The Deuce Club, 1.23

*!Rafa_small

By Jackie, TW Social Director*

Good eveni ... er, morning, TWibe! I hope the change in TW programming hasn't thrown too many of you off - our schedules are thrown off enough already, what with this darn Australian Open coverage! Note that I plan on posting next week's Deuce Club at this time, as well, but once the AO ends, we'll be back to our normal schedule.

So, we're almost a full week into the first Slam of the year; is everyone hanging in there? And what about the TAT Suicide Pool - are you still in or have you already made yourself at home in the Losers' Lounge? I'm actually still alive, but who knows for how much longer. Surely my luck is about to run out.

Before I dive into this week's topic, I have some business to attend to:

1) As we embark on a new year of the DC, I encourage you to e-mail me any topic ideas you may have. Is there anything you've been dying to ask the TWibe? Have you thought of a fun tennis-related activity that would serve as a welcome diversion? (Examples of past activities include making our "Hott Lists" and naming our tennis resolutions for the new year.) If so, please feel free to contact me here, and who knows - you might see your idea brought to life in a future DC.
2) You guessed it - make sure to check out our TennisWorld > Real WorldFacebook group! (If you've requested to join and haven't heard back from me yet, please send me a message in Facebook with your TW comment-posting moniker, and I'll let you in.)

Since we're so firmly entrenched in all this tennis action, I didn't want to venture too off-topic (how would our minds handle such a thing!). So, today's DC is all about - drumroll, please - AO fashion!

Pete gave some of his own thoughts on the matter in his "Choke-Motion" post - a great teaser, if you ask me. Here's what he said, if you missed it:

"Let me slip into my role as fashion arbiter for a moment to say that I've seen just one shirt (and I haven't seen them all) that I would consider actually buying to wear - that's the yellow-and-white Adidas job I saw on Safin. For my money, Adidas has always made the best-looking stuff, meaning gear that's sporty, elegant, and. . . appropriate.  I know that "appropriate" is not a fashionable concept or word these days, which is too bad. I'm still trying to figure out why someone would want to drape an athlete like Jelena Jankovic in a green maternity dress, but I guess that's my problem (unless a "wardrobe malfunction" suddenly makes it Jankovic's)."

Pete's not the only one who's enjoyed this "fashion arbiter" role. A number of you have had a field day expressing your opinions on colors, cuts, shapes, and lengths. Rafa's outfits, especially, have garnered quite a bit of attention.

Personally, I don't mind his new look. The way some fans talk about it, you'd think he was walking onto the court in a clown suit! I appreciate that the outfit is different - and different can be refreshing, no? (Okay, so Dominik Hrbaty's "different" hole shirt isn't exactly what one would deem refreshing, but you get the idea.) I'm a fan of the bright hues, even if the scheme is slightly off. And sure, he looks young, but he is young ... so it gets a thumbs up in my book.

Some other fashion observations:

I agree with Pete that Jelena's dress leaves a bit to be desired. Really, my only complaint is the unflattering cut (a pity since she has a to-die-for figure!). Otherwise, I like its vibrant green and the way it moves - looks cool and comfortable to play in.

I can't say the same for Ana's dress. Is it just me or does the neckline look really uncomfortable? If I keep wanting to tug at it, I can't imagine how Ana must feel. It often seems like Adidas tries too hard to put the girl in something "special," when, really, she'd look stunning in even a tee and shorts. Simpler is better, right?

Simple like Amelie's red dress. How radiant does she look, huh? (I can't be the only one who's hearing "Lady in Red" right now.) Roger hasn't disappointed, either. What's the word for him ... immaculate. Clean and crisp, not to mention striking, what with the contrasting colors. Still, my favorite part of his look has nothing to do with his clothes - it's the haircut! I guess when you have luscious locks like him, you can rock both long and short hair.

Roger's Swiss compatriot, Stan Wawrinka, also fared well in the fashion department - if not the tennis department. His new Lacoste gear suits him to a tee. Unlike James Blake's new getup, which seems to be several sizes too big. As I noted with Ana, I'm befuddled as to how these sportswear manufacturers manage to make even the most attractive of players look positively frumpy.

But enough of my random musings; I could go on forever, after all. Now it's your turn!

Let's do it this way: Name the male/female players with the best and worst looks at the AO. Obviously, "look" isn't limited to just clothing (hair? accessories?). Give Joan Rivers a run for her money, and have fun!

Note: For those of you who are sartorially-challenged, feel free to use this space for any other OT discussions, especially since we're trying to keep such chatter at a minimum on the Crisis Center threads.