Wimbledon starts today

Britain's Andy Murray stretches during a practice session yesterday as a preparation for the Wimbledon Championships which will start in London today. PHOTO: AFP

Maria Sharapova tore into Wimbledon, which starts at the All England Club today, rival Serena Williams on the eve of the Championships, setting the tone for a tournament likely to be dominated by their unseemly public row.
The Russian blasted the defending champion for her controversial comments over a high-profile rape case and even ripped into the American's colourful private life.
In the astonishing attack on the world number one, Sharapova told Williams to keep her opinions to herself, laying bare the bitter relationship between the two.
Williams, the 16-time Grand Slam title-winner, was forced to apologise for her comments regarding the rape of a 16-year-old girl by two high school American football players in Ohio.
The world number three, who has not beaten her great rival since 2004, also criticised Williams's love life after the American had aimed a thinly-disguised jibe at the Russian's affair with Bulgarian player, Grigor Dimitrov -- believed to be a former Williams boyfriend.
Sharapova, clearly upset at the insinuation, hit back at Williams's romance with her French coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
Williams, targeting a sixth All England Club title and 17th major, is fresh from her second French Open triumph, having beaten Sharapova in the final.
Williams is on a 31-match winning run, the best of a career which is already comfortably into its third decade.