Black Tennis Pros

Venus Williams continues to tear up the Sony Ericsson Open WTA Tour, eclipsing sixth seed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3, 6-1 Tuesday to race into the semi-finals of the Sony Ericsson Open. Williams improved to an 18-1 match record on the season, and is closing on her third consecutive title, following earlier victories in Dubai and Acapulco.

In the semi-finals Williams will play 13th seeded Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli.

Despite coming into the Sony Ericsson Open after a month’s layoff, Williams showed that conditioning was not an issue, finding her best form one day after grinding out a tough three-set win over Daniela Hantuchova. In that match she lost eight of the first nine games before fighting back.

“[Today was] a little more straightforward. We had some kind of interesting times in the first set where we traded breaks. Getting through a match like yesterday makes me more confident because it wasn't exactly my best game.

“Today I was kind of eager to clean up my act. We had some really good rallies and really good points, but I just see me keep coming out on top, so of course I like that.”

Williams, at 29 the oldest remaining player in the draw, will next play the winner of former Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli and 12th-seeded Belgian Yanina Wickmayer.

Williams won three Sony Ericsson Open titles (1998, '99 and 2001) in a four-year period as part of a 22-match winning streak that was halted by sister Serena in 2002. Williams, who did not play the tournament in 2000, has not been to the final since her 2001 title run.

Eighth-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga needed just 59 minutes to overpower Spanish former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-2, 6-2, as he dropped just four points on his first serve en route to the quarter-finals for the second straight year.

The Frenchman, who fell to Novak Djokovic in the last eight of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tennis tournament last year, broke serve five times and surrendered just four points behind his first serve to record his second victory over the 12th-seeded Ferrero.

The 24-year-old Tsonga, who won his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title in Paris two years ago, improved to a 14-5 mark on the season, highlighted by semi-final efforts at the Australian Open (l. to Federer) and the Open 13 (l. to Benneteau) in Marseille.

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Monday evening in Miami at the Sony Ericsson Open, it appeared that Slovak Daniela Hantuchova was headed toward having beat down bragging rights over American Venus Williams after taking the first set 6-1. Hantuchova was pumped and moving the match along quickly as she continued to play well into the second set.

Venus, being the phoenix that she is, would not be kept down, but definitely had work to do. She steadily improved her game and played with greater focus the longer the match went on. The third set break over Hantuchova that put Venus up 5-4 and virtually sealed the match, was followed in the final game by an eventual three match points for Venus. The final score was 1-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Post match Venus said, “I haven’t seen her play so well in a long time. Obviously I needed to do something and when times get tough I hit harder. It’s just me. It’s natural for me.”

"Days like this you just have to figure out a way to win the point, even if it's not pretty. I enjoy that battle. ... When it counts and times get tough, I always feel confident that I'm going to find a way to win the point."

Holding up the red, white and blue all by her lonesome, Venus will next meet Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska in the quarterfinal round.

Serena sat in the stands and cheered her big sister on, as she had to withdraw from the tournament due to injury.

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In a very impressive display, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga showcased his serving and shot-making ability against opponent Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany at the Sony Ericsson Open on Sunday.

After a seriously lackluster performance in the first set, Kohlschreiber made it a more competitive match in the second set; though nothing he did could bring a halt to the barrage of aces and powerful shots from Tsonga.

Tsonga inevitably won the match 6-2, 7-5.

Next up for the Frenchman in fourth round action on Tuesday is Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero.

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Former ATP pro MaliVai Washington, who has run the MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation that has promoted academic achievement and positive life skills to youth through the game of tennis since 1994, admitted “it was a great honour” to receive the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Of The Year award for 2009 at the Sony Ericsson Open.

I didn’t expect to receive the award. It was very humbling [at the presentation ceremony] and provides recognition to the foundation’s staff and volunteers for all their efforts and financial assistance over the years.”

During a decade-long pro career, between 1990 and 1999, former World No. 11 Washington reached the 1996 final (l. to Krajicek), captured four ATP World Tour singles titles and represented the United States at the 1996 Olympic Games and in three Davis Cup ties.

“I was one of the fortunate few to play pro tennis. It was a great pleasure and a great ride. I loved representing my country and I met some great people. The sport has and continues to open doors for me.”

But for Washington, “playing tennis was more than hitting a ball.”

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Inspired by the impact his father, William, had on young children from difficult backgrounds, long before he handed his son his first tennis racquet aged five, Washington’s passion was fuelled by talking to under-privileged children early in his tennis career.

“In the first few years when I was on tour, my father and I often had people come up to us asking if we could talk to small groups and big organisations looking for small amounts – like $1,000 – in cities around the United States,” he said.

“At first I was the fundraiser, writing the cheques out. But in 1997, when I was sidelined with a left knee injury, I found I had more time to build our own programs in Jacksonville [Florida] and build as an organisation.

“We have seen kids in the foundation undergo 180-degree transformations. Having got into fights in school they have gone on to receive scholarships and college education. Every student has potential; we have helped to bring it out.”

The MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation has since helped over 20,000 children in north-east Florida. Currently supporting around 150 children, the flagship Tennis-n-Tutoring program is an after-school youth development program that offers free homework assistance, tennis lessons and life skills classes.

In May 2008, assisted by financial help from Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Andy Roddick, the ATP and members of the tennis family, a 9,000-square-foot youth centre inclusive of eight tennis courts was opened in Jacksonville.

“Within the next 12 months the facility will be at capacity,” said Washington, who admits the foundation will be discussing this year whether it is viable to duplicate the program in other parts of town.

“In 10 years we’ll still be growing and will be offering support to children in Jacksonville. But if we are to expand into different towns our partners will have to be just as passionate, because anything we do, we want to do well.”

Washington had no significant weaknesses and an unflappable demeanor as a pro tennis player, always taking “the good with the bad” during an injury-plagued end to his career.

“I loved playing the Wimbledon final, but my goal was to win the title,” he admitted. “I had hoped to play a couple more years, to return to Wimbledon, but my left knee injury prevented me from doing so.

“In retrospect, my injury allowed me to grow the foundation, to bring it to Jacksonville and it has developed tremendously. I am a big believer that there is a plan for all of us.”

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