SA have ugliest tennis clothes

2008-08-11 22:03

Wilhelm de Swardt

Beijing - South Africans are wearing the ugliest tennis clothing at the Beijing Olympics. Some of the world's leading players have bestowed this distinction on the SA team.

So unsightly is their gear that the leading SA player, Kevin Anderson, wore a sponsor's clothing when he played in his first match on Monday.

And a Chinese player has refused to swap shirts with John-Lafnie de Jager, manager of the SA tennis team.

Anderson, who described the clothing as "a shock" received special permission to play in his Nike kit when he took on Loglo Komlavi from Togo in his first match.

The "verdict" came about when players at the Games passed the time during rain interruptions on Sunday by voting for the country with the best-looking clothing.

China won. South Africa came last.

When De Jager asked one of the Chinese players to swap shirts the answer was a polite: "Thank you but no thank you."

"He told me he'd give me one of his shirts but he was not interested in a South African shirt," De Jager said.

The general feeling among the "voters" was that the clothing worn by the Chinese was the best, in looks as well as quality.

Extra-large clothes

De Jager said if the SA track-and-field athletes thought their gear was poor, they should come over to take a look at what the tennis players had to wear.

"I think the clothing our players received to wear on court is the same that other athletes received for leisure wear."

De Jager said whoever was responsible for their clothing had apparently not taken note of what the country's representatives had written on the forms they had to fill in.

"We clearly indicated that Jeff Coetzee's gear should be of medium size. He received a bag full of extra-large clothes. At least his shoes are the right size."

South Africa's representatives at the Games have also not received lapel badges with the national emblem to swap with their opponents. This has caused some embarrassment.

The badges are supposed to have been manufactured in China.

- Beeld