Anna Kournikova to Maria Sharapova: How tennis and glamour have become perfect partners

Women’s tennis has always been a glamorous sport. Even when the sport first came to light in the 19th century, all the top magazines advertised all the latest garments and accessories.

And, although now in modern tennis we wouldn’t have much use for a ball apron or the latest headpiece (I would like to say hat, but these were so much more than hats), these at the time, were the must have items.

As an aristocratic sport, it was very important for the lady to posses the latest accessories, to have that extra frill on her dress, to upstage her opponent. So that even if she were to lose her match, she would still be the one remembered for her specific attire.

Every diehard tennis fan will remember the name Suzanne Langlen. Not only was she a fantastic athlete, and brought a new type of tennis to the court, she was also responsible for bringing the glamour side of the sport to a new level.

She wowed the tennis world when she graced the court by wearing an ankle length straight skirt, and exchanged the tall hats for a simpler, prettier, and indeed more tennis friendly bonnet. Spectators and photographers crowded around the stands of the courts to catch a glimpse of a shin, or perhaps a thigh as she sprinted around the court. The crowd gathered to experience the controversy, but left experiencing tennis in the highest form.

Gussy Moran isn’t a name that we would associate with winning numerous tournaments. But she is a fine example of someone who brought exceptional glamour to the game at the expense of her own career.

Gorgeous Gussy, as she became known, was tipped for a great future. She was pretty but also had a fantastic all-round game. In 1949, she shocked Wimbledon spectators, by arriving on court dressed in an above-the-knee skirt with matching frilly knickers! An outfit designed by former male player Teddy Tingling.

Once the media heard of this they arrived courtside, clicking their cameras, and obviously distracting her game play. Over the next few years, Gussy became more famous for what she wore on court as opposed to her actual tennis ability. Unfortunately she could not handle all the attention she was receiving, and ultimately her tennis suffered.

We fast forward to the 1990s when tennis experienced glamour in a way it never had been seen before. Step up Anna Kournikova, the Russian beauty who burst on to the scene by making it to the semi-finals of Wimbledon in 1997. Just like Gussy Moran, she was set for greatness. But with the new wave of media interest, people became more focused on her appearance and her private life.

As time passed Anna played and photographers followed. She became the most photographed athlete in the world, but she was lacking something and that something was a major title. This became the centre of attention at every tournament that she entered, and the question remained: “Will she win it?” Again, like Gussy, she succumbed to the media pressure, and never won a WTA tour title.

It seems that today’s young female tennis stars have learned from their predecessors and have managed to combine glamour and great tennis. As we look at today’s top players such as Maria Sharapova, the William Sisters, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic they have successful careers, and excite fans by bringing new outfits and attitudes to the court.

So we return to the question: Is the glamour demeaning the women’s game? I believe not. Sure we have experienced the frailties of players like Gussy Moran and Anna Kournikova, but with the new wave of players playing beautiful solid tennis, glamour is just an extra bonus.

As women, we enjoy glamour, and tennis players, as entertainers provide the glamour for us to enjoy. So, as in  Suzanne Langlen’s day, the crowds gather the experience the glamour, but tennis is still the winner at the highest level.