No more pom-pom socks for Maria Kirilenko as Adidas Stella McCartney signs Caroline Wozniacki

Q: Why do you wear socks with pom-pom on it when you play tennis ?
Maria Kirilenko: This beautiful design of my socks is made by Adidas Stella McCartney. I like it, that is why I play with it!

I guess Kirilenko will not be wearing those pom-pom socks again.

Adidas by Stella McCartney has just dropped her from their tennis clothing line.

She'll be replaced by Danish teen tennis sensation Caroline Wozniacki, who will be the only player to wear Adidas Stella McCartney label at the 2009 US Open.

No wonder Kirilenko looked really upset recently.


(Via Women's Tennis Blog)

Gilles Simon makes heads turn

Everyone loves Gilles Simon.

The Frenchman is fast gaining popularity including in Asia.

I've been seeing him on ACE, an Asian-based tennis magazine show on ESPN Star Sports countless times this year due to request from fans.

And speaking of ACE, if you have any questions for your favourite players, you can forward them to the host Georgina Chang or producer of the show at ace@espnstar.com as they will be covering the Wimbledon tennis tournament LIVE next week.

Be calm... Rafael Nadal could play at Wimbledon warm-up event

First thing first, the headline/statement "Be Calm, I'm Going To Win" on this gorgeous looking cover of the Observer Magazine refers to the featured article written by Elizabeth Kaye (in case some people jump into conclusion and think Nadal is arrogant).

... (Staying calm is) a lesson that sustained (Rafael Nadal) when he was the world's number two for an unprecedented three years, waiting for an opening to become number one. Last year, as he neared that opportunity, rain halted the decisive fifth set of his Wimbledon final with Roger Federer. For the next hour Nadal was sequestered in the locker room with his coach and his trainer. "Be calm," he told them. "I am going to win."...

Yes, Nadal won last year.

However, things aren't look so great for him in this year's Wimbledon campaign especially after losing in the fourth round at the French Open to Sweden's Robin Soderling.

When Nadal decided to pull out of Queen's Club last week with tendinitis in both knees, some believe that he's not going to be able to defend his Wimbledon title this year... perhaps he's not even going to show up!

So after so many hoo-has, now Nadal was saying that he would consider to play at the Hurlingham Club on June 19 which he could take on Swiss' Stanislas Wawrinka if he’s healthy.

Nadal has played at Hurlingham in 2006 and 2007.

“It would be a good test for me to play there on Friday to see how the knee is doing and it would provide the perfect setting to get some practice before Wimbledon,” the 23-year-old said in a statement on his website.

“If I feel the recuperation is going well I will be more than happy to be there again. I hope that’s the case."

Let's see what's going to happen in the next few days. I don't want to speculate too soon.

(Via guardian.co.uk)

Look! It's preppy Andy!

Did Andy Murray have a retro makeover or something?

The sports fashion label Fred Perry unveiled the new tennis kit to be worn by Andy Murray at Wimbledon.

Guess what, Murray also helped design the outfit!

It combines elements of the classic Fred Perry look from the 1950s and 1960s.

Murray, who won his first grass tournament at Queen's on Sunday, is the world no. 3 and goes into the Wimbledon Championships as the highest ranked British tennis player since Perry, who won three Wimbledon singles titles from 1934-36.

Here are more pictures of hottie Murray! I can't believe I've just said that!


(Via guardian.co.uk; Images via andymurray.com)