggled with her weight throughout her career, but she always managed to come back fitter than ever. The most amazing story happened at the 2007 Australian Open, when a rather fat Williams defy the odds, the mockery and her opponents to win her third crowd. Therefore, I was really curious to see if the American can pull it off again this time. Surprisingly, she did, looking as fit as before, showing no signs of her extended lay off. She may be chubbier than most of the players, but she's always been like this, especially in the last couple of seasons.
Also, her fashion credentials were back to their usual high with her nice Nike outfit. The simple pink dress (pink being one of those colours she always comes back) did the trick once again, perfectly emphasizing her curvy body.

photos:  Socialitelife (x3), GETTY IMAGES

Un scoop de la mode parisienne

With the French Open getting underway, the tennis elite was quick to showcase its latest outfits. The venue being Paris, la capitale de la mode, many players got inspired. In the absence of the Williams sisters and with Wozniacki insisting to wear the hideous Hawaiian dress, Maria Sharapova stole the show with a bright yellow, classy Nike dress. There must be something about the Roland Garros, as Sharapova always wears her most remarkable outfits in the French capital. I have heavy criticizes the Russian this year for lowering her fashion standards and allowing herself to wear the same clothes as other tour player. Although I still think she lost her authenticity and thus the uniqueness of her outfits has vanished, the Russian proved she retains her fashionista status. She knows exactly what clothes to pick and how to make a fashion statement. After winning in Rome, Sharapova looks poised to conquer Paris and to complete her Grand Slam collection. 

Kim Clijsters, probably the top female contestant, signaled her return from injury with a new look. The cute Belgian looks younger, fresher and completely focused on adding a first Suzanne Lenglen cup to her resume. The interesting thing about her outfit is that, due to the pattern, the blouse blends in perfectly with the clay surface. Although I am not blown away by it, I am enchanted by her overall look. Great to have adorable Kimmie back.

Without starting out from the crowd, Victoria Azarenka and Vera Zvonareva are both topping the mainstream Nike, respectively USTA, fields with great looking outfits. While Victoria made some inspired choices this year, managing to always look her utmost best, Zvonareva is yet to climb the highest fashion peaks. After turning around her career with Grand Slam finals at Wimbledon and the US Open, Vera gives signs that she is improving her style too. I really like the K-Swiss apparel and fashion wise, I think she took an inspired decision to switch to the American sponsor.

As usually though, not everyone was that inspired. Sabine Lisicki for example wore a completely mismatched orange/ pink outfit, while Tsvetlana Pironkova looked cheap and cheesy in her strawberry, 'fancy wannabe' top. At least these two players wore what their sponsors gave them. It wasn't the case for fashionistas disasters Jelena Jankovic and Bethanie Mattek-Sands who continue to present to us the rough outcome of their styleless creativity. While Jankovic proudly introduced us with the pink version of her 'spring' dress, Bethanie, proving to be a one-trick ponny, wore her trademark knee high socks and coal miner make-up.

 

On the men's side, Roger Federer is back to his fashion best. After getting rid of the dull T-shirt he wore lately, the Swiss Master is once again elevating his style with a great carmine T-shirt and a matching jacket. A plus for the retro element of his outfit.

French duo of Gael Monfils and Jo Wilfried Tsonga wore dynamic outfits to match their volcanic personalities. While Monfils dared the partisan home crowds in vivid purple, Tsonga kept to his usual green. The dark tone of their skins contrasts very well bold colours, so the Frenchmen proved inspired once more. Compared to the rest of the player, they provide the fashion salt & pepper that the ATP tour needs.

photos (top-down / left-right):  GETTY IMAGES (x2), AP (x3), GETTY IMAGES (x3), ?, AP, ? (x2), GETTY IMAGES (x2)