TV Fashion: Mark Philippoussis of ‘Age of Love’

By Michael Korb, Zap2it, Zap2It.com | June 24, 2007

Mark Philippoussis of 'Age of Love'

Serving up style on and off the court

You know, there's something to be said for looking for love on a television reality show: You earn a decent paycheck, you meet some nice people, and you get enough exposure to put some air under the flailing wings of your sports career. OK, so that might not be the exact way Australian tennis player Mark Philippoussis wants to describe his involvement in "Age of Love", NBC's Monday twist on finding romance on camera. But let's not kid ourselves, if he doesn't get healthy soon, he will forever be associated with the word "love." And in tennis, love is a bad thing.

The fact that Philippoussis is still single is rather surprising in itself. For years he was an idol Down Under, with curly brunet locks, big brown eyes and teeth so white they can be seen from space. The boy is 6 feet 5 inches of love machine. He's also never dated anyone older than four years younger than himself, and when you figure he was engaged to an 18-year-old in 2005, his "dating" of women in their 40s on the show might be good for a laugh or two. Hey, they don't call him Scud for nothing.

But even if you aren't ranked on the ATP Tour or have your own reality series designed specifically to hook you up with adoring women, you can look the part. Tennis apparel is the last vestige between old-school class and new-school athletic wear. You may remember the uproar Andre Agassi caused several years ago at Wimbledon when he strayed from the traditional whites. The queen's knickers were in a bunch for weeks. But today, almost anything goes on the court – as long as it is comfortable and doesn't inhibit forehands, backhands or overhead slams.

Though Philippoussis is always in Nike apparel, there is a huge variety of brands looking to make you the sweet spot – Adidas, K-Swiss, Wilson, Fila, Yonex, Ellesse, Puma, Reebok, New Balance, Prince and Diadora, just to name a bunch. And since tennis players normally have such muscular arms it's nice to go sleeveless. Nike's Summer Global Power sleeveless top, with the latest abstract design to make everyone scratch their heads, is a great choice from www.tennis-warehouse.com. Made of Dri-Fit, a 100-percent polyester knit mesh, it features strategically placed vents that open when triggered by sweat to move moisture away from the body. And if your arms look as if you've been sitting at a keyboard more than serving aces, the shirt also comes in a crew version.

To cover the lower extremities, go with Nike's Summer Global Control 9-inch short. Also made with Dri-Fit, these elastic and drawstring-waisted shorts feature front slash pockets roomy enough to hold your balls comfortably. And you'll want plenty of room if you want to work a room like Philippoussis.