TENNIS NOTEBOOK | Notes from Wimbledon

Fashion fault: Bethanie Mattek's outfit at Wimbledon was a fashion fault with the critics. Dressed in knee-high socks, short shorts and a tube top over a halter top, the 21-year-old American received largely negative reviews in the British press following her first-round loss to Venus Williams. "Crime of Fashion" wrote The Guardian. The Times of London said Mattek stole the show with a "design for living beneath the bread line -- the loudest fashion statement of the tournament." And the Daily Mail, in a caption with a photo of Mattek sitting down after falling during a rally, said: "Sock it to me: humorous hosiery was Mattek's only contribution." Most of the fashion statements at Wimbledon thus far have gotten positive reviews -- Russian player Maria Kirilenko wore a Stella McCartney design; umpires and court officials are dressed in Ralph Lauren; and Roger Federer has been wearing a Great Gatsby-era cream-colored sports jacket when he walks on court.
Ready for 2008: The Chinese surge in women's tennis continues at Wimbledon -- three of the six Chinese players in the singles draw are into the third round. Two will face former Grand Slam winners -- Zheng Jie takes on Kim Clijsters in the third round today while Li Na plays Svetlana Kuznestova. Peng Shuai, who beat Shahar Peer of Israel 6-4, 7-6 (5) on Thursday, will play Flavia Pennetta of Italy on Saturday. Elena Likhovtseva beat Sun Tiantian 6-3, 6-3 on Thursday in a second-round match while Yuan Meng and Yan Zi lost their first-round matches. Zheng and Yan became the first Chinese players to win a Grand Slam title when they took the Australian Open doubles title in January. Zheng and Yan, seeded fourth at Wimbledon, won their first-round match Thursday. Maria Sharapova said Thursday that with the Beijing Olympics approaching in 2008, it won't be long before a Chinese player challenges for a Grand Slam singles title. "Every time I go to China, people get so excited about tennis," said Sharapova. "They want you to do lots of clinics and inspire young boys and girls. With that, and the amount of money they have in order to build that, I think for sure you'll see it very soon."
Super Sunday: For sports fans, it's Super Sunday -- the men's singles championship at Wimbledon and the World Cup soccer final in Berlin on July 9.
Stamp of approval: Sharapova is under orders from her agent not to talk about her stamp collection. Why? Because "everyone's calling me a dork now," she says. "We're getting e-mails from stamp collecting magazines asking if I can do an interview," Sharapova said after her second-round win Thursday over Ashley Harkleroad. "It's just a hobby. I'm actually good telling stories, but that is one I should have never talked about. Let's get off the subject because I'm going to be an absolute geek tomorrow."
Associated Press
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