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Use a trophy as makeup brush holder!

Top women players are on top of their game: Serena
Dementieva lost to Venus in last year’s semifinal

— PHOTO: AFP

NOT A NICE FEELING: Andy Murray didn’t exactly relish the experience of playing under a roof in Wimbledon in his match against Stanislas Wawrinka, although his fans seem to have had a great time in the stands.

WIMBLEDON: Serena Williams seems to have found a peculiar way to keep her vanity table uncluttered, even if her 33 tennis trophies, cups and plates weren’t exactly designed to store her makeup brushes.

The 10-time Grand Slam champion said on Tuesday she hasn’t yet taken time to admire her prizes, instead putting them to a more practical use.

“I use some of my trophies for makeup brushes,” said Serena after reaching the Wimbledon semifinals on Tuesday. “Maybe (someday) I’ll just take a step back and be like, ‘Hmmm…’ Take all the makeup brushes out and really appreciate every title and every trophy.”

Serena smilingly said the best trophy for the job was the one she won in Indian Wells, California, in 2001. It was at that tournament the family was booed after Venus withdrew just before a semifinal match against Serena. Their father, Richard, said those jeers were racially motivated, and the sisters have boycotted tournament since then.

Ticket prices soar

Wimbledon became a recession-free zone on Wednesday as Murray-mania and sweltering temperatures drove ticket prices sky-high and lengthened the queues of fans desperate for a Centre Court seat. His run through the tournament has captured the imagination of a sporting public starved of international success and ticket prices as well as TV viewing figures have reflected that desperation.

Tickets for the men’s quarterfinals on Centre Court were changing hands for up to £1,750 ($2,874) on the Internet, according to The Independent newspaper.

Meanwhile, around 4,000 people queued overnight in the hope of buying either one of the 500 showcourt tickets put on general sale everyday or one of the 6,000 ground passes.

Crowd figures have also reflected the booming interest in Wimbledon despite the absence of World No. 1 Rafael Nadal. By the end of the first week, 266,264 people had attended the tournament, an increase of 24,002 on 2008; by Tuesday that figure had increased to 349,424.

Meanwhile, BBC television said Murray’s five-set win over Stanislas Wawrinka in the fourth round on Monday, which was the first match to be completed at night under the new 80-million-pound Centre Court roof, attracted an average of 8.6 million viewers.

When Murray closed out the match at 2139GMT, 12.6 million people were watching on television.

Defending the roof

A day after the first match played in its entirety under a roof at Wimbledon finished, the tournament’s organisers were already defending the conditions on Centre Court.

Andy Murray, who beat Stanislas Wawrinka under the translucent roof after nearly a four-hour match, said when it was over that the humidity was so bad “it was like I’d been in a bath.”

Ian Ritchie, the chief executive of the All England Club, said he did not think the humidity was a “great factor.”

“I think he’s entitled to his opinion,” Ritchie said of Murray, who is trying to become the first British man to win a singles title at Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936. “I’m sure on reflection he will look at what an enormous positive it was for him.

“If there was some humidity in the air it wasn’t on the court. I think the court was bone dry.”

Value for money

The likes of Venus and Serena Williams are leaving fans feeling rather short-changed at the All England Club, thanks to some lopsided contests.

Serena disagreed with the contention of many pundits that this year’s grasscourt major is turning out to be a bad advert for women’s tennis.

“You get to see these female players playing their best tennis not losing a set. I think that’s tremendous,” said the World No.2. “Those top players are really playing their top game, so, yeah, definitely getting your money’s worth.”

Too easy

Elena Dementieva, who served nine double-faults in her quarterfinals, attributed her struggles to an easy first four rounds at the All England Club.

“I wish I had a little bit of more fight before this round. But we’ll see if I’m going be ready for this (next) one,” said the fourth-seeded Russian, who will face two-time champion Serena Williams.

“(But) it was good to win all these matches in two sets and save some energy for the big moment — a semifinal.”

Dementieva also reached the semifinals at Wimbledon last year, losing to eventual champion Venus Williams.

“The fact I was in the semifinal last year was a great experience and I feel more confident now,” Dementieva said. “I just feel there are a lot of aspects in my game that I can improve still. And by working very hard during the off season, I can see some good changes.”

The heat is on

Medical officials said they treated 132 people at the All England Club on Tuesday, most of them for heat-related problems. Only one was taken to the hospital. The temperature on Centre Court reached 29 degree Celsius. — Agencies

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