NOTEBOOK: Back to the books in autumn for keen student Zvonareva

Jul 3, 2010, 11:43 GMT

London - Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonareva has more than tennis on her mind as her intermittent studies at a prestige foreign ministry school in Moscow demonstrate.

The 21st-ranked Russian, who one day hopes to actually be able to completely understand the current international financial and diplomatic situation when she graduates, is busy juggling academic and tennis life - both with great success.

Despite taking a year off in 2009 to recover from an ankle injury and subsequent surgery, Zvonareva says that after the US Open in September, it will be back to the books and the exams.

'I still had to do couple exams this year to finish from the previous one. But starting September, it's gonna be my last year. So I will have to start taking some classes and showing up.' The 25-year-old cited international economic relations and other heavy themes as her favourite class. 'Also world diplomacy, international affairs. And a little bit of statistics and world trade organization. Those are my favorite ones.'

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Harsh economy not a factor on Wimbledon top ticket prices =

London (dpa) - Profit-centre Wimbledon need take no notice of the European financial crisis, with not even a harsh new British government austerity budget slowing the perpetual cash machine at SW19.

Ticket prices for Centre court have risen again at this edition after a record increase in 2009. Top tickets for Sunday's men's final now cost 104 pounds (156 dollars), 6 dollars more than last year. Spectators at the less-loved women's final can get by on 95 sterling.

Wimbledon remains insistent that the tickets are value for money. The 2009 rise was the largest in two decades at the All England Club.

Hundreds of thousands of eager spectators are happily paying the prize money bill for their millionaire favourites on the court as result of another annual prize money rise.

The prize packet has increased an inflation-busting 18 percent over all, with singles winners each walking with one million pounds.

The tournament throws off millions in surplus into the coffers for the Lawn Tennis Association - nearly 44 million dollars in 2009 - with the federation under heavy fire for failing to use the bonzana to develop a few players.