Anna scores an ace

The tennis world is still waiting for Anna Kournikova to win a major championship. But as she took to the catwalk, even her sternest critics would have been forced to concede she was an outstanding success.

At a charity fashion show for the Chernobyl Children Project, Kournikova modelled a white strapless dress by Escada. As she strode down the catwalk it became clear that she was in danger of tripping up on the hem of the long gown. But to the delight of the crowd, she hitched it up and carried on smiling.

The one-off show in Dublin merged the glamorous worlds of fashion and tennis as never before. Sophie Dahl wore a Synan O'Mahony outfit and Tyra Banks was in a Partic Casey dress, complete with feathered head-dress. Wimbledon champions Venus and Serena Williams appeared alongside Jodie Kidd.

The tennis players were in Dublin to take part in the Collins Cup, a new tournament that will pit Europe against the United States. Kournikova is hoping to lead Europe to victory - last week she was part of the Russian team which dramatically won the Davis Cup.

Dahl agreed that some members of the fashion world were less than delighted by the prevalence of pictures of Kournikova in magazines. But she added: "I don't get annoyed if an actress is featured on the front page of a magazine, and the same goes for tennis players. While I don't go out and play tennis, if someone can do something there's no reason why they shouldn't."

For Anna, that's encouragement indeed.