Un Scoop de la Mode Parisienne

Every spring the tennis elite dresses up for the most glamorous of the Slams, as the players take the court to battle it out for the ultimate claycourt glory, the French Open title. Compared to last year, this time around the tennis stars leaved up to the expectations and put on a bright, fresh, cool, vibrant fashion display that ignited the Roland Garros spectacle. There were many great outfits, starting with the likes of Venus Williams and Roger Federer and finishing with Victoria Azarenka or Gilles Simon. Check out the countdown below:

Venus Williams - EleVen

Although less scandalous than the outfit she wore last year, Venus stole the show once again with her cool EleVen dress. Her Parisian adventure might have ended prematurely in the second round, but the unique design of her garment made her stand out from the crowd. For me she was the fashion highlight of the fortnight, stregthening thus her credentials as the fashion queen of the tennis court. Click here to read more about her latest collection.

Roger Federer - NIKE RF

In the men's camp, Roger Federer continued his style dominance, as he looked imperial in an all black ensemble. Even though he looked utterly elegant, the Swiss superstar retained his cool, edgy side with some exquisite touches of neon yellow, the it colour of the moment. For the second year running, Roger was the best dressed male tennis player of the Open. Click here to see what he wore last year.

Victoria Azarenka - NIKE

The world number, Victoria Azarenka, has been scoring high in the fashion department recently, so it was no surprise to see her shine brightly in Paris. Wearing a really cool pink-orange dress, Victoria looked fresh, vibrant and fierce, perfectly portraying the competitor she is. What I admire most about the Belorussian is the fact that, although she does not benefit from an exclusive clothing line, she always distinguishes herself from the rest of the Nike field, a fashion must for the number 1 ranked player.

Sabine Lisicki - NIKE

Lucie Safarova - NIKE

Maria Sharapova - NIKE Maria Sharapova Group

Some of Sharapova's more memorable looks came in Paris, so I was a bit disappointed by the rather dull dress she chose this year. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with it, but compared to the spectacular yellow dress she wore last year or the sheer garments she showcased in past seasons, this one reveals an inspiration shortage. If she wants to retain her fashion credentials, she'd better come up with something exciting soon; there have been some heavy misses from her side lately.

Serena Williams - NIKE Soar Group

When picking her outfit, Serena Williams thought she was in for yet another memorable Parisian fortnight. However, as sometimes the case, life throws at you a shocker at the most surprising of times.  This is exactly what happened to Serena this year, as the American suffered a suprising first round defeat to Virginie Razzano. It could be that pistachio is not quite her lucky colour. 

Na Li - NIKE

Julia Goerges- NIKE

Petra Kvitova - NIKE

Julia Goerges and Petra Kvitova are both Nike ambassadors and they very often dress alike. It happened again at the French Open and there's nothing extremely wrong with this, except there's a huge difference between the two: Julia is a tennis hottie, while Petra isn't. I just cannot but be scandalized by Kvitova's look. I don't understand why someone who owns something that resembles a 'beer belly' would be so keen in showing it to the world. A loose blouse would definitely do the trick, so, Petra, maybe you start consider revising your wardrobe.

Rafael Nadal - NIKE Rafa Finals Clay Crew

Rafael Nadal might be the main contestant for the RG crown, but the Spaniard trails arch-rival Federer when it comes to fashion. Nothing wrong with his outfit though. He continued the Nike trend wearing a vibrant pink T-shirt, well accessorized with a white pair of shorts and a black headband.

Ana Ivanovic - Adidas AdiZero

There weren't many novelties in the Adidas camp. Ana Ivanovic launched the latest AdiZero collection a few weeks ago, so there wasn't any surprise regarding her outfit for the 2012 French Open. The mint-red colour combination makes a bold statement and it suits Ana's dark skin tone perfectly. However, when wore by a blonde player, the contrast disappears, the colours look washed up and the clothes lose their power.

Caroline Wozniacki - Adidas by Stella McCartney

The last few months have been really tough for Caroline Wozniacki. Not only did she lose her number 1 ranking, but it seems she also lost her fashion sense. After the horrible waffles dress she wore last season, this year she showcased a rather dull, though loud coloured outfit. The most annoying thing about it was the mismatch between the bright yellow of the skirt and the orangish yellow of the top. I am really disappointed by Stella McCartney's judgement on this one.

Maria Kirilenko - Adidas AdiPure

Flavia Pennetta - Adidas AdiPure

The AdiPure ambassadors, Maria Kirilenko and Flavia Pennetta, followed on Wozniacki's footsteps and  selected yellow. Although here the damage is less severe and both of these player can wear almost anything and still look great, I was not at all impressed by the yellow-red-blue combination. It's too Romanian-flag-like for me and I wouldn't advise on putting these three colours together.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - Adidas AdiZero

Fernando Verdasco - Adidas AdiZero 

Gilles Simon - AdiPure

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Fernando Verdasco looked stunning in the latest AdiZero garments, while Gilles Simon was at his elegant best in AdiPure. A great plus for the turquoise in combination with vibrant orange, it really lights up the court. 

Jelena Jankovic - FILA

Svetlana Kuznetsova - FILA

Janko Tipsarevic - FILA

As I said a couple of times before, although they are still a long way from reaching fashion Sunnyland, both Svetlana Kuznetsova and fashionista-wannabe Jelena Jankovic have recorded a considerable fashion progress lately. While the Russian still struggles to control her wild side (see the strange hairdo), Jankovic is finally learning the basic fashion rule: less is more. 

Completing Fila's recently assembled A-Team is Janko Tipsarevic. The Serbian kept true to his unconventional self wearing a rather busy b&w ensemble. I overall like the use of orange, but I would remove the small stripes, especially on the black background.

Marion Bartoli - LOTTO

Agnieszka Radwanska - LOTTO

Francesca Schiavone - LOTTO

I am not a Lotto fan, but I have to give them credit this time around. While Agnieszka Radwanska looked stunning in the 'little white dress', Francesca Schiavone checked off a rare fashion victory.

Bob & Mike Bryan - K-Swiss

Bethanie Mattek-Sands - UnderArmour

This wouldn't be a genuine fashion scoop without mentioning Bethanie Mattek-Sands. There are no words to describe the American's fashion style, especially after she took her 'Lady Gaga' comparison seriously. There were some changes to her usual repertoire though. Although she kept her signature knee-high socks, she did lose the hockey sticks make-up.

photos: GETTY IMAGES