This year's model hits SW19

By Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Wimbledon

Vaidisova is playing the main draw at Wimbledon for the second time

Nicole Vaidisova is the latest global tennis brand waiting to happen.

At 6ft tall with regulation long, blonde hair and a figure somewhere between an Olympic swimmer and a supermodel, she looks the part.

As a Czech national who was born in Germany and speaks pure Floridian after her years at the Nick Bollettieri academy, the 17-year-old should appeal to a world market.

And after a stunning run at the French Open that ended with a heartbreaking semi-final loss to Svetlana Kuznetsova, Vaidisova has proved she has what it takes on court.

There have already been plenty of modelling shoots but the official party line is clear.

"I'll do some if it doesn't interfere with my tennis, maybe, but every time I'm in a tournament I don't do any shoots, any interviews, or even in the weeks before when I'm preparing or practicing," she told BBC Sport.

"When I have time off in the off-season then, yes, it's fun and I love fashion, but as long as it doesn't interfere with my tennis."

So far, so predictable.

I'm not very logical, so math is always kicking my ass Nicole Vaidisova

But when you suggest to the teenager that at this stage of her career the pressure is off, you get a glimpse of what already makes Vaidisova different from most of her peers.

"I don't think that just because you're 17 you're in la-la land," she said.

"It's your job, your responsibility, it's everything. As you go further and further up the rankings it becomes more that you have to win.

"A lot of players now could lose to me and that's OK for them, but if they win then it's a great win. That's getting a little tougher."

Vaidisova has the added and more mundane burden of a full school programme that saw her plunged straight into exams after the French Open.

"Even before Paris, in Strasbourg and in Rome, I had to study and it's tough," she said.

"You have a long day on the court and then you go back and want to just chill and relax but you have to work.

"Three times a year I go to my school in Prague and do a written and oral exam. I had exams after Paris which were OK, mostly 'A's, a couple of 'B's.

There has been no shortage of modelling offers for Vaidisova

"But I get so nervous every time I go into an exam, especially some like finances and math. I'm not very logical, so math is always kicking my ass."

Vaidisova is accompanied at Wimbledon by her father, while other friends and family members join her on tour whenever possible - something that softened the blow of defeat in Paris.

"All that evening it bugged me and I was thinking about it, but my family was there and my friends and everybody was just so excited I couldn't be mourning anything. It wasn't crazy."

And despite already having six tour titles, victories over Amelie Mauresmo and Venus Williams in a Grand Slam elevated her further in the eyes of the tennis world.

"I'm a little more confident now, a little more experienced in my matches," said Vaidisova. "At first I was just trying to play against the great players and challenge them.

"Now I've showed I'm able to beat them, so it's definitely a great boost of confidence in my game. Hopefully I can use it here at this tournament."

Grass poses a whole new challenge for all the players, especially one who first played on the surface just three years ago.

"We have two grass courts in the Czech Republic!" she admitted.

"But I like grass, I think it's exciting to play on something a little different rather than just clay or hard courts. It's a challenge of course, you have to get lower, but I enjoy it."

And like a true, modern sports star, Vaidisova knows better than to make bold predictions of winning the title or sweeping through the draw.

"I'm going to do the same thing as in the French Open," she said, "take it match by match and not think if I could make the fourth round or quarter-finals.

"We'll see."