Instead of kicking her heels in the locker room, Venus sneaked out of the Wimbledon complex and visited a number of nearby bookshops, where she bought some foreign language study books.

Venus, who was scheduled to play on Centre Court, is already considered to be quite fluent in French and Italian and is now believed to be focusing her attention on Spanish.

Younger sister Serena, meanwhile, spent the day reading through a number of film scripts she has been sent as she attempts to develop her acting career.

TENNIS BIG BROTHER STYLE
Big Brother contestants could soon be screaming "You cannot be serious" as tennis looms for the Channel 4 show.

Representatives of Big Brother TV show and the Lawn Tennis Association are believed to be in talks about introducing mini-tennis to the BB house. Contestants will be provided with rackets, balls and a net and will play each other as one of the many challenges they are set.

The LTA, which is trying to give the game a younger, fresher image, believes that this just might be the way to reach out to a newer audience.

Given the much publicised rows within the house and the recent punch up, both the LTA and the show's producers will be hoping that it is just the balls that get hit when rackets are handed out.

PURISTS BEWARE
Tennis purists at Wimbledon were left choking on their strawberries and champagne at news of a new tournament designed, like the Big Brother project.

Super Set Tennis, which will take place at Wembley in October and televised by the BBC, will see eight big names playing one set each against each other with the winner taking home £250,000.

Super Set will take place against a backdrop of live music, bright lights and other entertainment and is being seen as crucial to the drive to help maintain interest in the sport when Wimbledon is over.

Players will be allowed to appeal against controversial calls to a video umpire and coaches will wear microphones so that viewers can hear them. Given that John McEnroe has already agreed to take part it should make for interesting listening. Tim Henman, Goran Ivanisevic and a number of other leading players have also agreed to take part.