U.S. OPEN NOTEBOOK
SERENA WILLIAMS is wowing the crowd without swinging a racket.
The curvaceous queen of the courts raised eyebrows yesterday when she appeared center court for her second-round match in a revealing, form-fitting, gladiator-style outfit from her “Rebel Without A Cause” sportswear line.
“I think it’s always exciting to wear something different,” Williams said after her straight-set victory over Lindsey Lee-Waters. “I kind of feel like a super hero out there.”
Asked if it was the most revealing outfit she’s ever worn on court, Williams denied it was even scanty.
“I don’t think it’s skimpy at all,” she said. “No, it’s really sexy and micro-mini.”
Quipped tennis fan Ed Slezak, a retiree from Morristown, N.J., “Tennis has changed. There was a time when nobody would dare wear anything but white.”
Phil Ramirez of Chicago observed: “She at least has the talent to pull it off.”
Williams, who says her collection of tennis togs is coming out next spring, admitted no rival players had expressed an interest in her designs, “but it would be really nice if they did,” she added.
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The U.S. Open wasn’t a total washout for players Ashley Harkleroad and Alex Bogomolov.
The Miami-based competitors fell in love at the Open last year and were engaged in November.
It looked like “game, set, match” when they got love tattoos featuring their initials.
But earlier this summer, 19-year-old Harkleroad called off the nuptials.
Now there’s hope for a love rematch.
As Bogomolov was losing his first-round match, Ashley, who had pulled out of the Open due to injury, could be seen cheering her ex.
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The United States Tennis Association wanted to us to know that our story concerning U.S. Open food prices failed to mention an important point.
“We have not raised prices in the past four years,” said USTA spokesman Chris Widmaier.
“If you compare the cost of the [basic] food at the U.S. Open to Yankee Stadium, it’s actually lower.”
We did, and it is. Beer is $7 and a hotdog $5 at the House that Ruth Built, compared to $5 and $4.75 at Arthur Ashe’s spot.
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Leggy teen Maria Sharapova continued to hold sway over many male tennis fans as she practiced yesterday. The teen Russian hottie appeared in short shorts and a tight-fitting tank when she arrived to sharpen her swing.