Canada’s Milos Raonic, sporting a sleeve, in action against Kei Nishikori of Japan on day eight of the US Open on Monday. (AFP)
Serena Williams has suddenly gotten the urge to use a serving arm sleeve as pioneered by Milos Raonic, fifth seed at the US Open.
Though the big-hitting Canadian lost to Kei Nishikori in a fourth-round match which lasted until a record-equalling 2:26 a.m. on Tuesday, Raonic has been making an impression with the colourful sleeve he has been wearing since Miami six months ago.
In addition, the 23-year-old’s impeccable - some say 1950s throwback - hair style has garnered attention, with tennis trivia buffs marvelling at how his follicles stay in place no matter what the exertions of the world number six.
Raonic credit sit all to wise use of “product.”
Both the sleeve and the hair now have spoof Twitter accounts.
Meanwhile, tennis fashionista Williams has been yearning to get herself set up with a sleeve, which Raonic said was first used to protect a rash and has now become a part of his arsenal, supposedly keeping his lethal serving arm “warm.”
Williams used a tennis day off to lament on Twitter about how much she now needs to “believe in the sleeve.”
“@serenawilliams: @milosraonic I love your arm sleeve. It’s super cool. Will it help my serve? #CanIHaveOne” Yes! #BelieveInTheSleeve
Whether Williams will get her wish has yet to be determined but Raonic has explained what the oddball accessory means to him and is game.
And it seems to have become something of a superstition which he has no intention of renouncing:
“I’m not going to argue when things are going OK,” said the Canadian, who has moved on from his original white sleeve into one more colour-co-ordinated with his clothing.
BASKETBALL IS NADAL’S FOCUS
Injured Rafael Nadal has become a become a forgotten figure at the US Open as the Spaniard rests a wrist injury as he misses the last major of the season.
And to perhaps hide his pain at not competing at the event which he won a year ago, the world number two has turned his focus to the World Basketball Championships currently underway in his home country.
To that end, Nadal has voiced his support for the host team, wishing the Spanish national side the best of luck.
Nadal, one of his nation’s most notable sportsmen, sent his wishes on his Facebook page. He is a good friend of Pau Gasol, the national captin who has watched from the stands during a Nadal title victory at Roland Garros.
Spanish basketball is considered among the world elite, second behind the American NBA. The side won the 2006 World Cup and the London Olympic silver medal.
As for Nadal, his return to tennis is uncertain, with the Spaniard officially entered in Chinese events in Beijing and Shanghai in the coming weeks with little news of progress coming out of the player’s camp.
