Diamonds and sports mix well - they provide a unique combination of glitz and glamour, especially when worn by successful sports stars to parties and other off-court events. But when the "white sport" is concerned, the noble game of Tennis, diamonds mix even better. Recently, major league tournaments have added a diamonds-set trophy to their attractive prizes list.
The most famous is the Proximus Diamond Games, a professional tennis tournament held since 2002 in Antwerp, Belgium, at the beginning of February.
The Diamond Games offer a very special trophy: probably the most expensive Tennis racquet in the world - a golden racquet decorated with diamonds for the player who wins the tournament three times in five years. The racquet's value is estimated at 1 million euros.
If the American Venus Williams had entered the tournament in 2006, she might have won this unique prize as she was the winner of the 2002 & 2003 tournaments, but she pulled back two days before the start of the tournament.
The Belgian Kim Clijsters had won the 2004 tournament, but since her recent announcement of withdrawal from professional Tennis, there is a very slight chance of her winning the diamonds-set racquet.
The delighted player to win the trophy at 2007 was the French Amélie Mauresmo who received it after winning the tournament for the third year in a row.
Another event celebrating its Tennis with shining diamonds was the Australian Open, which sent the American top players James Blake and Serena Williams back to the US at 2003 with a pair of champagne-colored, diamond-studded tennis balls worth $50,000 apiece after winning this Grand Slam tournament.
So sports and diamonds do mix well, especially with Tennis. Other sports should maybe consider adapting to the trend and offer diamonds-set basketballs, baseball bats etc. - it may do wonders to the players' motivation!
