Victoria Azarenka thinks Argentina star Lionel Messi is ‘so little and cute’ (AFP)
AFP/London
Tennis’s top stars should be concentrating on Wimbledon, which got under way Monday, but the big-name players can’t help keeping an eye on the World Cup football action in Brazil.
The Championships are a football-free zone: the All England Club refuses to show matches on the big screens.
Nonetheless, the World Cup is the talk of the locker room, according to defending champion Andy Murray. With England crashing out of the World Cup early, Britain’s hopes of sporting success now rest with the Scot. Indeed, the very first press conference question Murray faced at Wimbledon this year was: “How does it feel to have the hopes of a despondent nation on your shoulders?” Murray replied simply: “Wow.”
“I enjoy it when the World Cup is on. It gives me something to do in the evenings. I don’t have to listen to people talking about me playing at Wimbledon,” the champion said.
“When you walk into the locker room most mornings, that’s what almost all of the players are talking about,” he said of the World Cup.
Rafael Nadal said Spain’s shock slump did not make him more motivated to restore national sporting pride by winning a third Wimbledon crown.
“I am sad. Everybody in Spain is sad for what happened in the World Cup,” the Mallorcan said. “But my mentality, my motivation was going to be always at the top to play here at Wimbledon.”
For Victoria Azarenka, the World Cup is all about peace and love—but mostly love, for Argentina star Lionel Messi. “I’ve been a supporter of Argentina for last three World Cups,” she said. “I love Messi. I think he’s one of the greatest players of all time. He’s so little, so cute.”
What goes through Azarenka’s mind when watching the Barcelona forward?
“You don’t want to know!,” the world number eight said.
“The World Cup is one of those events like the Olympic Games. It brings all nations, all people together just glued to the TV or glued in the stadium, that moment of celebration. That moment of peace, that moment of love for the sport. “It’s just absolutely amazing to me.”
With Serbia not taking part, top seed Novak Djokovic said he was supporting neighbouring countries like Bosnia, Croatia and Greece. “Hopefully some of them will pass the group stage and get in the knock-out phase,” the 2011 champion said.
“Half of the planet is watching the World Cup now. I’m following the matches.”
Serena Williams said she was watching at least one or two games per day. “Excited for the US. Obviously I’m rooting for the US,” the five-times Wimbledon winner said.
Compatriot Sloane Stevens said the World Cup had not been keeping her awake. However, Maria Sharapova said she had been tucked up in bed before Russia’s opening match kicked off, and it was not worth asking her opinion on Russia’s players. “I’m no expert in football. I’ll tell you that straight off,” the 2004 champion said.