Professional tennis players are about more than serves, backhands and forehands – there's also their style, movement and the way they carry themselves on court, and their off-court presence and personality.
Here's an overview of the best looks in tennis in 2008. For the purposes of this ranking, looks are viewed as an overall combination of appearance, personality and style, and fashion sense.
MEN
1. Roger Federer: The long-time No. 1 and current No. 2 player is among the most fluid and graceful athletes in tennis history. Always neatly attired on and off the court, his strongest statement in 2008 was the switch at Wimbledon from his white blazer (2006-07) to a white cardigan, which he wore when he walked onto the court. Neither as formal or as contrived as the blazer, the cardigan was a more solid, practical choice for the five-time Wimbledon champ. Unfortunately for him, it happened to coincide with the end of that five-year winning streak at Wimbledon.
2. Rafael Nadal: The world No. 1 from Majorca has a refreshingly unaffected, boyish air about him, either playing or relaxing away from the court. He has roused interest in tennis in a younger generation with his muscular physique and rambunctious style of play. His mammoth arms in his sleeveless Nike top are a sight to behold and a personal calling card. Now if only he and other players such as Juan Martin del Potro would stop wearing the bare-armed style shirt at all those indoor events. It really only belongs in the sunshine of the great outdoors.
3. Feliciano Lopez: The Spaniard, 27, is just too sexy for his shirt. While he is a fine talent and a versatile shot-maker, his handsome face and toned torso makes him seem less like a tennis player and more like a model who should be sculpted in marble. Also, in an era of baggy shorts, Lopez has somehow succeeded in wearing his in a form-fitting fashion that leaves little to the imagination when it comes to the curves of his backside.
4. Marat Safin: The Russian, who turns 29 next month, is becoming something of an 'older man' fantasy for many female fans of the pro tour. Safin has lost a little of his youthful insouciance but his natural virility allows him to wear any kind of outfit, on court or off, and pull it off with panache. The fact that he is not winning very much anymore does little to diminish the timeless allure of this quixotic Muscovite.
5. Eduardo Schwank: The Argentine, 22, introduced himself to the tennis world when he pushed the host country's Paul-Henri Mathieu to 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(9) in a centre-court thriller at Roland Garros. The little-known Schwank is a rugged “gaucho” who wears a distinctive short-brimmed cap. Ranked No. 58 after starting the year at 171, the long, brown-haired Schwank revels in the roar of the crowd. He enow needs to produce results that will earn him more exposure on the major show-courts.
BAD LOOK: Andy Murray. He has matured remarkably well and now in no way resembles the sourpuss the British media once portrayed him to be. But his drab Fred Perry clothing – boring shades of grey without the slightest whimsy in the design – is brutal. How about adding a little tartan motif for the scintillating Scot.
WOMEN
1. Ana Ivanovic: The Serb, 21, shot to the top of the popularity charts when she won the French Open in June. Undeniably attractive, the lean, 6-foot-1 Ivanovic has a decidedly feminine allure on court. Slightly stiff in her posture, she is a mighty striker of the ball on court and a self-effacing and ever-cheerful presence off it. Whether it was in her “cyan blue” or “neo red” adidas edge dresses, the dark-haired Ivanovic was the scene stealer among the court fashion set in 2008.
