Now that's what you call a ball-gown! Tennis player Bethanie Mattek-Sands goes Gaga at pre-Wimbledon party in wacky yellow dress

By EMILY SHERIDAN

Flamboyant: American tennis player Bethanie Mattek-Sands makes an entrance at the WTA pre-Wimbledon party in a tennis ball dress


Bethanie Mattek-Sands has described herself as the Lady Gaga of the tennis world due to her flamboyant fashion taste.

So who better to dress the American tennis player than one of Gaga's own designers.

The 26-year-old made an attention-seeking entrance at the Women's Tennis Association pre-Wimbledon party in London last night in a tennis-inspired dress.


Wild thing: Mattek-Sands' dress was made using real tennis balls by London-based designer Alex Noble


The startling dress included a neon green corset made of parts of tennis balls, with matching shoulder pads.

More tennis balls were then attached to some neon green chiffon to create a Mohican-style hat.

Mattek-Sands, who is currently No.31 in the world rankings, commissioned British designer Alex Noble to create her flamboyant gown for the bash at the Kensington Roof Gardens.

Mattek-Sands is no stranger to breaking the style rules, who was fined for wearing a cowboy hat on the court in 2005.


Breaking the rules: Mattek-Sands is hoping to slip in a bit of her individualism to the court at Wimbledon this year


A lover of crazy fashion, Mattek-Sands knows she will have to tone down her wardrobe to adhere to Wimbledon's strict dress code.

So the pre-Wimbledon bash was the perfect opportunity for her to show her individualism outside the rigid rules of the South West London club.

She said last month: 'I don't think I can really challenge the colour rule right now.

'You know, I got to figure something out. Obviously the white, you got to work with a lot of the cuts. Obviously I'll be wearing my high socks. But yeah, it's always challenging to think of new things for Wimbledon.



Colour statement: American tennis player Serena Williams wore a figure-hugging jade Burberry dress, while Russian player Maria Sharapova wore a red skater dress


'I think the fans that come to Wimbledon appreciate everything I do. I think it's more probably the members and the people higher up that are tut-tutting me.'

Mattek-Sands and Noble met up in Madrid and Copenhagen earlier this month and was open to his idea of making the gown out of tennis balls.

In an online video following the making of the gown, Mattek-Sands said: 'Fashion has always been super-interesting for me.'


Lady Gaga designer Alex Noble designs a dress for Bethanie Mattek-Sands



source :dailymail