When Roger Federer was asked recently at Indian Wells what his goal in life is, he said, "Well, it is not to be walking in New York City and have everybody screaming." I tend to agree. In these days of Britney Spears and other plastic, sexualized, enhanced, young people prancing around as our so called role models, the last thing tennis needs is yet more of these types. The mousse, the revealing clothes, the stylized, beauty parlor, synthetic image, is not what we really want to see more of, is it? Do we want our future tennis players to become more like this? It is crammed down our throats by promotion companies, clothing companies, the media reinforces it, and our own federations by condoning it actually support it in a last ditch effort to create yet "more attention, higher ratings" and of course generate more of this type of revenue, and we are falling for it and think it is all OK. Are we really this desperate? Some of our players allow themselves to be used as pawns, but at what price?. IF THE PLAYERS THEMSELVES and their parents, DO NOT PUT THEIR FOOT DOWN AND REFUSE TO BE SEXUALIZED, marketed as pieces of meat, THEN THERE WILL BE NO CHANGES, IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE. I AM TIRED OF LISTENING TO PEOPLE SAY, YES SHE IS VERY, VERY GOOD LOOKING AND (this time) SHE CAN PLAY TENNIS. SO THAT MAKES IT ALL OK??? WHO CARES! as if sexual exploitation has a place in sports. What ever happened to modesty? Who really cares about what physical attributes need to be flaunted while she hits her forehand? Please, not in tennis. Please save some dignity for the game. For those players going this route, I encourage you to think again and not be fooled. Think about the clothes you wear and the image you portray, as in the big scheme of things, your actions are teaching others. I once heard that "one Barbie is more dangerous then 12 nuclear missiles." I now see their point.

One final note. Of course there are players out there who dress modestly and are there just for the sake of sport, diplaying good sportmanship who bring honor to themselves and the game.Thank you Lindsay Davenport for wearing something under that low cut Nike top at Indian Wells. You always dress in good taste and you are a class act. I wish more players would follow your example, and there are more out there. Everybody else, especially the young IMGer's, please think again about the image you portray. Do not be fooled or allow anybody to take advantage of you, because in the end, YOU LOSE. You really do.