France had 16 women competing at Wimbledon, but one of their top-ranked players, Tatiana Golovin, was noticeably absent from the draw. While she also missed Roland Garros, the Frenchwoman turned Florida-transplant was on hand for Lacoste’s 75th year anniversary celebration (she is sponsored by the French icon) but was no where to be seen in London.
The 20-year-old has been nursing a back injury since May and while she was hailed as one of France’s next great hopes and an up-and-comer on the WTA Tour, lately her personal life has been making more headlines than her tennis career (she is 3-5 for the season).
A June 8th issue of Cover magazine in France ran “exclusive” photographs of Golovin in Paris out and about with none other than Joakim Noah, the Chicago Bull forward and son of tennis legend Yannick Noah. The two were pictured walking together and sharing a kiss. Golovin, known for her flair for fashion, was pictured in a white tank top and an oversized red Lacoste crocodile necklace in one of the photos and was wearing the same necklace at the Lacoste celebration during the same timeframe, supporting the speculation that the photographs were recent.
Nothing wrong with scoring love when it’s not in a tennis match, but the Moscow-born blonde was photographed watching her boyfriend Samir Nasri, a French midfielder from Marseille, at the UEFA Euro 2008 in Switzerland apparently just days after photogs snapped her with Noah.
Does that count as a double fault or two aces?
The incidents may have gone unnoticed had Noah and Nasri not made news of their own recently. Nasri is sitting on the cusp of nabbing a transfer to British team Arsenal reportedly worth about £12 million ($24 million) while Noah also made headlines earlier this summer when he was arrested for possession of marijuana in Florida.
Golovin is hoping to be back on the circuit in time for the U.S. hard court swing and the Beijing Olympic Games.