Wimbledon Diary: Stars out in force

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Serena Williams (L) and Nick Kyrgios (R).

    Leave it to Serena Williams to have the most star-studded box of the tournament.

    There’s a reason why Billie Jean King told me Serena was “the Hollywood girl” – the world No1’s corner in the stands included soul singer John Legend and his model wife Chrissy Teigen, Canadian rapper Drake and American supermodel Karlie Kloss.

    – SW19 review: A look back at week one of Wimbledon 2015
    – Gallery: The top-ten greatest Wimbledon upsets in history 
    – Wimbledon: Serena beats Venus to reach quarter-finals
    – Wimbledon: Murray secures quarter-final place with victory over Karlovic

    Drake, who also came to the tennis last week and played football with Didier Drogba elsewhere in London, waited for Serena in the garden below the players’ restaurant and gave her a friendly hug before walking her to her car at the players’ transport area. He left separately a few minutes later.

    Meanwhile, skier Lindsey Vonn was courtside for Caroline Wozniacki’s fourth round with Garbine Muguruza.

    Vonn and Wozniacki seem to have struck a friendship, which could be helpful considering the Dane suffered a disappointing loss and will be leaving Wimbledon earlier than she would have liked.

    “We were talking… she came down to watch me play. The last match she was in my box, and this match as well,” said Wozniacki of Vonn.

    “Yeah, we’re going to hang out after Wimbledon, as well. I’m going to go to LA and spend some time with her as well there.”

    Kyrgios fans tick off the masses on social media

    Social media can often be a big distraction for some players. Which is why Lindsay Davenport has asked her player Madison Keys to stay away since the first round. “She basically took my phone and told me not to go on anything,” said Keys with a smile.

    But other players have been ever present on Twitter and Facebook, like Nick Kyrgios, whose fans started up a trend of covering their face in Vegemite or chocolate to show their support for him.

    It started with one fan, Mitchell McConachy, who told Kyrgios “if you reply to this I’ll cover my face in Vegemite”. Kyrgios replied and the fan complied. More fans followed suit and it has suddenly become a thing, albeit not at Kyrgios’ request.

    “So this has sort of taken off… fans covering their faces in weird and wonderful stuff, this time delicious Nutella while sending me positive vibes. #blessed #support,” Kyrgios posted on Twitter and Facebook.

    The problem is that many others online have called this trend racist and likening it to blackface, which prompted some journalists to ask both Venus and Serena Williams about what they thought of it.

    They both refused to give their thoughts on the matter but Serena was very surprised by the whole thing, saying: “Oh, gosh, I never – I don’t know. I don’t even want to talk about that. I don’t care. Really?  I didn’t know that. I mean, I think you’re better asking the fans that question. Maybe they can give you some insight. And let me know, I’d be interested to know.”

    Recommended