Tennys, Chuck and Smashnova... Sports stars with sporty names

At this year's Australian Open, a chap called Tennys has made it all the way to the quarter-finals. Yep... his name is Tennys, and yep, it is pronounced Tennis. We've picked out some other sports stars who's names meant sporting success was their destiny.

The world number 97 has catapulted to the world's attention after defeating fifth seed Dominic Thiem to make the last eight at the Australian Open. His name has too; it's 'Ace' (get it?).

Speaking to the Washington Post, he said: "I tell myself every new person that I explain this to is just one more person I don't have to explain it to in the future.

"It's just part of who I am. I'm OK with that."

Vania Stambolova is a professional at not stumbling over the hurdles. Amongst the Bulgarian's athlete career achievements is a silver medal in the 400 meters hurdles at the 2010 European Championships.

Tragically, however, on at least one occasion Vania did take after her name. During the London 2012 Olympics, Stambolova stumbled while competing in the 400 meters hurdles event and failed to finish.

The race went on to be won by Ibetchacud Hurdlesmoothly.... OK this last bit's made up, but the rest isn't!

The most lethal tennis shot is the smash. So Anna Smashnova had a lot to live up in the world of tennis.

The player certainly lived up to her name, smashing her way to a career high ranking of world number 15 in 2003.

With the same five letters in the first part of each of their names; perhaps Arsene Wenger was always destined to be manager of Arsenal football club.

Manager at the club since 1996, notching up more Premier League games in charge than any other manager in the league's history, Arsene Wenger has a deep and special relationship with Arsenal.

If only he'd played for them too... perhaps on the wing. 'Arsene Wenger the Arsenal winger' would have been so good.

A lightning bolt travels at about 220,000... which is only slightly faster than the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt*.

Could his name be more suited?

*Just in case you wondered, a lightning bolt moves about 8,000 times as fast as Usain Bolt... but we still think he's pretty quick for a human.

In American Football the key position is that of quarterback. It's the creative heart of the team - their responsibility is to throw the ball a long way to other players.

So what better name for a quarterback than Chuck Long. Chuck played in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions between 1986 and 1991.

Unfortunately his middle name isn't 'the ball'.