Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash "has pulled out of its veterans' competition after his tennis shoes fell foul of the tournament's dress code," according to Esther Addley of the London GUARDIAN. Players were warned before this year's tournament that officials "would be rigorously enforcing its rules on 'almost entirely white' clothing -- meaning that the bright underwear, coloured soles and conspicuously contrasting trim spotted in previous years would be outlawed." Calling the restrictions "archaic thinking," Cash said that they meant he "would be unable to play in the specialist shoes he must wear to prevent injury," forcing the '87 champion to withdraw. Cash added that the restrictions also meant "some female players had been forced to remove their bras before going on court." Cash: "Some of the girls have been told to go back and change their bras and tops because they had slight colour on them. I believe some of the girls didn't have suitable sports bras and had to go without them. It has absolutely gone ridiculous" (GUARDIAN, 6/26). In London, Claire Duffin noted an All England Lawn Tennis Club spokesperson "would not comment on the bra issue." Players are said "to have reacted angrily to the new rules." However, Venus Williams said that "she approved of the new rule." Williams: "I think it's a nice change. I think everyone just kind of glows in white" (TELEGRAPH, 6/26).
