Tennis is evolving.

'O3' technology - where there are huge holes in the frame of the racquets - is becoming ever more popular, with more than 100 professionals on the tour already making the switch.

Former ladies' champion Maria Sharapova and Russian men's number one Nikolay Davydenko are big fans.

The new racquets, exclusive to Prince, are said to be up to 24% faster through the air than the traditional frames.

Then again, when you already serve at around 155mph, Andy Roddick is not doing too badly with his trusted Babolat.

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Katie O'Brien was officially named Britain's new women's number one on Wimbledon's opening day - yet still walked from her opening practice session at Aorangi Park through the early rush of fans to the players' dressing rooms completely unrecognised.

The huge red Wilson bag on her back gave a pretty good clue that she is in action here this week - facing Germany's Sandra Kloesel as a wild-card entry in the first round - but, with her iPod also playing, she was in a world of her own.

The Yorkshire player, 21, now ranked 154 in the world, has moved ahead of London-based Anne Keothavong - whose name was spelt 'Anna' in a headline on a small story in one of Monday's daily newspapers - but knows there is a long way to go before she has to cope with global fame.

She said: "We tend to get noticed for only three or four weeks a year but that's certainly not what it is all about for the British girls.

"It's great to get a wild card for Wimbledon. The money comes in handy for the rest of the time when we have a lot of expenses travelling the world, trying to collect rankings points.

"But that is when the hard work really starts - after Wimbledon. I've spent a lot of time in the Far East this year - China and Chinese Taipei, places like that.

"But I don't have my own individual coach and those trips on your own can be very daunting. Many times you are the only English-speaking person around.

"The loneliness is what gets to you. My mum came with me one time and told me she didn't know how I handled it all.

"But I'm ambitious and want to be as successful as I can. I did well at Eastbourne last week and my performance there showed me I can get into the world's top 100 maybe quicker than I thought."

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Wimbledon legend John McEnroe is getting serious - about a new coaching initiative.

The seven-time Grand Slam winner - including three SW19 crowns - jetted into London from New York on Sunday afternoon and headed straight to the Roehampton Club to help launch the Travelex Sport Exchange.

The programme is aimed at giving talented British athletes the chance of first-class training at top venues around the globe.

McEnroe hopes stars of the future will be unearthed.

"If nothing else, you might run into something or meet someone on one of these trips which could possibly change the rest of your life," he said.

Whether something similar would have interested the 48-year-old mellowed rebel during his formative years must remain a matter for conjecture, though.

The old Superbrat quipped: "I wasn't one who really liked to be coached that much - which is probably why I chose an individual sport."