'Naked' Steffi aces Microsoft

Steffi Graf has won a court battle with Microsoft Germany over fake nude photos of her that were posted on a website run by the company.

The state appeals court in Cologne upheld a ruling by a lower court which ruled that Microsoft Germany was responsible for the content of the site, and must ensure that such pictures don't appear there.

The company would have to pay a fine if similar photos emerge on the site in future, court spokesman Christian Grueneberg said.

The photos - computer manipulations that put Graf's head on a nude body - appeared last year on the site operated by Microsoft Germany where users could post pictures and texts to share with others.

The photos were taken down in June at Graf's request, but the company declined to sign a formal agreement that they wouldn't appear again so Graf sued.

Microsoft Germany spokesman Bernhard Grander said in a statement that the company disagrees with the decision of the court, saying it "endangers the existence of live-chat and private (Internet) communities."

Grander said Microsoft is "examining further legal steps."

Former Wimbledon champion Steffi has now retired from the tennis circuit and is married to US star Andre Agassi. They have one child.