Tennis' Role Models

Thanks to TOI and their ilk, scantily clad models peering out from front pages is not an uncommon sight these days. Nevertheless, I took a quick look at the pretty young thing on Sunday's Deccan Chronicle and to my surprise found the picture was that of a "ball girl" from the Madrid ATP Masters. I also discovered that the ball girls were really models, meant to 'sex up' the event. Now, apparently the idea is also to be extended to the season-ending WTA event, with male models as the ball boys. Naturally. It's all good, mate. Not that I mind shapely young things cavorting about, but tennis hardly needs sexing up. Besides, these days it's not as if we need more avenues for such things. But more importantly, I think it deprives some budding tennis aspirants of the opportunity to get a closer look at their idols (I do recall some tennis stars having done stints as ball boys). As for ATP Masters, perhaps it was an unitended blessing, given the withdrawals that hit the event. - NK