Olga Barabanschikova

WIMBLEDON, June 25: Anna Kournikova is not the only player from the former Soviet Union making news at Wimbledon. There is another, not necessarily in the same league as the teenage star, who is making news for different reasons. Olga Barabanschikova is sponsored by a jeweller and wears diamonds in her ears and nose.

And she even has a lucky charm, named Evil Eye, through her pierced navel to put the opponent off guard. The lucky charm helped the 17-year-old from Belarus as she trounced German Petra Begerow in straight sets. Soon after the match, she was kind enough to let photographers take shots of her bejeweled navel.

``When the games aren't going well I just rub my lucky charm and it works,'' she said after the match.

COURTING TROUBLE: Venus Williams, one of the many teenage stars who are in the limelight, could get into trouble with her beads. The 17-year-old from Los Angeles has beads on her dreadlocks and for Wimbledon she has threaded white beads into her already colourful locks. But Venus, still waiting to play her first game, will have a tough time trying to get all her beads from falling into court. The loss of a single bead on court would constitute an offence under Rule 25 relating to clothing or equipment falling from a player on the court. And, if a bead falls for the first time, a let would be played. If that happens a second time, a second let will be played and if the beads continue to fall, a point would be awarded to her opponent. At the same time, if one of the beads lands on the rival's court at any point of time there would be an automatic loss of a point under Rule 20e.

BECKER'S STARRY NEIGHBOURS: It appears that Boris Becker has decided to turn his back on Germany and says he will only return for matches. The three-time Wimbledon champion, claims that he was forced into exile after tax officials raided his homes in Germany and also because of the racial taunts over his wife and son.

He has moved to Fisher Island, Florida, where his neighbours are Sophia Loren and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

``Don't stand there like the Statue of Liberty, give me some balls.'' Jeff Tarango to a ball girl during his defeat by the Frenchman Rodolphe Gilbert.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.