Black Tennis Pros

NEW YORK (Reuters) - It is unlikely that Serena Williams has ever been described as bashful.

When the 11-times grand slam champion was asked to take a look back at her U.S. Open career on Monday, she said her younger self would find the 2009 version of Serena as "super cool."

The world number two opened the defense of her title at Flushing Meadows with an easy 6-4 6-1 victory over another American, Alexa Glatch, on Monday and then quickly turned her thoughts to her memoir "On the line."

Williams said she wrote the book to help motivate people and inspire them to make the best of themselves and was asked what the 10-year-old Serena would think of the 27-year-old incarnation.

"I think that I would just think that this Serena Williams today is super cool - I would love to get her autograph," she said.

"I think she would have been my idol because growing up there weren't too many black people. I loved Zina Garrison and Lori McNeil. I would have had a little favoritism toward myself and Venus (Williams)."

The Wimbledon and Australian Open champion said the way the Williams sisters overcame childhood struggles to each become world number one should provide others with the inspiration to achieve their dreams.

"That's another reason I wrote it because I felt that what makes a champion isn't how well they do," she said. "It's about how well they can recover when they fall, or if they fall."

Serena slipped outside the top 100 in 2006 after a series of injuries, only to bounce back by winning the Australian Open in January 2007.

"I love Muhammad Ali, he went to jail for a period of time and he came back on top of the world," she said.

"I just thought (about) what it would be like. I was on top of the world and then things came crashing down. You get to see people who are really your friends and you get to see people that really stick by your side and how you can recover from that and stay strong.

"I just think anyone can do it. You just have to have a kind of guide sometimes to get there."

Serena Williams Throws Out The Ceremonial First Pitch




On Friday, August 28, defending U.S. Open singles champion Serena Williams threw out the ceremonial first pitch, working from the rubber and tossing the ball way over the head of catcher Jose Molina.

After throwing out the first pitch at the new Yankee Stadium in the Yankees vs. White Sox game, Serena headed out to the newly opened Porto Vivo in Huntington. There, Williams, her manager and her sister Isha had dinner with the restaurant’s co-owners Joy Mangano (of Home Shopping Network fame) and Philipp Seipelt, along with Seipelt's fiancee Christie Mangano.

So, what does a tennis great eat the week before the U.S. Open? Williams had steamed littleneck clams and grilled branzino, washed down with nothing more intoxicating than water. The wine cellar would have to wait.

Shown in the photo are (l-r) Joy Mangano, Serena Williams and Philipp Seipelt. Photo from Porto Vivo.

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

Rodney Harmon and Zina Garrison will lead the American men’s and women’s tennis teams in Beijing.

Harmon has been the director of men's tennis for the USTA's player development program since 2002. "It's a tremendous honour and a great opportunity to work with some of the best players in the world at one of the greatest events in the world," said Harmon. “We have the nucleus of a very competitive international men’s team who will all be medal contenders in Beijing. I know the American men will relish the opportunity to compete on one of the biggest stages in sport.” Jay Berger has been chosen as Harmon's assistant.

Davis Cup regulars James Blake and twins Bob and Mike Bryan figure to be top choices for Harmon's Olympic roster. The U.S. tennis teams for Beijing will be based on the rankings of June 9, the day after the French Open ends.

In 2004, the American contingent came away with one medal, Mardy Fish's silver in men's singles.

The USTA has also announced that Fed Cup captain Zina Garrison will be the women's Olympic tennis coach and Lori McNeil her assistant. Garrison won a gold medal and a bronze medal as a player at the 1988 Olympics, and coached the US women in 2004.

“I’m honoured to be selected again as the Olympic coach,” said Garrison. “Some of my fondest tennis memories are from the Olympics and the incomparable thrill of winning a gold medal. The goal is to share in that Olympic experience with our team this summer.”

The 2008 US Olympic tennis team will consist of up to six men and six women, with a maximum of four men and four women competing in the singles competition and a maximum of two men’s and two women’s teams competing in doubles. Olympic team selections will made by June 23.

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