Out of court : 2005


Male models to replace ballboys for WTA finale

Madrid (dpa) - Like their leggy female counterparts now serving for the second year at the Masters Series Madrid, male models will get the call for service when the women's Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Championships move to Madrid in 2006.

Madrid organisers announced the inevitable innovation Friday for the WTA year-end tournament, which will transfer to the Spanish capital in November, 2006. "The addition of a touch of fashion adds that extra element of entertainment to the most important event on the WTA Tour calendar," said WTA Tour boss Larry Scott.

"The players aren't only great athletes. They are also fashion icons; this idea complements the crossover between sport and fashion." The females have done ball-collecting duties for two editions now in Madrid, with feminist criticism now muted after a rocky start one year ago.

The unique aesthetic selling point has attracted extra attention to the tournament, which expects to draw a record 120,000 fans this week. Like their female counterparts, the men will be wearing clothes from the event's international fashion sponsor.

"The ideas was to extend the idea of the masculine models when we had a match of the WTA," said tournament director Manolo Santana. "Today that is a reality."

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