Wimbledon is undoubtedly the most popular of all Grand Slam tennis tournaments, and is, in fact, the oldest in the world. Once a tournament steeped in many traditions, it seems that in recent years the grass court is becoming more of a red carpet affair, with players sporting their designer outfits with ever-increasing verve.

The All England Club requires players to wear "almost entirely white" clothing during matches, but that hasn't stopped designers and players from profiting from their stage-like presence at Wimbledon.

Breaking fashion tradition started back in the early 1900s with French player Suzanne Lenglen adorning herself with the creations of designers like Jean Patou, instead of wearing a mid-calf skirt and simple blouse.

As the years have passed, glamour has become an integral part of tennis. Designer clothes, shoes, wrist bands, scarves are now a dress code of the game.

Andre Agassi initially disagreed with the all-white code (boycotting the tournament in 1991), but later gave in to the tradition — nevertheless making a statement in the process.

Tennis celebrity Martina Navartilova also caused a stir on the green carpet appearing on the tennis court in a pair of businesslike shorts, at a time when ladies players around her wore small skirts.

One step further

But the glamourisation of the game has only really come to the fore in recent years with players like Roger Federer, Anna Kournikova, Sharapova and the Williams sisters upping the fashion game.

Who can forget Roger Federer wearing customised Nike tennis shoes with his initials on it, or his famous blazers of the last two years with the letters 'RF' flamboyantly stitched into his right breast pocket?

This year, however, Federer has opted for a 1920s-style, herringbone-patterned cardigan instead.

"It was Nike. We've been talking, what could we do? I thought two jackets was enough. Let's move on to something a little bit different," the Swiss player reportedly told AFP this week.

"We thought about something nice, like a cardigan or a jumper. It's a little bit easier to wear than the jacket, to be honest."

A brand in herself

Maria Sharapova performed a Wimbledon striptease on Tuesday all in the name of fashion. The Russian pin-up walked onto Court One dressed in a cream tuxedo-style jacket and long trousers before stripping down to play in a white vest and shorts for the first time.

Sharapova, the 2004 champion, is familiar with daring outfits at the championships; she once played in diamond-encrusted shoes.

But not only is Maria Sharapova turning heads on court with her choice of outfit, she's also taking her star style off court too. The 21-year-old Wimbledon star — reported to be the world's wealthiest sportswoman, raking in a massive £12-million per year from her off-court earnings alone — has become Sony Ericsson's first-ever brand ambassador. The deal is set to last four years, during which the tennis starlet will design a number of collections for the company.

Fashion shockers

The fashion stakes are so high that we're even looking to see what undies these stars are wearing. French player, Tatiana Golovin and her red knickers made headlines during the 2007 tournament, raising questions over dress codes once again.

Sadly, Golovin is currently injured and therefore unable to deliver on a sequel to those sensational red knickers at NW19...

This year, double women's title winner Serena Williams went also went head-to-head in the fashion stakes at the All England Club. Not to be outdone, Williams, over on Court One, appeared for her match with Estonia's Kaia Kanepi in a trenchcoat despite the 25-degree temperatures.

"I probably have more coats than anyone. I'm always buying Burberry. I don't know why as I live in Florida so it doesn't really add up," the American told AFP after her 7-5, 6-3 win.

"Now I have a wonderful white coat I can wear in New York on rainy days."

Ridiculous as it may seem ,the new 'green carpet' isn't a joke, with players not only making a statement but making a fair amount of money from these 'sponsorships'. Step aside Paris, it's the tennis players' turn...