Wimbledon Action -- On and Off the Court

As Wimbledon nears the end of the first week of competition, there seems to be as much action taking place off the court as there is on the court.

Agassi's Retirement
Before the tournament began, Andre Agassi announced he would be retiring after the U.S. Open in September. At age 36, he is the oldest player competing at Wimbledon. He has battled back problems earlier this season, but after yesterday's victory on the court, Agassi says he is feeling his best yet. It would be only fitting if he continues his strong play and makes the final rounds.

Agassi's biggest challenge may come tomorrow (Saturday) against the No. 2 seeded Rafael Nadal, who won the French Open a few weeks ago. It may prove to be one of the best matchups in the early rounds. At age 20, Nadal is the rising star in tennis, but he hasn't had as much experience on grass court. Still, it's an intriguing match up worth watching.

Fashion Police
Making a fashion statement at Wimbledon just got tougher. Before the tournament began, Wimbledon officials said they will be "cracking down on cleavage." That means no more low-cut outfits like the ones Maria Sharapova often wears. Guys will be disappointed. It's the only time they get to see two shows for the price of one.

No Serena or Lindsay
Two of the top names in ladies' tennis will be absent from competition. Serena Williams and Lindsay Davenport are not competing due to injury. All eyes are on Venus Williams, who is expected to make it to the finals. Martina Hingis is still on the comeback trail and is playing well. She could surprise some people. Of course, you still have top contenders, such as Mauresmo, Clijsters and Henin-Hardenne. That should make for some great matches in the later rounds.

Wanna Bet?
Tennis officials are looking into reports of irregular betting activity surrounding a first-round match between N. 89-ranked Carlos Berlocq of Argentina who lost to Richard Bloomfield, ranked 170 places below him. British media reported that up to $546,000 of wagers were placed on Berlocq to lose the match. That's about 30 times more than had been placed on similar matches between British players and foreign opponents. Berlocq, who made his first appearance at Wimbledon, claimed he had injured his foot before the French Open, which affected his play. Bloomfield said he did not notice anything out of the ordinary during the match and felt he could win because he plays a serve-and-volley game while Berlocq is basically a baseliner. Still, officials were alarmed by the betting activity to investigate.

Pay Equity
The issue of pay equity is still a sore subject for many. Wimbledon remains the only Grand Slam Tournament to not offer equal bonus money for the men's and ladies' champions. Officials take an old line stance on the issue. They argue that men play a best-of-five match while women play a best-of-three. In their minds, the current payout arrangement is fair. I say, it's time to get with the 21st century.

And to think, there is still a little more than a week to go at Wimbledon.