June 25th, 2008 | 
Author: From Yahoo sports news-
“I love men’s wear in general,” Sharapova said Tuesday after beating French qualifier Stephanie Foretz 6-1, 6-4 in the first round. “I love tuxedo jackets.”
The 2004 champion played the match in a sleeveless top with a tuxedo-style bib front. She strode onto Court One sporting a single-breasted jacket with gold stitching on the collar lapel and front edge, which she hung on her chair.
Sharapova also wore shorts—the first time the 6-foot-2 player has done so in a Grand Slam tournament. But not just any old shorts: ones worn low on the hip with a wide-tailored waistband, pin stripe-effect and gold-stitched buttons.
“It’s hard to do things different with white,” Sharapova said, referring to Wimbledon’s strict dress code. “I thought ‘why not do shorts this year?’ I’ve never done it at a Grand Slam. You know, if there’s one place to do it, it’s here.”
Sharapova didn’t wear the other half of her tailored, tuxedo-inspired warmup suit—wide-legged pants.
“I love things that are actually a bit baggier and wide,” she said. “I loved it when that whole wide-legged pant trend set in. I’m tall and I can pull those things off.”
If Serena Williams can wear a short rain coat on court when there is not a cloud in sight, as she did on Monday, why shouldn’t Sharapova wear men’s clothes? Even if Williams described hers as “ladylike.”
The 21-year-old Russian’s outfit was inspired by “London’s history in bespoke tailoring,” according to her clothing sponsor. It may have been inspired by a man’s suit, but she made the seamless, lightweight vest look feminine. Perhaps the $5,000 Tiffany diamond and platinum dangly earrings helped.
While Federer played up to Wimbledon’s old-style traditions by donning a herringbone-patterned cardigan on Monday, Sharapova’s take on the classic tuxedo caused more of a stir.
Her post-match news conference was dominated by questions about her outfit, to the extent that she remarked it was “amazing.”
She thought Federer’s gold-trim cardigan was “classic and beautiful.” And Serena’s raincoat? “I didn’t see it,” Sharapova said.
What does she think of all the attention being paid to players’ clothes?
“I think it’s great,” she said. “I mean, look, tennis is not a a sport where you have to wear uniforms. It’s an individual sport. I’ve loved fashion since I was very young. … I loved working with thread and needles, making things on my own.”
Sharapova also revealed that because of retail demands she already knows what she’s wearing in fall 2009. But when asked what she will wear next year at Wimbledon, she laughed.
“Oh, goodness,” she said. “I still haven’t finished the tournament. We’ve got a lot in store.”
One player who isn’t particularly interested in all the fashion talk is Andy Roddick, the two-time men’s runner-up.
“I personally don’t care,” he said.
If attention is drawn to tennis for whatever reason, that’s fine, Roddick said. If that means Federer’s cardigan, “then so be it.”
“I don’t know if it would be a good look for me,” he said. “Or any of my friends. Or relatives.”
Former champion Maria Sharapova enjoyed a low-key passage to the second round of Wimbledon after seeing off French qualifier Stephanie Foretz 6-1 6-4 on Tuesday.
The 2004 winner and third seed, playing her first competitive match on grass this year, took full advantage of some error-strewn hitting from Foretz who is ranked outside the top 100.
Sharapova, 21, broke twice in the opening set and although the bespectacled Foretz proved more resilient in the next, breaking her opponent for the only time, the Russian sauntered to victory without ever producing her best tennis.
Sharapova was a semi-finalist here in 2005 and 2006 and a fourth round loser to eventual champion Venus Williams last year.
(Reporting by Justin Palmer)
From NDTV-
Another Wimbledon women’s champion, 2004 winner Sharapova, advanced to the second round with a 6-1, 6-4 win on Court 1 over 105th-ranked French qualifier Stephanie Foretz.
“It was great to get out there and get a feel for the court,” the third-seeded Sharapova said. “It was my first match on grass this year and I did pretty well considering.”
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