Jubilant Tsonga's Big Week in Toronto

The last 12 months have been pretty dark for the exhuberrant Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Since his heart-breaking defeat to David Ferrer in the semifinals of the French Open last season, the Frenchman battled injuries, poor form, and lack of motivation to eventually drop out of the top 10. But as it often happens in tennis, a victory is all it takes to turn things around.

The Canadian Open—held this year in Toronto—was always one of Jo's favourite ATP stops, so it almost felt like the perfect place to reignite his burning fire and desire. It all started with a 6-2,6-2 win over world No.1, Novak Djokovic, in the fourth round. Tsonga had lost his last 11 straight encounters with the Serb, so the quick dismissal must have tasted sweeeeet. To add to the celebration, Jo stunned Andy Murray in the quarterfinals to record just the second win over the Brit in eleven meetings.

If in other instances he would stumble at the last hurdle, this time Tsonga went all the way defeating rising star Grigor Dimitrov and all-time great, Roger Federer, to lift his second Masters 1000 title (after Paris in 2008).

"I feel good," said a jubilant Tsonga. "I think for the moment I don't realize really what I achieved this week, but it's a big achievement for me.

"It's completely different than before when I won in Paris. In Paris it was the first one, behind my family, all my friends, everybody. Here I just did it with my level, with my game. I played well all week. I beat many good guys. It's a big achievement because I worked really hard to come back from my knee injury last year."

For the first time in his career the Frenchman beat four top 10 players back-to-back to announce his return to the top of his game. Courtesy of the win, he also re-entered the top 10. The summer is heating up and so is Tsonga who could very well be the man to watch at the upcoming US Open. Glad to have you back, Jo!

Tsonga turned tables on his arch-rival, stunning world No.1, Novak Djokovic, 6-2,6-2 in the fourth round.

To add to the celebration, the Frenchman recorded just his second victory over Andy Murray, defeating the Brit 7-6,4-6,6-4 in the quarterfinals.

After withstanding young gun Grigor Dimitrov in the semis, Jo denied Roger Federer another Masters 1000 trophy, topping the all-time great 7-5,7-6 to claim the title in Toronto.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Stan's One Moment in Time

What a transformation a year makes! In 2013 in Melbourne, the ever-talented Stan Wawrinka pushed two-time defending champion and world No.1 Novak Djokovic to the limits in an epic encounter that finished 10-8 in the fifth for the Serb. The loss broke Stan's heart, but as they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. That's exactly what happened to the Swiss, who found inspiration in the defeat to produce a breakthrough season. He reached his second Masters 1000 final, in Madrid, the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, the semifinals at Flushing Meadows, as well as the semifinals at the ATP Masters Cup in London. 

Funny enough, that loss to Djokovic also increased Stan's self-belief. He emerged tougher both physically and most important, mentally after last year's Australian Open. Although throughout the upcoming months he would frequently lose battles with the elite, Wawrinka slowly gained confidence and began to unleash his game.

Stan started 2014 with a title in Chennai, one of his favourite ATP stops. Continuing the solid form Down Under, the Swiss barely broke a sweat in his first two matches, seeing off injured Kazakh Andrey Golubev and Columbian Alejandro Falla. He didn't even take the court for this third round encounter, as his opponent, Canadian Vasek Popsipil, withdrew injured. Fresh and eager to advance deep into the tournament, the Swiss overcame a stiff resilience from Spaniard Tommy Robredo to set up a mouth-watering clash with now three-time defending champion, Novak Djokovic.

This time around, the Swiss made things right. He hanged in there when Djokovic leveled at two-sets apiece and broke his opponent for the decisive break at 8-7 in the decider to emerge victorious. This was a well-deserved revenge for Wawrinka who finally beat Novak in a Slam. Playing in his second Grand Slam semifinal, he then dominated Czech Tomas Berdych to win 6-3,6-7,7-6,7-6. 

In the final against Nadal, Stan was the underdog. Not only there's a considerable difference in ranking (Nadal is the current world No.1), but he lost all twelve meetings with Rafa. Throwing caution to the wind the Swiss played his finest tennis for a set and a half. Midway through the second act, Nadal injured his back and required medical intervention. Although he lost that set too, the ferocious Spaniard came back strong in the third reducing the deficit. Wawrinka remained mentally strong. He served to perfection, and although he gifted away what looked like a decisive break, he continued to push Nadal breaking again to seal victory with a huge forehand down the line. “I still think that I'm dreaming,” said the stunned Swiss. “It's a strange feeling. I saw so many finals. I always try to watch the final of Grand Slam because that's where the best player is playing. Before today, for me, wasn't a dream. I never expected to play a final. 

“It’s quite crazy what's happening right now. I never expected to win a Grand Slam. I never dreamed about that because, for me, I was not good enough to beat those guys.” Wawrinka becomes the first player since Sergi Bruguera in 1993 who defeats both world No.1 and No.2 to win a major. 

The victory takes him to a career-high No.3 when the rankings will be released on Monday. He will also become the new Swiss No.1, finally stepping out of the shadow of good friend and compatriot, the all-time great, Roger Federer. “To win a Slam, to be No. 3, both is a big surprise. I saw Roger winning so many Grand Slams in the past, so now it's my turn to win one. If you look the 10 past years, except del Potro, it's only the top four guys who have won all the Grand Slams,” said a thrilled Wawrinka. 

I honestly hope this huge triumph for Stanislas will open the door to all the talented players who cannot quite cope mentally with the likes of Nadal or Djokovic. Congrats, Stan! #youcandoit #letsbeatNadal #letsbeatDjokovic

Wawrinka announced himself as a contestant for the title following a magnificent victory over three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals. The triumph marked a much-deserved revenge following the heart-breaking loss to the Serb last year.

The Swiss booked his place in his maiden Grand Slam final by beating Czech Tomas Berdych 6-3,6-7,7-6,7-6 in the semis.

Facing an injured Rafael Nadal for the title, Stan remained mentally strong. He played aggressive tennis to overcome the Spaniard 6-3,6-2,3-6,6-3.

Here it is: Stan Wawrinka crowned himself a Grand Slam champion, becoming the second Swiss to achieve the feat after his good friend, Roger Federer. Stan will also get to a career-high No.3 on Monday.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

The 2013 ATP Moods Awards

2013 has been a great year for tennis. It was highlighted by Nadal's magnificent comeback to the top of the rankings, Djokovic's flawless end to the season, the rejuvenation of tennis hopefuls Stanislas Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet, as well as the coming of age of young guns Bernard Tomic and Grigor Dimitrov. For me though, the biggest story of them all was Andy Murray winning Wimbledon to end the 77-year wait for the hungry home nation. In one of the most bizarre tournaments ever, the crowd carried Andy to the title, helping him fulfill his prophecy. 

2013 also marked a big disappointed as we've witnessed Roger Federer drift further away from the top. His series of surprising losses made headlines throughout the year, raising questions about his future. However, the Swiss has been adamant in declaring he will continue playing for many more years, proving determined to change fortunes in 2014. The world needs the almighty Federer back!

Exhilarating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga produced another disappointment as he let an enormous chance slip by. Facing hard-working David Ferrer for a place in the Roland Garros final, Jo played a terrible match to gift away the victory. The loss also marked the end of his season as he injured his knee at Wimbledon and was sidelined till October. Hope he comes back stronger next season!

On the bright side, Tommy Haas confirmed his good form, making an emphatic return to the top 10. At 35, the German is as dangerous as ever as he continues to break new grounds and push his opponents to their limits. Spaniard Tommy Robredo also put together a sensational comeback season, reaching the quarterfinals at both the French and the US Open. Although he is not fully recovered, Gael Monfils is showing steady progress in making his way back to where he was a few seasons ago. 

The young guns have also showed their great potential. Milos Raonic cracked the top 10, while outspoken Pole Jerzy Janowicz reached his first Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon.

Bob and Mike Bryan clearly dominated the doubles tour, winning most of the big tournaments. A near miss at Flushing Meadows prevented them from completing a calendar Grand Slam, but they did hold all four majors plus the Olympic gold at the same time (a.k.a. the Golden Bryan Slam) strengthening their credentials as the best doubles team in history.

Tennis Moods looks back at a rich 2013, recognizing the stand-out players of the year. Congrats to all the 2013 ATP Moods Awards winners!

The 'World's Greatest' Award (for the best player of the year)

Winner: Rafael Nadal

Runner-up: Andy Murray

The 'He Found Love' Award (for the most improved player of the year)

Winner: Stanislas Wawrinka

Runner-up: Richard Gasquet

The 'Homecoming' Award (for the most spectacular comeback)

Winner: Tommy Robredo

Runner-up: Gael Monfils

The 'He Works Hard for the Money' Award (for the most hard-working player)

Winner: David Ferrer

Runner-up: Rafael Nadal

The 'Here I Am' Award (for the newcomer of the year)

Winner: Jerzy Janowicz

Runner-up: Vasek Pospisil

The 'We Are Young' Award (for the most promising youngster on the tour)

Winner: Grigor Dimitrov

Runner-up: Bernard Tomic

The 'Talk That Talk' Award (for the wittiest player on the tour)

Winner: Novak Djokovic

Runner-up: Mike & Bob Bryan

The 'Broken Hearted Boy' Award (for the most disappointing player of the year)

Winner: Roger Federer

Runner-up: Brian Baker

The 'King of Hearts' Award (for the Tennis Moods' favourite)

Winner: Roger Federer

Runner-up: Tommy Haas

The 'I Will Always Love You' Award (for the player who retired this year and will be missed the most)

Winner: David Nalbandian

Runner-up: James Blake

The 'When We Collide' Award (for the most spectacular doubles team)

Winner: Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan

Runner-up: Michael Llodra & Nicholas Mahut

The 'Fashion of His Love' Award (for the best dressed player throughout the year)

Winner: Roger Federer

Runner-up: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

The 'Imagine' Award (for the most emotional story of the year)

Winner: Andy Murray winning Wimbledon

Runner-up: Rafael Nadal winning US Open

The 'I Dreamed a Dream' Award (for the accomplishment of a dream)

Winner: Andy Murray winning Wimbledon

Runner-up: David Ferrer reaching the French Open final

The 'Hero' Award (for the braveheart performance of the year)

Winner: Juan Martin del Potro at Wimbledon

Runner-up: Stanislas Wawrinka at the Australian Open

The 'Clash of Titans' Award (for the most exhilarating duel of the year)

Winner: Novak Djokovic & Rafael Nadal

Runner-up: Roger Federer & Juan Martin del Potro

SEE ALSO: The 2011 ATP Moods Awards and The 2012 ATP Moods Awards

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Red-Hot Stan Proves He Is The MAN

Although he lost the semifinal clash with Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka proved at this year's Flushing Meadows that he has reached a new, brighter stage in his career. The Swiss, who in the past always lacked the mental toughness to pull the trigger and win the big matches, defeated a slew of worthy opponents to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal.

Wawrinka was all fired up since the beginning of the tournament, and although he did not benefit from an easy draw, he showed his enormous talent, as well as him much improved mental strength, to achieve this incredible result. Following two straight-sets victories over Radek Stepanek, respectively Ivo Karlovic, the Swiss held his nerve to close out a hard-fought 6-3,6-2,6-7,7-6 triumph over former Australian Open finalist, Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis. The win gave him wings, and he went on to dismiss last year's semifinalist, Czech Tomas Berdych, 3-6,6-1,7-6,6-2 to book his place in his first New York quarterfinal. Having fallen two previous times in the last eight of a major, Wawrinka was determined to change his fortune. Facing an out-of-sorts Andy Murray, he put forth a stunning display to shock the defending champion 6-4,6-3,6-2. 

In the semifinal against Djokovic, Stan started aggressively, building a two-sets-to-one lead. He could have even close it out in three sets, but the Serb is a fighter and he refused to conceal the match. He fought hard, and eventually took full advantage of his tired opponent to run away with an epic 2-6,7-6,3-6,6-3,6-4 triumph. Despite the loss, Stan remained upbeat about his deep US Open run. "The only thing that I can see, that's everything I'm doing outside the match, on the practice courts, on my life in general, is the good things and I'm on the right way. I just need to continue to practise hard and to try to get more victories like I did these two weeks."

"It was a great tournament for me," he added. "Tough match, tough loss. I gave everything. I fought until the end. With this crowd, it was an amazing experience."

So far 2013 is proving to be the best year of Stan's career. He started the season by pushing eventual champion, Novak Djokovic, 12-10 in the decider in Melbourne, he then won his fourth ATP title in Oeiras, reached his second Masters 1000 final in Madrid, and made the quarterfinals at the French Open for the first time. On top of that, he has re-established his presence inside the top 10 and has now made his maiden Grand Slam semifinal. "After the match in the Australian Open a lot of people were thinking it's going to be tough for me to lose that kind of match, but in the end I took all the positives from the match and I'm here now playing the semi-final. Today I lost again, but I'm back in the Top 10 and I'm playing my best tennis. I need to do the same."

If he can continue playing at this level, Stan has a chance of making the transition from a dangerous opponent to one of the leading figures in men's tennis. 

Stan held his nerve to beat fan-favourite, Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis, 6-3,6-2,6-7,7-6 in the third round.

The Swiss continued his great run, ousting last year semifinalist, Czech Tomas Berdych, 3-6,6-1,7-6,6-2 to book his place in the quarterfinals, his third quarterfinal at a major.

The most impressive victory came in the last eight, where Wawrinka stunned defending champion, Andy Murray, 6-4,6-3,6-2 to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal.

Stan came close to beating world No.1, Novak Djokovic, but he ran out of steam in the end, falling to the Serb in another epic battled. 

photos: GETTY IMAGES

The Wait Is Over! Murray Fulfils His Prophecy

With the entire nation waiting for him to win Wimbledon, Andy Murray did not always have the easiest of times playing his home Slam. After a couple of runs to the semifinals, the Scottish born Murray finally broke his duck last year when he reached the final. Despite a stunning start, he eventually succumbed to the all time great, Roger Federer. There wasn't much that a worthy Murray did wrong during that match, but the Swiss raised his game to such an extreme that he became untouchable.

Murray sucked in the excruciating pain of another missed finish and he made sure he was better prepared when the two met again, two weeks later in the Olympic final. On the same court, the Brit extracted his revenge, overcoming Federer in straight sets to win the gold medal. The victory proved a turning point in his career. A renowned choker, Andy went on to capitalize on an incredible summer by winning his first Grand Slam crown at the US Open. “Last year after the final [Ivan Lendl] told me he was proud of the way I played, because I went for it when I had chances. It was the first time I played a match in a Grand Slam final like that. I didn't doubt myself so much after last year's final. It was the best I'd recovered from a Grand Slam loss. I didn't always feel it was going to happen. It's incredibly difficult to win these events. I don't think that's that well understood sometimes. It takes so much hard work and mental toughness to win these sorts of tournaments.”

Although he lost his third Australian Open final in January, Murray is not the same player who would let a great chance slip by. After Tsonga's withdrawal and the shocking exits of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, Murray seized an excellent opportunity to fulfil his Wimbledon prophecy. Even though his path to the final seemed extremely easy, the Brit had to endure some tough opposition. After coming back from two sets down to dismiss Fernando Verdasco in the quarterfinals, he recovered from a difficult start to overcome Polish Jerzy Janowicz, booking thus his seat in the grand finale.

Facing a drained Novak Djokovic for the title, Murray knew his time has finally come. He was too stronger physically for the Serb, who withstood a determined Juan Martin del Potro in an epic semifinal clash. Although Novak showed flashes of brilliance, it was not enough to stop Andy from claiming an emphatic 6-4,7-5,6-4 victory. His triumph ended Britain's 77 year wait, Murray becoming the first home grown player to win the Wimbledon men's crown since Fred Perry in 1936. “Winning Wimbledon, I think, is the pinnacle of tennis,” said the Scot. “I still can't believe it. Can't get my head around that. I can't believe it. This one will take a little while to sink in, I'm sure.”

Talking about his achievement the new grass-court king said: “For the last four or five years, it's been very, very tough, very stressful, a lot of pressure. The few days before the tournament are really difficult, as well. It's just kind of everywhere you go. It's so hard to avoid everything because of how big this event is, but also because of the history and no Brit having won. It's been very, very difficult."

With all that huge pressure lifted of his shoulders, Andy Murray will now look to take over Djokovic as the world's best player.

The Brits had to wait 77 years to see a home grown player conquer the Wimbledon men's title. Andy Murray fulfilled his prophecy, outplaying world No.1, Novak Djokovic, in three tight sets to win his second major crown.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Heroic del Potro Shows Big Heart

It takes true grit, fierce determination, and above all, an immense love for the sport to be able to do what Juan Martin del Potro did at this year's Wimbledon. The Argentinean sustained a nasty knee injury in his opening rounds, and while others were quick to throw in the towel, he decided to suck in the pain and carry on. It was a hard decision to take, especially considering his rich history of injuries and medical problems, but del Potro was determined to fight till the very end.

Just when he thought things cannot get worse, the inevitable happened and he re-injured his right knee in the very first game of his quarterfinal clash with recent French Open finalist, David Ferrer. Once again, he had to make an important call. And once again he decided to continue. His bravery paid off as he overcame the Spaniard in straight sets to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal since winning the US Open in 2009.

The semifinal encounter with world No.1, Novak Djokovic, proved a too difficult test to pass. Although the ailing Argentinean gave it his all, the Serbian was just too strong physically. Juan saved two math points in the fourth set to force a decider, but Djokovic still prevailed. In his press conference, del Potro talked about how the crowd has pushed him to don't give up and continue fighting: "When I was down in moments of the match, I saw the crowd. They were clapping [for] me and that helped me a lot for sure,” he said. “They don't care if I'm No. 8 or my opponent is No. 1. They really enjoyed the match. They like tennis. They [made] me a fighter all the time. It was incredible. 

“I think they saw my big effort. It's not easy jump to the Centre Court at Wimbledon and play against the No. 1 in the world in my first semi-final here. [There’s a lot of] pressure on me. But I think they liked to watch us fighting with the best players. And when the match is going really close, the crowd is always 50/50. Or it depends. But I did a big, big effort… Of course I'm sad now, but in couple of days, I will see how big the match was.”
Last season, a fit del Potro shocked Novak to win the bronze medal at the London Olympic Games, but this time, the 2011 Wimbledon champion knew his lesson. He was prepared to stay in the rally, turning defense into attack, thus making his opponent run until his body eventually collapsed. It happened at 4-3 in the decider when Novak made the vital break, then went on to serve out an epic 7-6,4-6,7-6,6-7,6-3 victory. Del Potro's extraterrestrial performance won hearts, but as he said “I am glad to win hearts but I wanted to win the match.” His huge effort deserved another outcome, but hopefully he will come back stronger than ever at the next majors. This was a truly impressive performance by the Argentinean. This is how to play a match on one foot, but with a big heart. Azarenka, hope you got to see this!

del Potro re-injured his knee in the very first game of this quarterfinal clash with David Ferrer.

The Giant Argentinean sucked in the tremendous pain and pulled off a stunning 6-2,6-4,7-6 victory over recent French Open finalist to reach his first Wimbledon semifinal.

At the end of his epic 5-hour clash in which he gave it his all, del Potro had to accept defeat. Visibly bothered by his injured knee, Juan managed to push world No.1, Novak Djokovic, to the very end, but his effort was not enough to stop the Serb from reaching his second Wimbledon final. Djokovic won 7-5,4-6,7-6,6-7,6-3 and will play Andy Murray for the title.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Un Scoop de la Mode Parisienne

Every Grand Slam provides a great opportunity to talk not only about tennis, but also about fashion. With the French Open taking place in Paris, la capitale de la mode, everyone is expecting to put on their most sophisticated garments and to look their utmost best when they step onto the court. As we've experienced in past years though, see fashion scoops from 2011 and 2012, not everyone is leaving up to the challenge. 

My top 3 picks from this edition are, in no particular order, Serena Williams, Sloane Stephens and Ana Ivanovic. From the men, I liked Tsonga and Federer, but I also appreciated the nice colours showcased by Nadal (i.e. the peachy pink) and Djokovic (i.e. the mint green). The outfits I liked the least were Wozniacki's, Sharapova's and, sadly, Azarenka's, who was just too boring. There were of course some not-so-beautiful disasters, such as Monfils, Kuznetsova or tablecloth looking, Ryan Harrison. In terms of star colours, yellow maintained its supremacy, with orange being the alternative proposed by Nike.

The Ultimate Queen

Serena Williams - NIKE

The undisputed queen of the French Open, Serena Williams looked the part in an edgy grey dress to which she matched orange underpants and accessories. I like the use of the grey as it tones down the otherwise loudly coloured Serena. The look represents another good example of the mature Williams. Although she came a long way from her rebellious days, I really appreciate that she kept her edge, always delivering that trademark Serena style.

Electric Teen

Sloane Stephens - UnderArmour

Sloane Stephens is not only the leading teen of the next generation, she's also the next big tennis fashionista. The American is clearly not afraid of taking risks, or of getting creative with her fashion choices. She is making a powerful statement in this gorgeous electric yellow dress that is perfectly complementing her dark skin tone. Love the turquoise accessories, especially the pleaded head pieces. Sloane makes my top 3 picks from this year's Roland Garros.

Cool, Hip, Trendy, Fun

Ana Ivanovic - AdiZero

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - AdiZero

Ana Ivanovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga put Adidas in contention with their unique AdiZero apparel, specially designed for the French Open. I like both pieces, I think they're great. Ana opted for a more sophisticated, more elegant navy dress, while Tsonga kept true to his flamboyant self, looking sharper than ever in this navy-yellow ensemble.

Kristina Mladenovic - AdiZero

Although this dress is a few months old, I wanted to feature it to highlight another promising fashion prospect, teen sensation, Kristina Mladenovic. The Frenchwoman has a certain restless vibe that I resonate with. 

It's Black, It's White, It's Black&White

Laura Robson - Adidas by Stella McCartney

Maria Kirilenko - Adidas by Stella McCartney

Since the merger of the Barricade with the Stella McCartney line in January, fashion icon, Maria Kirilenko, and teen sensation, Laura Robsons, got their chance to shine in designer clothes. Following the great success of their previous apparel, both ladies continue to look stunning, this time in black&white ensembles. Although controversial, I think Stella brings a much needed touch of class to the tour. I might not like all her pieces (remember that horrible raffles dress?!), but overall I am a huge fan.

The Fall of the Dane

Caroline Wozniacki - Adidas by Stella McCartney

Once the joyful queen of women's tennis, Caroline Wozniacki is now miserable trying to recapture the form that took her to the top of the ranking just a few months ago. Benefiting from an exclusive Stella McCartney line, the Dane 'managed' to look doubtful in this confusing dress. To start with, I don't like this shade of blue, but the biggest issue I find is the colour blocking. The use of the beige in the lower front part is odd. I don't get it. It makes the entire look seem unconnected. A total miss from Wozniacki this time.

The Leading Gentlemen

Rafael Nadal - Nike

Rafael Nadal might be the best clay-court player in history, but he's not always the best dressed man. This time, he made a wise choice though, matching a peachy pink pair of shorts to a dusty grey T-shirt. I like the combo, it is cool and fresh.

Roger Federer - NIKE RF Group

Roger Federer stepped out of his comfort zone, opting for something other than a polo T-shirt. Although his outfit is not as loud as in previous years, see 2011 or 2012, I actually love the light violet of the T-shirt matched with the really small touches of neon green and the navy pants. Although he went slightly hipper than usual, the Swiss retained his class.

Grigor Dimitrov - NIKE

Sharapova's new boy toy, Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, should give his girlfriend some style lessons. Grigor showcased a clean look that is perfect for his age. The young generation should be all about having fun, being hip and wearing cool clothes. The T-shirt is the show stopper.

Novak Djokovic - UNIQLO

I am not a fan of Novak's style, nor I am a fan of his Asian sponsor, but I did like the nice green mint of his 2013 French Open apparel. The colour looked really well in contrast to the dark red of the Parisian clay.

Improved JJ

Jelena Jankovic - Fila

I am the first one to comment on Jelena's doubtful fashion style, but this time the Serbian surprised me by wearing a really cool Fila garment. The navy dress is both classy and hip, plus I really appreciated the layering at the bottom that reveals the pink underskirt. Well done, JJ!

Boooring!

Victoria Azarenka - NIKE

Maria Sharapova - NIKE 'Maria Sharapova' Group

Although they are among the best female athletes of the planet, both Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova looked dull and uninspired in their Roland Garros garments. While for Sharapova this is an ongoing trend that sees her top the worst dressed list on a regular basis, Vika is actually one of my favourite fashionistas, the Belorussian usually putting together edgy, hip and extremely cool looks, e.g. the 2012 AO attire. However, while her dress is just boring, in the Russian's case, things are far worse. This cut is not working on her body. Maria looks fat and her big shoulders are emphasized in an unflattering manner. Maria, please go back to your former days of glory!

The Pink Panther

Venus Williams - EleVen

On a rather chilly day, the American had to dress up, so I think it is just unfortunate that Venus Williams got to look like the Pink Panther at this year's French Open. Although the result was not memorable, it made me want to see more. I was dying to check out her new EleVen look, but sadly she lost in the first round. I look forward to a great rebound at Wimbledon.

Oh Mon Dieux, Les Faux Pas

I might be accused of being biased when it comes to the big names, but none of the lesser known brands got to showcase at least some decent looks. Starting with Monfils' multi-coloured, ill-matched Asisc garments, continuing with Berdyc's blank H&M pieces and finishing with Kuznetsova's horrific experiment, all these guys are worthy occupants of the worst dressed list. To add to this, American Ryan Harrison decided to wear his tablecloth as pants. Smart move, Ryan!

Gael Monfils - Asics

Tomas Berdych - H&M

Ryan Harrison - NIKE

Svetlana Kuznetsova - Qiaodan

David Ferrer - Lotto

Although he got to shine brightly at this year's French Open, David Ferrer failed to look the part. Beaten by his good friend in his first Grand Slam final, the Spaniard suffered another blow when he ended up on the worst dressed list due to his ugly neon green T-shirt from Lotto. Horrible colour, you should know better David!

Bethanie Mattek-Sands - Unknown

Are you familiar the curious case of Bethanie Mattek-Sands? Well, let me reiterate. You take one fashionista-wannabe, you let her go wild with the fashion picks and what you get is a crazy-looking tennis player, a Lady Gaga of the tennis courts, a fashion case gonna terribly wrong, or better said, Bethanie Mattek-Sands. The hopeless American did it again, wearing several mis-matched tops, as well as her signature high socks.

photos: GETTY IMAGES