Tennis is a sport that brings together athletic performance and style, especially when it comes to female players. Twenty years ago, there was very little variation in the tennis players’ dresses, as all of them were white, short and had the more or less the same cut. Even so, big crowds of people seemed to be attracted by this sport which offered much more entertainment for the viewers than others such as chess or running. As fashion gained a more attention from the masses, this also reflected in sports like tennis, and that’s why over the past few years, more and more spectators are delighted to witness and enjoy tennis matches that bring fashion into the game. The big haute couture houses and the most important sports equipment brands took advantage of this, therefore many female tennis players have become the faces of sporting good, cosmetic, fashion and perfume companies.
The Beautiful Gabriela Sabatini
One of the pioneers of this trend was Gabriela Sabatini, who launched a perfume named after her. That was back in 1989. In 1992, People’s magazine published a list of the 50 most beautiful people. Sabatini was included in this list. Since then, many beautiful and talented female tennis players have launched successful modeling careers. They don’t shy away from the catwalk at all. For instance, the Italian number one female tennis player and world’s number 10 rank, Flavia Pennetta, presented the latest Pin-Up Stars bikini collection for Spring/Summer 2010 at the Milan Fashion Week. Her runway performance attracted the crowds as Flavia has a beautiful form and an elegant walk full of style and grace.
Photo of Italian Tennis Star Flavia Pennetta
Female tennis players can easily enter the fashion and modeling world. All they have to do is get themselves noticed at the US Open, Wimbledon or any of the other tournaments they participate in. If they manage to enter the higher stages of the competition, like the quarter finals or semifinals, and if they look good, their way to the top of the fashion world is almost secured. That’s why female tennis players rank amongst the world’s best-paid athletes. Prizes in tennis championships are high and sponsorship fees are even higher. However, this is not easy money, as performance in sport is very much about work and only a little bit about inate talent. Training is essential for reaching performance, as well as for maintaining it over years. Add to this the modeling work and trainings, the time you need to allocate to your loyal fans, the long and exhausting travels, and you’ll see it’s not so easy to be one of the top faces in ladies tennis.