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By EMILY ANDREWS and GABBY MORGAN

Ball girl: Bethanie Mattek-Sands wears an unusual bespoke outfit for her first match at Wimbledon today


A quick glance and you might have mistaken her for some sort of quirky pop star.

Not for nothing is Bethanie Mattek-Sands known as the Lady Gaga of tennis.

The American baffled fans as she stepped out on court yesterday in war paint and a white bomber jacket decorated with spray-painted white tennis balls chopped in half.

And when she removed her coat, the white dress she had on underneath appeared to have lost a sleeve.


All white? The white fringed jacket was created by Lady Gaga's own fashion designers


The outfit complemented an armful of colourful tattoos, socks pulled up to the knees and the face paint. The 26-year-old claimed that was actually a couple of anti-glare patches.

Miss Mattek-Sands had already turned heads with an equally bizarre tennis ball outfit at a pre-Wimbledon party last week, which was designed by one of Lady Gaga's own dressers.


Ball-girl: Mattek-Sands arrives for her match against Japan's Misaki Doi


British designer Alex Noble had again been commissioned for yesterday's outfit.

Unfortunately for Miss Mattek-Sands, it failed to inspire her to victory.

Despite going into the match as the firm favourite and 30th seed, she lost in three sets to Japan's Misaki Doi. And her decorum appeared to desert her as she refused to shake the umpire's hand at the end.

The tongue-in-cheek number is just another example of how players are working around the rules to make fashion more prominent on court.


Skin art: The tennis player shows off her tattoos in a one-shouldered top


On Monday, Venus Williams wore a Greek-inspired romper suit by her own brand Eleven. And high-end label Ralph Lauren have designed new uniforms for the ball-boys.

Mattek-Sands said last month: 'I don't think I can really challenge the colour rule right now. You know, I got to figure something out. Obviously the white, you got to work with a lot of the cuts.

'Obviously I'll be wearing my high socks. But yeah, it's always challenging to think of new things for Wimbledon.


When fashion meets function: Serena, left, and Venus Williams are trendy sisters at the tournament


source: dailymail

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Simona Halep, who had breast reduction surgery to help her game, comfortably won her first round match against Bojana Jovanovski


At the age of 17, Simona Halep decided that nothing would stand in the way of her ambition to make it to the top in tennis. And that included her generous curves.

She underwent extensive breast reduction surgery to take her from a 34DD to a more modest 34C and as a result rocketed up 450 places in the world rankings.

Two years on, she breezed through her first-round match yesterday and said she was looking forward to a ‘successful Wimbledon’.


Before and after: In 2008 at the French Open girls' singles, left, and today at Wimbledon, right


When she burst on to the scene as a junior champion at the French Open in 2008, Miss Halep’s bountiful chest attracted lots of attention and a growing male fan base.

But she found it was uncomfortable, caused her severe back pain and hampered her movement on court, leaving her ranked 500 in the world.

Following the operation, the Romanian teenager spent several months resting before resuming her career last summer.

She had revealed her decision to fans before going under the knife – and many (presumably male) petitioned her in an attempt to persuade her to reconsider.


Serena Williams was on Centre court as she began her bid for a fifth Wimbledon crown against Aravane Rezai


Serena Williams was overcome with emotion at the end of her match against France's Aravane Rezai, having endured one of the toughest years of her career since she last played in SW19


Diana Ross was there to watch Serena Williams on Centre Court, and found herself surrounded by members of the England cricket team


Celebrating their own victory: Fresh from beating Sri Lanka in the test series, England cricketers Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss enjoy a drink with other team members


But she said her mind was made up.

‘My ability to react quickly was worse and my breasts made me uncomfortable.’
Her large chest guaranteed her attention - and won her a few male admirers - but for Romanian tennis hopeful Simona Halep it was a hindrance.

The extra weight on her chest was uncomfortable and caused severe back pain, which affected her performance on the court - so she decided to have breast-reduction surgery.

And the 19-year-old Romanian today continued to reap the rewards of her decision with a comfortable victory against her Serbian opponent, Bojana Jovanovski, 19, winning 6-1 6-2.

Halep was first noticed on her way to becoming junior champion at the French Open in 2008. In a bid to boost her game, she spent much of the following year recovering from the surgery, which took her cup size down from 34DD to a more modest 34C.


Vitalia Diatchenko displays her power on her way to defeat at the hands of 25th seed Daniela Hantuchova


Currently ranked 58 in the world, she is playing in her first Wimbledon.

At the time she explained her decision to fans, saying: 'It’s the weight that troubles me. My ability to react quickly, my breasts make me uncomfortable when I play.

'I don’t like them in my everyday life, either. I would have gone for surgery even if I hadn’t been a sportswoman.'

Another player who was attracting much attention today was Serena Williams as she began her attempt to claim a fifth Wimbledon title - and third in a row - despite barely lifting a racquet in anger in the past year.

And she overcame a second-set blip to beat Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai 6-3 3-6 6-1.

Afterwards she burst into tears oivercome with emotion as she tried to put behind her one of the toughest years of her career

Williams fought through a mid-match slump, re-establishing her authority in the third set with her big serve and powerful groundstrokes.


Tennis fans wait in a queue hoping for better weather45 than disrupted yesterday's play



The sun broke through early in the day, giving the fans something to smile about


She showed why she is still considered a title favourite despite her long layoff after two foot operations and blood clots on her lungs.

After serving her 13th ace to close out the match, Williams buried her face in her towel and sobbed as she sat on her courtside chair. She was still crying as she walked off the court.

Meanwhile, with Andy Murray safely through in the men's draw, all eyes were on the all-British match between Anne Keothavong and Naomi Broady, which British number 3 Keothavong comfortably won 6-2 6-4.

The day started with organisers having to try and clear a heavy backlog of play after rain wiped out hours of tennis on the opening day.

It may only be day two of the tournament but torrential downpours yesterday meant a series of games were suspended and others did not even begin.

But despite the weather, fans were warned about sunstroke today after 85 people were treated at Wimbledon yesterday despite some of the heaviest rain in years.


Anne Keothavong shakes hands with Naomi Broady of after winning their first round all-British affair


American star Andy Roddick was watched by his wife Brooklyn Decker during his first round match


Slovakia's Karol Beck and Argentina's Carlos Berlocq play out their game under blue skies, in stark contrast to the torrential rain of yesterday evening


The bad weather meant the roof was closed for Murray's match, which did not start until 6.30pm yesterday evening



Bags of support: Murray's kitbag with the messages from fans


Supporters entered an online competition to have their messages displayed on Murray's bag


Early on in the game it was hard watching for his mother Judy and girlfriend Kim Sears


At full stretch: Murray lost the first sense but once his game clicked into gear he completed a comfortable victory


Andy Murray acknowledges the Centre Court crowd carrying the bag with messages of support


John Isner poses after finally claiming victory on the third day of his first round match against Nicolas Mahut


Serena vs Rezai at 2011 Wimbledon


2011 Wimbledon Roger Federer Signed Patiently for Fans Before R1 Match


Roddick vs. Beck - Wimbledon 2011 R1 Highlights


source : dailymail

By EMILY ANDREWS and PAUL HARRIS

Overcome: Serena Williams showed her emotions today after he first round victory by burying her head in a towel before openly crying as she left Centre Court


It's not the image that most people would associate with the so-called Queen of Mean.

Serena Williams – one of the toughest players on the tennis circuit – won her first-round match, sat on her chair … and then dissolved into tears.

Such a display might have been expected from a novice winning her first match at Wimbledon – rather than the defending champion who has won the title four times.



All too much: Miss Williams was upset because she has been out of the game for year following a severe foot injury and suffering from blood clots on her lungs


But as the 29-year-old explained later, emotion overwhelmed her because yesterday was a day she feared she would never see after a year in which her life – let alone her sporting career – almost came to an end.

The American has been absent from tennis for 49 weeks after suffering serious foot injuries in an accident, then life-threatening blood clots on her lungs. ‘It definitely hit me at the end of the match,’ she said. ‘I’m not a crier, so I don’t know.

‘It definitely was so emotional for me because throughout the last 12 months, I’ve been through a lot of things that’s not normal. So it’s just been a long, arduous road. To stand up still is pretty awesome.


Watching on: The large crowd sees Serena rifle down another serve during the match


‘So this was probably the most emotional I’ve gotten after a match, after a win.’ By the standards of some of her previous outfits, Miss Williams was dressed relatively soberly in a white tennis dress with navy piping, matched by a classic cable-knit cardigan – although her hot pants were black.

She added: ‘It wasn’t about winning the match. It was about being out there. Everyone that has had some troubles, whether it be health, whether it be something else, to realise that you can do it. But it just really goes to show if you don’t give up, you still have a chance.’


Hand raised in victory: Serena forces a smile seconds after confirming her win and before the emotion got too much


Within days of claiming her 13th Grand Slam title at the All England Club last summer, Miss Williams’s feet were cut by glass as she left a restaurant in Munich, wearing sandals.

Then in March she had trouble breathing and was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism.


She revealed: ‘I was on my death bed at one point – quite literally. It got to the stage where it felt like I could hardly breathe. Some days I didn’t get out of bed at all. I just laid on a couch thinking, why has this happened to me?

‘At first people said it would be fine, it would be all right but it turned out to be a lot more serious. If it had been left two days later it could have been career-ending – or even worse. They told me I had several blood clots in both lungs. A lot of people die from that.’


In action: Serena Williams plays a forehand during her two sets to one victory over French player Aravane Rezai



Knocked out: Aravane Rezai reaches for a shot during the defeat to Williams on Wimbledon's Centre Court


Floored Serena Williams makes winning lob



source: dailymail

By JESSICA SATHERLEY and LAUREN PAXMAN

Tiny playsuit: Venus Williams wore a thigh-skinning playsuit - with a curiously baggy top half for her first Wimbledon game today


Venus and her sister Serena have so much in common. They are both world class tennis players... and they both have terrible fashion sense.

The older Williams sister cruised through her Court Two match against Uzbekistan's Akgul Amanmuradova this morning, but it was her tiny playsuit - rather than her powerful serve - that everyone was talking about afterwards.

The white onesie was so short you could clearly see the golden hotpants she was wearing underneath every time she bent forwards during the match.


Short shorts: The back of the playsuit was featured an on-tend cutaway, but one that is much more suited to black tie evening wear than to a sporting event


It also had a curiously baggy, and very unflattering top-half, which made her chest look saggy as she ran around the court.

But far from being something a sponsor forced the player to wear, this was an outfit from Venus' own clothing line, EleVen.

The back of the playsuit featured an on-tend cutaway, albeit one that is much more suited to black tie evening wear than to a sporting event.


In action: Venus' outfit showed off her enviable figure - and the gold hot pants she was wearing underneath


Venus did not get everything wrong though - the cotton material had a pretty leafy design woven into it which could have made a lovely sun dress.

The short cut also showed off the tennis star's enviably long legs as she took huge strides towards the net. And the strange outfit clearly did not hold the 31-year-old back, she won her sets 6-3, 6-1.


Cut above: Another view of the outfit from the rear


Yesterday, Venus' little sister, Serena, made her return to Wimbledon following a serious foot injury and blood clots in her lungs that almost ruled her out of tennis for life.

She made sure to stand out in fit form during warm ups by wearing some skin-tight pink and white tie-dye leggings.

And by the looks of the fiery stare in her eye, the US player about to give it her all during her comeback.

Serena, who is a fan of flamboyant on-court ensembles, combined her Nike leggings with a white long-sleeved T-shirt and a Nike black cap.


On-court ensemble: Serena brightened up the court during her warm ups by wearing the tie-dye leggings


She is currently ranked World No. 25 in women’s singles, but has admitted that her and her sister Venus haven’t been able to train as much for the competition as they would have liked.

Serena said: ‘We spent a lot more time together because we were both off.

‘We both haven’t played pretty much at all. It’s been good because, sometimes I hate to say it, but, when you’re down, it’s always good to see someone down with you.’


Letting her hair down: Serena of the USA was talking to the media at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club yesterday ahead of the Wimbledon Championships


Last year Serena won her fourth Wimbledon championship but afterwards suffered a serious foot injury from stepping on broken glass at a restaurant – preventing her from playing for the remainder of 2010.

In March this year she then suffered a hematoma and a pulmonary embolism but has still returned as the defending champion at Wimbledon this year.

While her sister Venus suffered from a hip muscle injury this year.

On top of Serena's medical complications, she may also have to face a showery start to Wimbledon.


Sisters in white: Serena and Venus both wore all-white tennis outfits while training over the weekend


Weather forecasters have predicted torrential rain for the first three days .
But tennis fans still braved the weather to camp outside the All England Lawn Tennis Club in south London last night.

Luckily for the players, officials are preparing to shut the £100million retractable roof on Centre Court, to prevent the rain interfering with the match.

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal, 25, of Spain will open this year’s 125th Wimbledon Championship on Centre Court.


Off-court glamour: Serena looked elegant in a green silk dress at the WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party at the Kensington Roof Gardens in London last week





source :dailymail

By MIKE DICKSON

The true No 1: Roger Federer celebrates beating Novak Djokovic in the French Open semi-finals


Novak Djokovic's brilliant winning streak met a dramatic, murky end when Roger Federer announced he was far from finished.

At 9.37pm and with an overnight suspension due, the Swiss brought Roland Garros to its feet by becoming the first man to beat Djokovic this year as he inflicted on him a 7-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 defeat.

Federer was the last man to overcome the Serb back in November at the O2 Arena, and now he may have put a stop to his ambitions of becoming world No 1.

If Nadal wins Sunday's final he can retain the position threatened by Djokovic's 41 straight victories, a sequence which is one fewer than John McEnroe's run in 1984.



Mutual respect: Federer embraces Djokovic after an enthralling match of the highest quality


What a sight: The Swiss maestro guides another mesmeric backhand down the line


With the start of play ridiculously put back an hour, they looked like gatecrashing women's finals day when Federer, 30 in August, was twice a break down towards the end of the fourth set.

Yet he broke back both times and in the tiebreak, played through badly fading light, pumped down an 18th ace to clinch it 7-5.

Federer has been desperate to show he is not a spent force at a time when he has been shunted out of the top two and the Nadal-Djokovic rivalry is all the rage. It is a powerful motivating force, as his form all fortnight has demonstrated.


When you're hot, you're hot: Djokovic came into the match on the back of a 43-match winning streak


Tough day at the office: Djokovic feels the strain as he loses the first two sets


The confident Djokovic nonetheless forced two set points at 5-4 in the opener before the Swiss went on to edge the tiebreak 7-5.

Then we saw vintage Federer as, roared on by a crowd who have always adored him, he produced superbly fluent groundstrokes to blast through the second set 6-3 before the inevitable Djokovic comeback.

But Federer reached his first Grand Slam final since beating Andy Murray in Melbourne nearly 18 months ago.

A shattered Djokovic immediately pulled out of next week's Aegon Championships at Queen's.


You said it: Federer fans show their support for the 16-time grand slam champion



Celebrity spotting: Actress Salma Hayek was in the stands to watch Federer's brilliant display


FEDERER VS DJOKOVIC - ROLLAND GARROS 2011 | FULL HIGHLIGHTS | OFFICIAL HD



source: dailymail

By Daily Mail Reporter


She may be a grandmother, but don't call her old.

Ernestine Shepherd, 74, of Baltimore has been crowned by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest competitive female bodybuilder ever.

She told the Washington Post: 'Age is nothing but a number'.

Ms Shepherd has impeccably toned 'six-pack' abs that are the marvel of her Baltimore fitness centre.

Her husband of 54 years, Collin Shepherd, says he 'has trouble keeping guys away from her'.

The Shepherds live in Baltimore with their son, 53, and grandson, 14.

Ms Shepherd does some modelling and teaches fitness classes, and told the Washington Post, 'If you are going to try to motivate people, you have to live that part'.

She also trains rigorously with Yohnnie Shambourger, 57,a former Mr Universe who won the gold medal in bodybuilding at the Pan American Games in 1995.

Mr Shambourger told the Post: 'The six-pack is her signature. When she walks in a room and you see her six-pack, you say, "Ohh! Okay!"

'You are a champion', he told Ms Shepherd during a gruelling session. 'I will train you like what you are'.

Ms Shepherd wakes up at 3 a.m. every day to meditate, then hits the trails in a local park to run 10 miles before lunch.

She eats only plain brown rice, bland chicken breast and vegetables, washed down with a glass of raw egg whites, three times a day.

She told the Post she has no 'desire' for sweets.

Ms Shepherd has appeared on 'Today' and 'The Mo’Nique Show' and has been featured in 'Essence' magazine.

Toned at 74: Ms Shepherd runs 10 miles a day, works out religiously and eats a restricted diet. She also teaches fitness and competes as a bodybuilder. She has won two titles and run nine marathons

Happy: Ernestine Shepherd has been married to Collin Shepherd for 54 years. The Baltimore man cooks all her meals and runs errands so she can have more time to train

First prize: Ms Shepherd shows off a trophy she won in a bodybuilding competition

Coach: Ms Shepherd trains with Yohnnie Shambourger, 57, a former Mr Universe and gold medallist in the Pan American Games. He says of his client: 'The six-pack is her signature'

Raw egg whites: Ms Shepherd drinks a glass of raw egg whites three times a day. She rejects steroids and supplements in favour of a 'natural' plan


On 'The Mo’Nique Show' she told the audience they can get fit, too: 'Because we are determined, dedicated and disciplined to be fit. You can. You can do it'.

Over the past 18 years, Ms Shepherd has run nine marathons and won two bodybuilding contests.

But she wasn't always so fit. Ms Shepherd told the Washington Post she was a 'couh potato' until she was 56 years old, when she and her older sister, Mildred, discovered their bodies had started going soft.

The sisters, who grew up very close in Baltimore as the children of a carpenter and schoolteacher, started working out together at a local centre.

They liked the results, and started pushing themselves, eventually entering some bodybuilding contests.

After Mildred died suddenly of an aneurysm, Ms Shepherd was devastated. Her grief started spiralling out of control, until she remembered a promise and a 'pinkie swear' she had made her older sister.

Champion: Over the past 18 years, Ms Shepherd has run nine marathons and won two bodybuilding contests. She does it in part to remember her late sister, Mildred, who died suddenly of an aneurysm

Teacher: Ms Shepherd leads fitness classes at her church and community centres

Inspiration: Ms Shepherd runs 10 miles a day, and inspires many people in her community and beyond

Pumping iron: Ms Shepherd tells seniors not to be afraid of weight training


The sisters had promised to push themselves to be competitive bodybuilders, and Ms Shepherd decided to keep up that legacy.

So she trains, and eats a restrictive diet, and it helps her remember Mildred.

Their younger sister Bernice, a school principal, told her: 'Every time you feel like you can’t make it, lace up your tennis shoes and get out and go walking'.

According to the Washington Post, when people tell Ms Shepherd she is destined to die soon herself, she says 'We are all going to die.

'But it’s the quality of life while I’m living'.

And when Ms Shepherd's cell phone rings, its the theme from the movie 'Rocky'.

She says Sylvester Stallone is her idol.

Not exactly your typical grandmother.


source:dailymail