Black Tennis Pros

American Sekou Bangoura into Oracle Challenger Series Round of 16

Severe cold and windy weather in  Houston, Texas added to the challenges that players faced in the 2019 Oracle Challenger Series on Tuesday.  Nonetheless, the players braved the weather and completed matches that were suspended on Monday, as well as those scheduled for today on the courts of the George R. Brown Tennis Center at Rice University.

WOMEN'S SINGLES

Sachia Vickery, USA[15]   def. by   [WC]CoCo Vandeweghe, USA   5-7, 3-6

Hailey Baptiste, USA   def. by   Kirsten Flipkens, BEL   6-3, 3-6, 6(4)-7


MEN'S SINGLES

Sekou Bangoura, USA[16]   def.   Peter Heller, GER   0-6, 6-4, 6-2

Darian King, BAR[7]   def. by   Gonzalo Escobar, ECU   6(3)-7, 5-7

[Q] Olukayode Alafia Damina Ayeni,USA   def. by   Flip Cristian Jianu, ROU   4-6, 2-6

American Sachia Vickery

American Olukayode Alafia Damina Ayeni

American Hailey Baptiste

Barbadien Darian King

Read the rest of this post...........

American Hailey Baptiste, Day 2 of 2019 Oracle Challenger Series, Houston, Texas.

Though the weather on the campus of Rice University in Houston, Texas was mildly warm, cloudy and overcast, it did not prevent exciting player action on the courts of the George R. Brown Tennis Center on Day Two of the 2019 Oracle Challenger Series.  Though some of the matches were suspended due to the serious weather issues that presented colder temperatures, rain and wind in the late afternoon, those matches that were completed provided impressive play, and brought out generous fan support. Two of those matches were played by Americans Hailey Baptiste and Evan King.

Hailey was able to defeat Bulgarian Elitsa Kostova 6-2, 6-4 and advance to the second round where she will meet Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium.

               Sherry Dishman, Hailey's Mom

Evan King

Americans Evan King and Raymond Sarmiento filled the seats on Court No. 1 with a match that drew lots of energy and excitement from the stands during the two plus hours of play.  Both players clearly wanted to see second round action, although it was Sarmiento that managed to claim the victory and defeat King 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Suffice it to say, the defeat lay strictly on the court, the two young men are good friends.  Sarmiento, who played collegiately at the University of Southern California, and King, who played at the University of Michigan, displayed their camaraderie at the net at the end of the match with an embrace.

“I’ve known Evan for years now,” said Sarmiento. “We’ve grown up together and we’re good buds. So, it’s tough playing a good friend on tour, but it was also one of the most fun matches I’ve ever had. Unfortunately, one of us had to lose.”

Read the rest of this post...........

6-4 in the third set tiebreak today @usopen and my opponent is visibly cramping and takes a medical time out which is against the rules . No surprise no one will do absolutely anything about it and pretend nothing happened 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

— Sachia Vickery (@SachiaVick) August 22, 2019

View this post on Instagram

Up and work all night, so everybody mi know can alright 🎵 #I’llbeback #dreamville

A post shared by Darian King (@tennisdarian) on May 24, 2019 at 5:15pm PDT

DAY THREE RESULTS, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2019

Mikael Ymer, SWE(9) def. Facundo Bagnis, ARG 7-5, 6-4

Taylor Townsend, USA(13) def. Veronica Cepede Royg (PAR) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3

Read the rest of this post...........

This beautiful group of fans happens to include the mother of Sachia Vickery (2nd from Right), Ms. Paula Liverpool.

The 2019 U.S. Open Fan Week has taken off in a very busy, exciting, and depth of activities kind of way.  Central to Fan Week, of course, is none other than the Qualifying Tournament.  Fan Week expands and includes various genres of music, appetizing varieties of food styles, Featured Practices, and Legends Matches - Fan Week will not disappoint, and admission is free!

Walking by the Fan Week Center Stage is an event unto itself.  A multitude of activities is frequently taking place in various manners, from giving participating fans free gifts immediately, to entering them into drawings for even greater gifts, including the Grand Prize which includes tickets to the 2019 Men's Semifinals, photo on court, restaurant passes, and a prize pack of U.S. Open merchandise.  Fans can also stop by the Fan Access Pass Booth to win these prizes.




Results from today's Qualifying Matches:

Victoria Duval, USA  def. by  Xu Shilin, CHN   3-6, 2-6

Asia Muhammad, USA  def.  Basak Eraydin, TUR, 7-5, 6-1

Hailey Baptiste, USA  def.  Anna Bondar, HUN   6-3, 6-1

Heather Watson, GBR(8)  def. by  Mariam Bolkvadze, GEO   4-6, 2-6

Sachia Vickery, USA  def.  Francoise Abanda, CAN   6-4, 6-2

Elias Ymer, SWE(16)  def. by  Tallon Griekspoor, NED   5-7, 2-6

Donald Young, USA  def by.  Jason Jung, TPE(23)   3-6, 7(4)-6, 5-7

Darian King, BAR   def.  Malek Jaziri, TUN(5)   6-2, 6-4

Jay Clarke, GBR  def.  by  Mitchell Krueger, USA   7(2)-6, 4-6, 4-6

Sachia Vickery, USA

Francois Abanda, CAN

Donald Young, USA

Hailey Baptiste, USA

Read the rest of this post...........

American Hailey Baptiste

A pair of USTA Pro Circuit events produced two American singles finalists, as Hailey Baptiste and Sekou Bangoura each contested rain-delayed finals on Monday in Florida.

The 17-year-old Baptiste claimed her first career professional title, at the ITF World Tennis Tour W25 event in Plantation, Fla., while Bangoura fell just short in his quest for back-to-back Pro Circuit titles, at the ITF World Tennis Tour M25 event in Palm Coast, Fla. Also in the Palm Coast event, Junior Alexander Ore teamed with Colombia’s Alejandro Gomez to win the doubles title.

Baptiste qualified for the Plantation clay-court event and dismissed three seeded opponents on her way to the title, dropping just two sets in seven matches on the week, including qualifying. The Washington, D.C., native scored three-set victories over No. 4 Ylena In-Albon of Switzerland in the quarterfinals and Hungary’s Anna Bondar in the championship match.

Read complete article here .

Read the rest of this post...........