The Wimbledon tournament gets underway on Monday, and reigning champion Serena Williams is already making an impression. The 21-year-old wore a striking pink t-shirt, bearing the slogan "get in touch with your feminine side", when she turned out on the practice courts at the weekend.
The world number one was sporting the eye-catching item in an effort to publicise the Women's Tennis Association.
As Serena and her fellow athletes get ready to do battle on Wimbledon's legendary courts, so staff at the All England Lawn Tennis Club are gearing up for the biggest security operation the competition has ever seen. Fans will face airport-style security checks and sniffer dogs have been drafted in, after warnings from intelligence chiefs that terrorists might see the tournament as a "soft target".
There are also concerns that many top players may stay away from next year's event because of a row over prize money. Around 150 top tennis players, including Tim Henman and Andre Agassi, are reportedly considering a boycott in 2004, unless the Grand Slams set aside 30 percent of their revenue for prize money. Between them, the four major tournaments generate £100 million.
For the next two weeks, however, there is only one thing that will be on any of their minds – winning the world's most prestigious tennis competition.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
