By DPA
New York : Lady in Red Maria Sharapova plans to keep lifting the style stakes as she defends her title at the US Open tennis tournament.
Now into the second round, the Russian second seed is counting on her discreet scarlet dress to help light up the night matches at the Arthur Ashe arena.
Fashion conscious Sharapova has moved over to red for the first time in her career after playing in an Audrey Hepburn-inspired Breakfast at Tiffany’s cocktail-look number a year ago on the way to the title.
“I figured that it was going to be pretty tough to top a black dress,” said the Los Angeles-based Russian. “You can only do so much with a black dress.
“Because last year’s was pretty successful and I won in it, we thought, let’s just do something different.
“I’ve never worn red before. There’s no better place to do it than a night match in New York.
“When you feel good about what you’re wearing and you feel good about putting it on … you know what it’s like: Put on a nice outfit and some makeup and you’re the bomb.”
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Navratilova complains she’s not wanted in the booth
Former grand dame of tennis, Martina Navratilova, is distinctly annoyed about her lack of a television commentating job during the US Open.
The former number one apparently found no takers for a stint in the broadcast booth during the fortnight.
And never one afraid of speaking her mind, the 50-year-old let rip.
“It’s kind of mind-boggling,” Navratilova told local media.
“When you have a football team and (famous former gridiron quarterback) Joe Montana becomes available, you don’t say, ‘Oh, we already have a quarterback.’ “But that’s exactly what happened.”
The naturalised American Navratilova said her absence is the viewers’ loss.
“I think the commentary is a little vanilla, and I’d like to put some hot chilli peppers in there. Maybe they’re afraid of what I’d say.”