Tennis Moods Style: The 2011 Istanbul Fashion Week

Every year, the WTA elite gathers for the prestigious Season-Ending Championships, where the world's best eight performers go head-to-head in search for ultimate glory. The tournament was moved from Doha to Istanbul this year and the Draw Ceremony on Sunday provided the perfect setting for a true fashion showdown.
Although most of the players were clearly inspirited by the historic location, the rich heritage of the Turkish culture was best brought to life by Agnieszka Radwanska and Vera Zvonareva. The duo displayed superb examples of red and green embroidery, while Kvitova and Stosur offered a glimpse of the Turkish extravaganza with their silk golden evening gowns. On the other hand though, world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki set herself aside by opting for a purple mini dress, which bore no resemblance to the theme. Sharapova was wiser with her choice, finding a sort of a middle ground, as she wore a sheer yellow see-through dress to which she accessorized a golden encrusted pair of sandals and matching necklace.

Maria Sharapova (B)

The Russian lived up to her fashionista status once again. Although she wore something that does not immediately strike as Turkish, Sharapova played with the accessories, creating an overall garment that is closely aligned to the venue's specificity. Compared to other players who were overdressed, Maria remained faithful to the saying "less is more" (especially if we are talking about the Turkish fashion), managing to put together a clean, modern look. However, I am worried that the overall look lacks a bit of the red carpet glamour. Even though her campaign ended sooner than expected, Sharapova withdrawing after the loss of her first two matches, she scored another big fashion victory, being the only one to endorse a new on-court apparel.

Caroline Wozniacki (A-)

Caroline Wozniacki is not afraid of standing out from the crowd. While debates about her legitimacy as world No.1 have heated up following Kvitova's sensational season, the young Dane continues to look utterly confident in defending her status. She probably wanted to make a bold fashion statement too, as she wore a fitted minidress. Although I like the design, I think she has the same issue as Maria. I am not convinced her look is appropriate for the red carpet.
She turned the tables with her on-court attire though, the yellow version of the see-through Stella McCartney dress she showcased at Flushing Meadows shining through this rather uncompetitive fashion field.

Agnieszka Radwanska (B)

I am not a Lotto fan, but during this Championships, Aga Radwanska looked pretty impressive in the red dress produced by the Italian manufacturer. Although it's probably a one hit wonder, the success provided a pleasant surprise.

Na Li (B)

The Chinese kept close to her roots when selecting an Asian inspired deux-piece.The voluminous layered bottom actually worked great against her tiny figure, as Li looked imperious on the red carpet.

Vera Zvonareva (B-)

Samantha Stosur (C-)

Petra Kvitova (C)

The Czech's star shone brightly on the courts of Istanbul, but unfortunately she didn't boost her fashion credentials. This look is too flat for my taste.

photos (top-down / left-right): GETTY IMAGES (x3), AP, GETTY IMAGES (x13)