The road to winning the biggest tennis prize of the year can be a lonely one, for both the men and women. But a few friends and a little support from fellow celebs can make any player feel at home.
Maria Sharapova arrived almost a week prior to the start of the Sony Ericsson WTA Championships to begin preparations for a bid to finish the year as the top-ranked female player. But all work and no play is not how the statuesque and popular Russian does things. She met up with none other than soccer icon and fellow blonde bombshell David Beckham when she took in a Real Madrid football match, declaring at the end of the encounter that Real Madrid was her now her favorite soccer team.
It was rumored that Martina Hingis and boyfriend of nearly nine months, fellow tennis player and Czech, Radek Stepanek, also curbed their soccer cravings by watching some football in the Spanish capitol. Stepanek, who has been out with an injury since surging to the Wimbledon quarterfinals, where Hingis was in his box, is returning the favor by supporting his girlfriend in Madrid, serving as her hitting partner and watching from the stands. The current No. 19 player on the ATP circuit earned some camera time during Hingis’ match against defending champion Amelie Mauresmo. Sporting a bright orange oversized sleeveless shirt, the Czech could not be missed.
Meanwhile, other significant others are in Shanghai, China, cheering on their men. Mirka Vavrinec doesn’t miss a tournament and she arrived along side her longtime boyfriend, world No. 1 Roger Federer. Meanwhile, the dark horse of the event and perhaps the hottest player on tour in the last few months, Nikolay Davydenko, arrived at Shanghai’s international airport with fiancée Irina Vasina. Davydenko will marry shortly before the Davis Cup finals in Moscow.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer has more than coach Tony Roche and his girlfriend in his corner. His new friend and golfing megastar Tiger Woods, who is in Shanghai to compete in the HSBC Golf Championships, is lending his support. The fellow World No. 1 received a visit from Federer on Thursday, when the Swiss watched Woods play the last six holes of his opening round.
Federer was reciprocating Tiger’s gesture at the U.S. Open, where the American appeared alongside his wife to watch Federer win his third consecutive championship at Flushing Meadows.
''Rog is a great guy. We've become good friends. For him to come out here and watch and support is special,'' Woods told the ATP. "Obviously he's getting ready for his tournament on Sunday. So for him to take some time out to watch me slash it around a little bit was very nice."
It appears that the contest is as much about popularity and name-dropping as it is about dropping winners.