Stitch in time saves Venus' blushes

Chris Jones13 April 2012

What a difference a few stitches can make when you are trying to win another Grand Slam title. Venus Williams, the Wimbledon, US Open and Olympic champion, responded to widespread incredulity over her new tennis outfit by using her design school skills to solve an embarrassing problem.

Williams had spent most of her first-round match pulling at her two-piece top to stop herself revealing more than she intended.

The amended top was only occasionally tugged today as she survived a second-set glitch to move into the third round of the Australian Open here in Melbourne with a 6-3, 7-6 victory over fellow-American Meghann Shaughnessy.

As a result of Williams's and various other designs being worn by the leading players at the first Slam of the year, women's tennis chiefs are to monitor the situation. They do not want to see anything that holds the sport up to ridicule and are promising to point out the error of any player's ways during the season.

Williams, who studies clothes design at school in America, said: "I love the outfit and I was very relaxed and comfortable. It's just beautiful. I didn't read any reports about my first-round match because I find a lot of stories are exaggerated."

It should have been a routine win but her opponent showed enough fight to force a second-set tie-break, which the older of the Williams sisters, who had a worrying 37 unforced errors in the match, took 7-3.

Mary Pierce, always a favourite with the Australian fans, came out in support of the Williams outfit, describing it as "pretty" which contrasted with Lindsay Davenport's choice of "bizarre".

Seventh seed Pierce, who reached the third round by defeating Mariana Diaz Oliva 6-2, 6-2, said: "I like Venus's outfit but I don't know if I could wear it."

Martina Hingis, the top seed, was in outstanding form again, destroying Els Callens 6-1, 6-0 in 40 minutes and producing only six unforced errors.

Ninth seed Elena Dementieva was a 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 winner over Andrea Glas, tenth seed Amanda Coetzer beat Silvija Talaja 6-1, 6-3 and 13th seed Amelie Mauresmo beat Nicole Pratt 6-0, 7-5. Amy Frasier, the American 16th seed, was beaten 6-4, 6-1 by Italy's Rita Grande.

Meanwhile, Jelena Dokic beset with problems thanks to her outspoken father, got back on court today, winning a doubles match with Jennifer Capriati.

She was not booed as she had been in her first-round losing singles against Davenport, and she said: "There was a different atmosphere today and the crowd were good."

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