A tennis community for the recreational player
Here it is, a glorious September Sunday, and where am I? Out hiking? Apple picking? Playing tennis? Nope. Just sitting here in front of my damn laptop. The weather’s been too nice for staring at screens, but it’s past time to show my blog a little love…and these ugly clothes a little hate.
Continue reading “Fashion Face-Off: Worst-Dressed Player at US Open 2025”
Did you guys see the women’s semifinals yesterday? What a treat! Only a few weeks ago I was railing about all the choking in the women’s game, with three of these four semifinalists serving as my examples. Yesterday, to quote Patrick McEnroe, they stepped up and delivered, including Amanda Anisimova, bouncing back from that humiliating double bagel in the Wimbledon final. The only possible explanation for this dramatic turnaround? These ladies are reading LittleYellowBall! (Hey, guys!)
Seriously, I couldn’t be happier to eat my words.
Of course, another treat has been all the stellar fashion on display. I had a tough time winnowing the field to only three, and I expect I’ll get an earful about who got left off the podium. Bring it on, people. I can take it.
Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-Off: Best-Dressed Woman at the 2025 US Open”
Yup, you read that right. It’s time to consider men’s lower halves. (Let’s see if this ends up being our most clicked-on post to date…) Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-off: Men in Shorts”
Did you see a lot of people wearing purple this year? Purple was 2018’s Color of the Year, which is some made-up designation by the pretentiously named Pantone Color Institute. (Correction: I just checked Pantone’s website. Pantone called the Color of the Year “ultra violet.” That’s purple to us less pretentious folk.) Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-off: Purple Power”
We’re well into autumn, what I think of as the long dry season in professional tennis. Once the U.S. Open ends, I find it hard to muster much enthusiasm for the year’s remaining tournaments, at least until the tour finals. I’ve been looking at these players all year. I’m tired of them. They look a little tired as well.
To make matters worse, clothing manufacturers don’t introduce new lines in the post-major dregs of the season. It’s enough to make a tennis blogger question why she started a weekly fashion face-off in the first place. What in the world was I thinking?! Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-off: Flavors of Fed”
Is it mean to do a worst-dressed poll? Probably. Are we going to do it anyway? Yes. It’s all in good fun. Besides, the players earn good money for wearing these outfits and getting people talking. They don’t really have cause to complain if not all the talk is favorable.
Here, then, are my nominees for worst dressed at the U.S. Open. Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-off: U.S. Open Worst-Dressed Award”
We’re finally here. The last best-dressed player poll of the year. (Sniff.)
But before we get all misty-eyed, let’s talk about Caroline Wozniacki. As you might recall, I’ve been disappointed in the Stella McCartney outfits Wozniacki has worn in previous U.S. Opens. Her stunning Wimbledon dress from just a few weeks ago got my hopes up that we here in the States would finally be treated to an outfit worthy of the lovely Dane.
Instead, McCartney gave us this: Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-off: U.S. Open Best-Dressed Woman Award”
The U.S. Open is well under way, which can mean only one thing. It’s time to pick our best-dressed man of the slam!
I thought choosing the best dressed for Wimbledon would be hard, what with the color restriction and all. But I’m actually finding this slam a bit tougher. No one is truly standing out for me, but we’ll just have to muddle through with what we have. Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-off: U.S. Open Best-Dressed Man Award”
You know how the runt of the litter is usually the feisty one? Scrappiness grows out of necessity: Fight or starve.
Same principle applies in tennis. Some of the most dogged competitors on the pro tour are average-sized, or even petite. Too often, we treat shortness as some sort of handicap, when in fact it can be a source of strength. The current #1 on the women’s tour, Simona Halep, is the shortest of the top ten, at a compact but powerful 5 feet 6: Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-off: Fun-Sized Edition”
As promised, we’ll devote this week’s face-off to the latest prints from Lotto. I want to say right off the bat that I have nothing against prints. In fact, I recently told my daughter that at this point in my life, I prefer a top with a print because it deflects attention away from my aging face. Without missing a beat, she pointed at her chest and acted out a confrontation with some imaginary man: “Hey, buddy! My eyes are down here!”
She cracks me up.
So I’m all about prints these days, but there has to be balance. There has to be proportion. Most of all, there has to be an attractive print. Sorry, Lotto, but yours don’t cut the mustard. Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-off: A Lotta Lotto Prints**”