Maria Kirilenko

Maria Kirilenko

Maria Yuryevna Kirilenko ( born January 25, 1987) is a Russian professional tennis player of Paternal Ukrainian Heritage. Born in Moscow, she won her first WTA Tour title in 2005, defeating Anna-Lena Grönefeld 6–3, 6–4 in the China Open. Kirilenko reached #18, her career-high singles ranking, on the WTA tour in July 2008. She is a good friend of Maria Sharapova. She is affectionately called Makiri. She won the junior event at the 2002 Canadian Open, as well as the 2002 US Open junior tournament. In December 2004 she played in a tennis exhibition in Tampa, Florida to raise money for the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund.

Martina Hingis

Martina Hingis (born September 30, 1980 in Košice, Czechoslovakia) is a retired professional tennis player who spent a total of 209 weeks as World No. 1. She won five Grand Slam singles titles (three Australian Open, one Wimbledon, and one US Open). She also won nine Grand Slam women’s doubles titles, winning a calendar year Grand Slam in 1998, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title.
Hingis set a series of “youngest-ever” records before ligament injuries in both ankles forced her to withdraw temporarily from professional tennis in 2002 at the age of 22. After several surgeries and long recuperations, Hingis returned to the WTA tour in 2006. She then climbed to World No. 6 and won three singles titles. On November 1, 2007, after suffering from injuries for much of the year, Hingis announced her retirement from tennis while admitting she had tested positive for cocaine during Wimbledon in 2007. She denied using the drug.  On January 4, 2008, she was banned from tennis for two years for the cocaine offense. She has stated that she will not return to professional tennis when this ban expires.

Nicole Vaidisova

Nicole Vaidisova

Nicole Vaidišová (born April 23 1989) is a Czech female tennis player.
Vaidišová has been playing tennis since she was six years old. She is a student of Nick Bollettieri and trains at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Her serve is considered her biggest weapon. As of April 6, 2009, Vaidišová is ranked World No. 58. On August 9, 2006, at the age of 17 years, three months, and two weeks, she became the 12th-youngest player in WTA Tour history to be ranked in the top 10. She achieved a career-high ranking of World No. 7 on May 14, 2007.
Vaidišová is a face of Reebok and has been featured in their “I Am What I Am” and “Run Easy” campaigns. She also endorses Citizen Watch Co., Ltd and its Eco-Drive design. An avid reader, Vaidišová is part of the “Get Caught Reading Campaign” to encourage people to read more. She has taken part in other philanthropic causes, such as becoming an ambassador for PlayPumps International, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing clean drinking water to African children. She is represented by Olivier van Lindonk of IMG.
As of March 2009, she is coached by her stepfather, Ales Kodat, who replaced David Felgate

Daniela Hantuchova

Daniela Hantuchova

Daniela Hantuchová (born April 23, 1983) is a Slovak professional tennis player. She turned professional in 1999 and had her breakthrough year in 2002, when she won her first Tier I tournament and ended the year in the top ten.
She is currently coached by Albert Portas.  Her WTA Tour mentor in the “Partners for Success” program was Martina Navratilova, who was her doubles partner for a brief period in early 2005. As of April 13, 2009, Hantuchová is ranked World No. 40 in singles.

Ana Ivanovic

Ana Ivanovic

Ana Ivanović ( born November 6, 1987, in Belgrade, Serbia, then Yugoslavia) is a former World No. 1 Serbian tennis player. As of April 13, 2009, she is ranked World No. 7 by the Women’s Tennis Association. She is the reigning French Open singles champion and was the runner-up in singles at the 2007 French Open and the 2008 Australian Open.

Anna Kournikova

Anna Kournikova

Anna Sergeyevna Kournikova (born June 7, 1981) is a semi-retired Russian professional tennis player and model. Her celebrity status made her one of the best known tennis players worldwide. At the peak of her fame, fans looking for images of Kournikova made her name (or misspellings of it) one of the most common search strings on the internet search engine Google.
Although also successful in singles, reaching #8 in the world in 2000, Kournikova’s specialty has been doubles, where she has at times been the world’s number one-ranked player. With Martina Hingis as her partner, she won Grand Slam titles in Australia in 1999 and 2002. Kournikova’s major-league tennis career has been curtailed for the past several years, and possibly ended, by serious back and spinal problems.
Kournikova was born in Moscow in the former Soviet Union to Alla and Sergei Kournikov; she and her mother later emigrated to the United States. Currently, she resides in Miami Beach, Florida, and plays in occasional exhibitions and in doubles for the St. Louis Aces of World Team Tennis.

Maria Sharapova

Maria Yuryevna Sharapova (born April 19, 1987) is a Russian-born American-Russian professional tennis player. A former World No. 1, she was, as a result of injury-induced absence from the sport, ranked World No. 64 by the Women’s Tennis Association on April 20, 2009. Sharapova has won three Grand Slam singles titles. In 2004, at the age of 17, she won Wimbledon, defeating Serena Williams in the final. She has since won the 2006 US Open, defeating Justine Henin in the final and the 2008 Australian Open, defeating Ana Ivanović in the final.
Sharapova has represented Russia in Fed Cup, although her appearances have been controversial. She has been featured in a number of modeling jobs, including a feature in Sports Illustrated. Sharapova was the most searched-for athlete on Yahoo! in both 2005 and 2008.In July 2008, as a result of her success both on and off court, she was the world’s highest-paid female athlete.
As of October 2008, she is coached by her father, Yuri Sharapov, and former player Michael Joyce.

Maria Sharapova

Elena Dementieva

Elena Dementiva

Elena Dementieva (born 15 October 1981 in Moscow, Russia) is a professional tennis player from Russia who has won two Olympic medals in singles, including the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. She has also reached the finals of two Grand Slam events. As of 6 April 2009, she is ranked World No. 3.

Sorana Cirstea

Sorana Cirstea

Sorana Cîrstea (born on April 7, 1990 in Bucharest, Romania) is a Romanian female tennis player. She is currently at her career high ranking of No. 36, a ranking achieved on October 27, 2008.

Severine Bremond

Séverine Brémond (born Séverine Beltrame August 14, 1979 in Montpellier, France) is a professional female tennis player from France.

Credits: Player background info and stats Wikipedia

After an intense wave of activity over the last six weeks or so there is currently something of a shortage of flats to buy in Wimbledon at the moment. A high proportion – maybe as high as 50% - are currently under offer and therefore seemingly off the market. Our advice is to assume nothing in the current market and work on the basis that many of these sales will fall through as mortgage offers fail to materialise at the desired amount or price.

We continue our monthly roundup of what we consider to be some of the best Wimbledon flats to buy and rent at the moment.

Tennyson Road

Possibly within the first time buyer end of the market is a recently refurbished top floor studio apartment in Tennyson Road, within a short distance of Haydon’s Road station. The flat is described as being in excellent condition throughout and comprises a large separate kitchen and fitted bathroom. The flat is part of a converted Victorian terraced cottage. The asking price is £165,000 and is available through Haart

In Merton Park we recommend a viewing of this double bedroom apartment. The property is part of an unusually attractive modern development which was erected in 2005. The flat comprises an approximately 3.5m x 3.5m double bedroom, a very large reception room, a fabulous open-plan fully fitted kitchen and a bathroom / wc. The photographs of the flat are very enticing so a viewing is recommended. Also important, the communal areas have been done thoughtfully and to a decent specification. For example the flat comes with entryphone access for visitors and there is space for off-street parking. Outside and to the rear there is an attractive and secure communal garden with a useful bicycle/garden store. The flat is about one third of a mile from Morden underground station and the Tram is about 200 yards away. The asking price is £195,000 and is available through Haart.

Merton Park

Location is absolutely essential and this flat on Merton Road offers just that being located just a short distance from South Wimbledon underground station and approximately half a mile from Wimbledon Town Centre.  The flat is located on the first floor and offers spacious accommodation comprising a private entrance, a hallway with useful study area, 13′ double bedroom with large built-in wardrobe, a 17′ reception room with cast-iron fireplace, 15′ fitted kitchen / breakfast room a modern bathroom / wc and a rear balcony. The asking price is £209,950.

Merton Road

Further up market is this one bedroom top floor apartment in Arthur Road in Wimbledon Park. The property comprises a large front reception room, kitchen containing range of storage units, fridge⁄freezer, dish washer, built in oven and hob with extractor over. Also included is an entry phone system, carpeted flooring, double glazing. The bathroom conbtains sky lights, tiled flooring and walls and heated chrome tower rail. The property benefits from the superb amenities of Wimbledon Park including the Park, underground station, local parade of shops and schools. The asking price is £227,000 and is available through Brinkleys.

Arthur Road

If you enjoy a project then maybe consider this unmodernised purpose built flat. It is located in Denmark Avenue which is one of the most pleasant roads in Wimbledon. The property is a decent size with the bedroom for example offering 12 ft by 12 ft. The flat also comes with a garage which is well worth having. The asking price is £235,000 through Robert Holmes.

Denmark Avenue

Homefield Road is probably the premier street in Wimbledon Village for flats being literally one street away from all the action but also relatively quiet. It also has the added advantage of being directly opposite Tesco on Ridgway which means you don’t have to travel far in an emergency. On offer is a one bedroom flat in immaculate condition. The flat is light and airy and decorated to a high standard. The asking price is £249,950 and is available through Hawes & Co.

Homefield Road

Get close to Wimbledon Common with this flat in Clifton Road just yards from the open space, pubs and other attractions of the 1,100 acre woodland. This flat comprises one double bedroom, reception room, bathroom, balcony, entry phone system, double glazing, lock up storage shed and allocated off-street parking space.  The asking price is £275,00 and is available through Robert Holmes

Clifton Road

So, as we predicted earlier this year, the market for flats in Wimbledon is currently showing some encouraging signs of life, if not recovery. Transaction levels at the lower to mid end of the market are up significantly compared to six months ago. Consequently, there are very few 2 bedroom flats available on the market with an asking price of less than £270,000. The same can’t yet be said for the upper end of the market which remains dull for 2 bedroom flats with an asking price over £350,000

The frenetic activity that local estate agents in Wimbledon are reporting is converting into offers. A glance at Hawes & Co’s web site or Village office just goes to show what is happening – seven of the twelve flats they have on their books at under £300,000 are currently under offer or recently sold and the situation is similar at the other agents. 

The reality behind this activity is slightly different. Mortgage offers are invariably taking months to complete as the banks comb every transaction analysing the minutiae for reasons to stall or deny. The result is a near grid-locked market as potential buyers and sellers finally come to agree on (lower) valuations but are unable to complete their transactions for lack of funding.

What this means is that for the first time since the credit crisis materialised in mid 2007 and property values started to decline thereafter there is now a developing consensus on the new lower valuation reality. So if you are a cash buyer or a buyer requiring a mortgage with a loan to value ratio of less than 60% now could be an excellent time to be investing in a flat in Wimbledon.

In our opinion there are some very effective actions that prospective buyers can take to increase their chances of securing a purchase in the current market.

Firstly, if you require a mortgage then ought to consider using the services of a mortgage broker rather than dealing directly with the bank or building society. There are plenty of independent mortgage brokers around and they should ensure that the process is as smooth as possible, completing the various forms on your behalf and knowing when and how to push the lender along.

Secondly, there is an acute shortage of trust in the market at the moment so do everything you can to engender trust with everyone involved in the process. And who is the most important person you have to convince of your determination and ability to close the deal? The estate agent. In the current marketplace where commissions are relatively few and far between agents can’t afford to be mucked around and will therefore consider promoting an alternative offer to yours if they get the sense you may not complete.

Thirdly, communicate often. In a market with little trust, a depleted supply of properties and the consequential risk of gazumping you absolutely must work hard to keep the seller and estate agent informed of the status of your mortgage application and intention to complete. As a minimum you should be doing this twice a week.

There is a wide choice of good quality heavily discounted duvet covers on sale.
Bedeck bedlinen for singles, doubles and kingsize is half price down to £40 for a kingsize; the very attractive Bruges and Geneva 100% luxury cotton ranges of embellished duvet covers are both 40% off.

The stylish Ascot Satin Stripe Duvet Cover which is all white 220 sateen thread is down to £35 from £70 for a kingsize and just £5 for a pillowcase. At the top of Elys range is the Sheridan Merivale Duvet Cover. This has a luxury 300 thread count and is reduced from £119 to just £80 for a kingsize and £69 for a double.

Now is also good time to pick up some Egyptian cotton sheets. Wallace Sacks fitted sheets are 50% off which means you pick up a kingsize for just £15, £12 for a double and £9 for a single. Pillow cases are £2.50 each.

Anti-allergy pillows with Amicor fibre filling and cotton covers are now half price at £20 for a pair. Summer duvets (4.5 tog) with cotton covers are half price down to £29 for a kingsize, £23.50 for a double and £20 for a single. Winter duvets (13.5 tog) with Microfibre anti-allergy filling are also half priceat £52.50 for a kingsize and £45 for a double. If you prefer the “real thing” then there’s more than half off the Emporium 12 tog duvet made with duck feather and down and a 240 thread cotton cover. At £57.50 for a kingsize that looks like a great bargain.

If you’ve come this far why not chuck out the bed bugs and treat your flat to a new bed. Elys stocks a great selection of really good quality beds and right now there’s the opportunity to save up to 50% on selected products.

The 5’ Reylon Matisse 4 drawer divan is down to £699 having recently retailed at £999. It is a pocket spring divan with a layer of memory foam on a firm base. At the top of the spectrum is the Hypnos Concerto which is described as being “extravagently” comfortable pocket spring 4 drawer divan. The bed has 3 comfort settings! The price for the 5’ model has come down 30% from £1,679 to £1,449. The 4’6 model is down to £1,299 from £1,495.

A popular model is the Staples Naples, a pocket spring divan with easy care non-turn mattress. The price is down 50% to £699 for a kingsize and £599 for a double.

If the furnishing budget for your flat can’t stretch this far then you might consider the Myers Maze, a deep-filled mattress on a platform top base for a firm support. The 2 drawer 5’ divan is massively down from £899 to a bargain-basement £349 while the 4’6 model has dropped from £759 to £299.

Did you know that Wimbledon Common is home to an enormous range of mammals, birds, reptiles and insects? According to records from various natural history societies the Common is home to

• 22 species of mammal including badger, fox, stoat, weasel, feral ferret, feral cat, grey squirrel, bank vole, field vole, water vole, wood mouse, house mouse, common rat, rabbit, mole, hedghog, common shrew, pygmy shrew, water shrew

• 4 species of amphibians – Common  Toad, Common Frog, Smooth Newt, Terrapin (red-eared slider)

• 3 species of reptiles – Adder, Grass Snake and Common Lizard

• 12 species of fish – Common Carp, Mirror Carp, Grass Carp, Golden Rudd, Bream, Perch, Pike, Eel, Goldfish, Koi Carp, Tench and 5-spine Stickleback.

Wimbledon Common is also a very important habitat for birds. There are approximately 100 species observed each year of which around half are known to have bred on the Common. According to local records which commenced in 1974 there have been sightings of 122 different species in total. Just some of the wonderful birdlife on the Common includes Great and lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, Little and Tawny Owls, Willow Warbler, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Egyptian Goose, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Kingfisher, Common Buzzard, Sparrow Hawk, Ring-necked Parakeet and Cuckoo.

The Common is also the natural habitat for at least six different species of bat including Brown Long-eared bat, Pipistrelle, Daubenton’s bat, Serotine and Noctule bat. One of the best place to view the bats is in the woodland close to the Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields and along the Beverley Brook. Curiously, another place is in a building close to the Ranger’s office.

The numerous shady ponds on Wimbledon Common make this probably the most important site for dragonflies and damselflies in London. A notable resident is the Hairy dragonfly. Others include the Emperor dragonfly, Ruddy Darter, Black-tailed Skimmer, Azure damselfly and Red-eyed damselfly.

There are 24 species of butterfly to be found. These include the Meadow Browns which are plentiful in summer and the more unusual Purple and White-letter Hairstreaks. 8 species of Hawkmoth inhabit the Common including the very unusual Humming-bird Hawkmoth and the Long-winged Conehead.

If you wish to find out more and discover the best spots for observing Wimbledon’s wildlife then it would be a great idea to join one of the many guided walks on Wimbledon and Putney Commons which are held under the auspices of the London Wildlife Trust, the Wandsworth Nature Study Centre and by David Haldane on behalf of the Wimbledon & Putney Commons Conservators.

Bat walks on Wimbledon Common are led the London Bat Group. Another opportunity is The Windmill Nature Trail, near The Windmill which is best visited during the period March to October. The trail was opened in 2000 and is situated 200 metres to the east of the Windmill car park and   was created to allow people with mobility problems the opportunity to access a small and representative section of Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath.

The trail comprises a firm flat footpath of approximately 800 metres with trail markers and directional signs along the way. It winds its way through three habitats, namely grassland, heath and woodland which are particularly abundant with birdlife and a representative diversity of the trees and shrubs to be found on the Common. To find out more contact the Ranger’s Office between 9am and 4 pm on 0208788 7655.

The club which is situated on the corner of Woodhayes Road and Copse Hill has a very close relationship with the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and consequently each year receives a handsome allocation of tickets for distribution to its members.

These tickets which are generally for Centre Court and Number 1 Court and often include tickets for the Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Finals of both men’s and women’s competitions are then entered into a ballot in pairs and members of the club are able to secure them at face value. As is usual the club will release information on how to apply for the ballot in early May.

Details will be posted on the club’s website and will also be emailed out to members. The draw will probably take place around 15th May. Please note that to be eligible to enter for the Wimbledon ticket ballot you must have paid your subscription by Sunday10th May and have a British Tennis membership which is a mere formality.

What is more the gap in council tax rates between the two local authorities continues to widen with Wandsworth announcing a freezing of bills for the second year running. Conversely, Merton councillors thought it appropriate to announce a 1.9% increase. This is apparently the council’s lowest annual rate hike for 15 years which surely comes as little or no consolation to most of Wimbledon’s residents.

Unlike Merton, Wandsworth are also stepping up their support for their local economy with a  package of counter-recession measures including proposals to cap car parking charges, 12 month payment options for the payment of business rates and support for local post offices threatened with closure.

Sunday is surely about a bit of pampering and there’s no better way of indulging than with a massage or beauty treatment. If you are a guy with some sporting aches and pains then try out the acupuncture and deep tissue massage combination at Dr China. Thirty minutes of needles under a heat lamp will relax you and a further thirty minutes or intense deep tissue massage by one of the resident doctors will leave you feeling rejuvenated. £45 per hour if booked as part of a course otherwise negotiate.

Maybe you fancy a 45 minute Indian Head Massage, some reflexology, a manicure and pedicure or a Brazilian? Gina Conway Aveda Lifestyle Salon & Spa has recently opened opposite Elys and offers the widest range of health & beauty treatments in Wimbledon as well as hair styling options. 30 minute massages typically cost £40 and can last as long as 2 hours or more. There is a wide range of additional treatments available including Walnut Oil Body Refinement, Dea Sea salt treatments, replenishing eye treatments and body wraps. There are a few treatments for the guys including a three hour Body Bliss programme for £180; go on – he deserves it! Gina Conway, 21/23 Wimbledon Hill Road, SW19. 0208 079 5818.

After the exertions of a pampering there is nothing else to consider but having a very decent lunch and the only place for a special Sunday treat lunch is the Lighthouse at Denmark Terrace on Ridgway. Imaginitive modern European cuisine served in ample portions by generally capable if occassionally rude waiters. The dining room is sharp and delivers an emotional lift when you enter. The wine list is accomodating, starting at £15 and including a wide selction of options for most palettes and budgets. Lighthouse 75-77 Ridway SW19. T el 0208 944 6338. Sunday lunch is served 1-3pm.

How about full afternoon tea on the terrace of the Cannizaro House Hotel? Tea is served until 6pm and includes sandwiches, cakes and scones. On a warm sunny afternoon there is nowhere more civilised to be than on the flagstone terrace enjoying the panoramic sweep of the trees, lawn and shrubs. Afternoon tea costs £16.60 per person. Cannizaro House, West Side, Wimbledon Common. Tel 0208 879 1464.

Officially, property values have fallen by only 10% over the last 12 months but speak to almost any estate agent in Wimbledon and they will tell you that prices for houses and flats in the area are actually about 25% below their peak from the third quarter of 2007.
Regardless, the estate agents in Wimbledon Village are currently more optimistic than they have been for many months, buoyed by the rising levels of market activity witnessed since February. An increasing number of potential buyers are registering and site visits are on the up albeit from almost negligible levels in December/January.

However, there remains a significant value gap between the intentions of buyers and the expectations of sellers. What this means from a transactional perspective is a steady but low volume of transactions as forced sellers have no option but to accept price dilution often in circumstances such as divorce. The hope is that as the market steadies so the valuation gap will narrow and volumes recover aided by a more accessible mortgage market and investors anticipating a rapid market recovery.

In the opinion of other commentators we are currently in a deceptively calm interim period before the full impact of the recession upon the domestic property market is felt. Their argument has three components. First, another 1 million people will be made redundant in the UK over the next 18 months including tens of thousands of City workers (investment bankers, commercial and property lawyers, fund managers, private equity and hedge fund managers and consultants) which will directly effect the wealthier suburbs of London such as Wimbledon, Putney and Clapham.

Secondly, interest rates will rise for those who are currently on 2 -3 year base rate trackers from 0.5% as those deals expire and they are forced to switch into much higher fixed or floating rate deals at 3.5%. Thirdly, rental rates which have fallen 30% in the last 12 months will continue to fall as expensive expat employees are repatriated to the US etc. The combined impact it is argued will be a massive reduction in purchase demand for flats and houses on the one hand and increased supply on the other as owners of rental properties can’t afford to hold out any longer. In that scenario, so it is argued, the value of flats and houses will plunge. Make up your own mind.

Hartfield Road
This street is a matter of just a few yards from the Village High Street, connecting Ridgway and Lingfield Road. It also happens to be extremely desirable, packed full of one and two bedroom flats to rent and buy in attractive converted Victorian houses. It’s also remarkably quiet and friendly. The only downside is that parking can be problematic if the flat doesn’t come with its off-street parking facility. On the upside, being directly opposite Tesco Express means that convenience is a way of life.

Woodside
Woodside runs from Wimbledon Hill to Leopold Road and is therefore the geographic and pricing compromise between the more upmarket Village and the more budget-oriented Town Centre parts of Wimbledon. A vast number of desirable properties can be found here either in mansion blocks close to Wimbledon town centre or a combination of Victorian and contemporary houses nearer Leoplod Road. Because most of the traffic heading east towards Wandsworth travels along Alexandra Road, Woodside is consequently fairly quiet and thoroughly worth consideration.

Worple Road
Worple Road probably contains the largest number of flats in Wimbledon, primarily in modern purpose built blocks. It runs from Raynes Park to Wimbledon and as such is the main thoroughfare linking Wimbledon with the A3 and Kingston-Upon-Thames. It is thererefore the busiest road in Wimbledon and has the added distinction of running parallel to the main line railway. The road is however served by an excellent bus service, most properties contain double-glazing and it is generally cheaper than other roads in the vicinity.

Clifton Road
If you want to live within yards of Wimbledon Common, some great pubs like the Hand In Hand and The Fox And Grapes and still be within walking distance of the town centre then check out Clifton Road. Here you will find two developments of two bedroom purpose built apartments with balcones and a couple of more traditional low rise apartment blocks. You should also find most properties come with off-street parking which is a major bonus. Clifton Road is a quiet side street whose only fault is providing a side entrance to King’s College School which means that traffic from 8am for twenty minutes each morning during term time is ugly.

Wimbledon Hill Road
If your key criteria is proximity to Wimbledon Station within a modern purpose-built apartment block then we suggest you take a Google tour of Wimbledon Hill Road. Although the road which connects the Town Centre with the Village is only eight hundred metres long it contains nine apartment blocks including some extremely desirable ultra modern properties and some spectacular penthouses. The added bonus if you have a daughter is that Wimbledon High School is sat at the bottom of the hill, no more than three minutes from the top.

To view the properties in any of these streets use Google Street maps.