Black Tennis Pros

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Top-seeded Andy Roddick snapped a three-match losing streak to fellow American James Blake with a 6-3, 4-6. 7-6 (3) victory in the first round of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships on Wednesday night.

"We've played so many times, and he's beaten me, that there's going to be a sense of belief that most guys ranked 60th in the world probably aren't going to have as much as he has against me," Roddick said.

Blake, actually ranked 55th, broke Roddick's serve in the 10th game of the third set to pull even at 5-5. Both then held serve sending the match to the tiebreaker.

He went up in the tiebreaker when he broke serve on the fourth point as Blake hit a backhand wide down the line. Blake would end up with three unforced errors off the backhand in the tiebreaker.

"Whoever won was going to be pretty darn well-prepared for the rest of the tournament and feel good about their chances," Blake said. "It's tough to swallow.

"It just didn't go my way on a couple of points," Blake said of the tiebreaker. "A couple of missed backhands, and he kept the pressure on me the whole time."

As usual, Roddick used a strong serve, recording 22 aces and converting 75 percent of his first serves.

"I served well in the tiebreaker," Roddick said. "I served smart in the tiebreaker."

Roddick, the defending champion, was the only one of the top four seeds in the tournament to make it out of the first round. No. 2 seed Fernando Verdasco lost Tuesday night.

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American James Blake slugged it out with Australian Lleyton Hewitt at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis, Tennessee on Wednesday. After more than two hours, Blake was defeated 6-3, 1-6, 4-6.

‘‘I didn’t take advantage of my chances and he did. In the first set, he didn’t come up with his best on break points. From then on he did. And from then on I didn’t.’’



Frenchman Gael Monfils became the first major upset of the Open 13 in Marseilles, France. Fellow Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu defeated Monfils 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

"It was a rotten game, I didn't play," said Monfils.



At the Barclay's Dubai Tennis Championships American Venus Williams defeated Frenchwoman Alize Cornet 6-3, 6-2.

"I made more errors than yesterday," Williams said. "I rushed a little bit in the first set and then realized it in the second and started pulling back a little bit on my shots."



At the same tournament as sister Venus, American Serena Williams defeated China's Jie Zheng for the third straight time 6-4, 6-2.

"I think the intensity was high today, but my first serve could have been better," Williams said. "I had to rely a lot on my second serve. I definitely could do better technically."



Also at the Open 13, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Kazakh Andrey Golubev 7-6 6-2.

"Last year, I lost in the first round to Mario Ancic. This time I'm still alive but I think Golubev lost all by himself because he served for the first set at 6-5 and failed to win important points."

Photos by AP/Getty Images

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On Tuesday at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis Tennessee, a very global group was handed their walking papers in the first round.

From Japan's Kei Nishikori, to American Donald Young, to the 2003 title holder American Taylor Dent, to Argentine Guillermo Canas, and others.... defeat was prevalent in some who I thought would at least make it past the first round. Did I mention that Sweden's Robin Soderling is also in this group?

Neither Young or Nishikori have been setting the courts on fire as of late, so I guess I'm more hoping that they will prevail. Dent and Canas haven't been on top of their game in awhile either, but these are two players who you expect to see beyond round 1.

A quartet of Americans will be front and center on Wednesday, James Blake, Andy Roddick, Sam Querrey and Mardy Fish. Let's hope they fair a bit better.

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Americans Angela Haynes and Mashona Washington have teamed together to play good game at the Regions Morgan Keegen Tennis Championships in Memphis, Tennessee. The doubles team defeated American Varvara Lepchenko and Russian Evgeniya Rodina 6-3, 6-1.

Haynes and Washington have their work cut out for them tomorrow. Their opponents are none other than fellow Americans Lindsay Davenport and Lisa Raymond. Get some rest tonight ladies, you're gonna need it!

On the men's side of the same tournament, the Young one made it to the quarterfinal round, but did not pack enough punch to finish off Swede Jonas Bjorkman. Bjorkman defeated American Donald Young 1-6, 6-2, 7-6(6).

Young had match point on Bjorkman at 5-6 in the tiebreaker, but the veteran played very smart on the next few big points, and it was Young who would finish himself off by hitting a backhand into the net. Of course Young took the cause of the error out on the usual culprit, his racket.

When asked about the possibility of being in the semifinal and whether that was on his mind, Young said "I was definitely thinking about it ...... how could you not? .... But I still had to play and win the point. He wasn't going to give it to me. He took it."

That's okay Donald, you dramatically improved your match play in this tournament. Keep it going!

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Thank you Spalding, or whatever is the name of the tennis God. Earlier today at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis, Tennessee, American Donald Young defeated Columbian Alejandro Falla 6-1, 1-6, 6-3. Way to go Donald!

The Young one hasn't been having much success moving deep into tournaments as of late, I'm sure that he must be encouraged by this second round win, I know am.

Donald Young was originally set to play American James Blake in the first round of this tournament, however Blake had to withdraw because of a knee injury and was replaced with American Sam Warburg. When asked if he was disappointed that Blake had to withdraw, Young said, "I don't think I was disappointed at all," after his 6-4, 6-4 victory over Warburg. "James is one of the best players in the world. He's in the Top 10."

"Winning at this time is really exciting to me," said Young, who hadn't won an ATP match since the U.S. Open last August. "I'm happy I played well."




At the same tournament on the ladies side, Americans Angela Haynes and Mashona Washington defeated the doubles team of American Bethanie Mattek and Renata Voracova 6-3, 6-2.



















Much further away at the Barclay's Dubai Tennis Championships, Vladimira Uhlirova of the Czech Republic and Russian Galina Volkoboeva defeated the doubles team of Frenchwoman Stephanie Foretz and Selima Sfar of Tunisia 6-3, 2-6, 11-9.

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Man! I was so thrilled to see so many female Black tennis pros back in action at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis Tennessee, but it's been a hard days night for the ladies. Venus Williams, Mashona Washington, Ahsha Rolle and Milagros Sequera all out in the first round!

Ahsha Rolle was defeated by Israeli Shahar Peer 6-2, 6-1, OUCH! However, Ahsha is just returning from being injured, she'll need a bit of time to get up to speed. Glad to see her back in play.

Milaros Sequera was defeated by Caroline Wozniacki 6-0, 6-2 OUCH again!

Of her match Venus said, "She had a good serve and she was left-handed,'' Williams said. "She mixed it up really well. I'm not happy about the result of the match, but she played well. "I just made some mistakes. I definitely had more errors than I wanted.''

Shenay Perry, Angela Haynes and Mashona Washington are still viable in doubles. Let's hope they have a better go of it.

Get it together ladies!

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Today at the Regions Morgan Keegan Tennis Championships, American and defending champion Venus Williams was knocked out of round one by Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.

American Donald Young prevailed in his first round match against fellow American Sam Warburg. Young defeated Warburg 6-4, 6-4.

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Round 1 - Singles

Venus Williams (Defending Champ), USA vs. Petra Kvitova, CZE

Ahsha Rolle, USA vs. Shahar Peer, ISR

Mashona Washington, USA vs. Olga Govortsova BLR*
*(Washington was defeated 6-4, 6-2)

Angela Haynes attempted to enter the singles main draw through the qualifying rounds but was defeated by Sabine Lisicki of Germany 6-3, 6-4.


Round 1 - Doubles

Angela Haynes, USA and Mashona Washington, USA*
vs.
Stephanie Dubois, CAN and Lilia Osterloh, USA
*(Haynes and Washington won 2-6, 6-2, 10/6)

Shenay Perry, USA and Carly Gullickson, USA*
vs.
Sophie LeFevre, FRA and Sunitha Rao, IND
*(Perry and Gullickson won 6-0, 6-4)



Round 1 - Doubles

Stephanie Foretz, FRA and Selima Sfar, TUN
vs.
Vladimira Uhlirova, CZE and Galina Voskoboeva, RUS

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Round 1 - Singles*

Donald Young, USA vs. Sam Warburg, USA

*James Blake withdrew with a knee injury. "Lucky loser" Sam Warburg, USA received Blake's slot in the main draw.


Round 1 - Doubles

Donald Young, USA and John Isner, USA
vs.
Mark Knowles, BAH and Mahesh Bhupathi, IND

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