**Ins and Outs
**It wasn’t long ago that Nicole Vaidisova was another up-and-comer who generated buzz for her looks as well as her game, but the Czech’s career has taken a downward spiral in the last year. After reaching a career-high ranking of No. 7 in 2007, Vaidisova bid farewell to the Top 10 last year and recently parted ways with boyfriend and fellow pro Radek Stepanek. The two had filed for a marriage license in a Florida court in December of 2007. Vaidisova, now 20, is currently ranked No. 140.
Nuptials are still on for German-turned-Floridian Tommy Haas and his girlfriend of two-and-a-half years, American actress Sara Foster (the daughter of music mogul David Foster). Haas and Foster met through mutual friends at a tournament in Los Angeles and got engaged in 2008. Foster was seen flashing an impressive engagement ring while chatting it up with Mirka Federer at Wimbledon.
Designer Stella McCartney has been celebrated for her fashion creations for the runway, but her Adidas tennis apparel has not been selling well, forcing McCartney (the daughter of Sir John) to reconsider the face of her new campaign. Russian beauty Maria Kirilenko, whose on-court results are overwhelmed by her off-court appeal, has been dropped by McCartney’s specialty line in favor of another blonde who has the results to back up her popularity: Caroline Wozniacki. The 19-year-old Dane has won two titles and made three other finals so far this year.
Fight Club
No one could forget the infamous Irina Spirlea/Venus Williams “bump” incident at the U.S. Open in 1997, when the two players collided during a change-of-ends. It was déjà vu in the fourth round at Wimbledon this year, when Sabine Lisicki walked into Wozniacki during a change. Lisicki, who won the match in straight sets, dismissed the bumping incident in a post-match presser, chalking it up to Wozniacki’s having passed on the wrong side, but the higher-ranked Dane was not amused, and spoke to the umpire about the incident immediately after it occurred.
You have to love Anna Kournikova, unofficially retired and still creating a buzz. Fresh off making an appearance at the Hardbat Classic table tennis tournament in Sin City, the Russian pinup was partying at Vegas nightclub Lavo when another patron allegedly threw a drink at her, People magazine reports. A Page Six source added that Kournikova held her own during the rowdy altercation, which got physical. While the other woman was eventually evicted from the club, it wasn’t before Kournikova suffered some fierce scratches on her neck.
Star Struck
Some recent sightings of recording artists at tennis events: British singer Natasha Bedingfield traded her mic for a racquet at an Evian pre-Wimbledon photo shoot with Pat Cash, while fellow Brit and former Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale was a staple in Roger Federer’s box during the fortnight. Rossdale was sans Gwen Stefani, his pop star wife, who attended the epic 2008 men’s final.
No stranger to the beach or a workout, Matthew McConaughey was recently spotted on the Malibu tennis courts. While he sported a headband and a Babolat racquet, the Texas native predictably forgot his shirt.