Banks attacks `tennis porn'

The Sports Minister, Tony Banks, yesterday attacked the coverage of women's tennis as "sexist" and urged the media to "concentrate more on women's tennis abilities rather than their underwear and figures". "It is appalling the way so much of women's tennis is treated like soft porn," he said.

His comments came halfway through a Wimbledon fortnight which has seen more focus than usual on the outfits and bodies of the female players.

There have also been stories about cellulite affecting the world number one, Martina Hingis, and comments about how much weight Monica Seles has gained.

Ms Hingis reacted by wearing longer knickers in Saturday's second round match.

Mr Banks said: "We have read nothing so far about Tim Henman or Greg Rusedski's choice of underwear or their body shapes.

"Yet Monica Seles is having her body examined as though she was on an operating table and references to top players like Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova are as much about their looks as their tennis."