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2011 U.S. OPEN WEEKEND UPDATE: The Tsonga, Serena and Young Trains Roll On ... Blake And Stephens Derailed

Monday, September 5, 2011

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, France

Jo-Willie Tsonga, the No. 11 seed, imposed his bigger, higher-risk game on Fernando Verdasco and triumphed convincingly in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4, in a marquee matchup of two sluggers known for their aesthetically pleasing, but also bruising, tennis.

The early Saturday evening match was technically the last of the day session, beginning roughly the same time as the Ashe night session, and day ticketholders packed the Grandstand to overflow, with lines stretching around the block to get in.

Surely, though, this will be Tsonga’s last match on Grandstand; next up, in the Round of 16, he plays the red-hot American Mardy Fish.

Serena Williams, USA

Despite her No. 28 seed, Serena came in as the consensus favorite and proved to be just that, dropping only three games in her first two matches against Serbia’s Bojana Jovanovski and the Netherlands’ Michaella Krajicek, respectively. In the third round, the 29-year-old three-time Open champion looked poised to take a fourth, knocking out the No. 4 seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, 6-1, 7-6(5) on Saturday.

Next up, Serena will face No. 16 seed Ana Ivanovic of Serbia, the 2008 French Open champ, who has also breezed through her matches in straight sets. The road from there should only get tougher as five top-10 seeds remain: No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, No. 2 Vera Zvonareva, No. 7 Francesca Schiavone, No. 9 Samantha Stosur and No. 10 Andrea Petkovic.

Donald Young, USA

In front of a boisterous and supportive crowd on Sunday, American Donald Young defeated the No. 24 seed Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career. Young played smart, gritty tennis, matching Chela’s consistent baseline game when he needed to and employing more offensive firepower than his higher-ranked opponent. Young hit 46 winners to Chela’s 19, and converted on five of 10 break point opportunities to take a hard-fought 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 win.

This latest upset for the No. 84-ranked Young continues a roll like no other he's had in the pros. His three wins here equal the number of Grand Slam victories he’s had in his entire career, having won two matches at the 2007 US Open and one match at the 2010 Australian Open. It follows on the heels of his second round win over the No. 14 seed Stanislas Wawrinka, a match that saw Young score the first five-set victory of his career. His ranking had fallen to No. 146 as recently as this past February, but Young came into the Open with the highest ranking he's had since May of 2008, and after this tournament it will climb much higher.

"This is what you work for, this is what you dream of," Young said after his win. "I'm just excited to be able to do this in New York, in my home country's major."

James Blake, USA

Friday was a day of missed opportunities for James Blake. The American, a quarterfinalist here in 2005 and 2006, found himself with a break advantage in both the second and third sets against No. 5 seed David Ferrer, but couldn't quite capitalize in front of a boisterous home crowd.

Ferrer, the Spaniard, broke back in each of the last two sets, winning the match 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 on Grandstand.

It was "The People's Court" to start the afternoon -- or at least seemed that way. Blake, once a top-10 player and a Harvard grad with New York ties, looked primed to capitalize on a maximum-capacity crowd that was loudly in his corner. 

For Blake, it was the first time since 2001 that he hasn't advanced past the second round at the Open. He has continued to climb his way back from a right knee injury this year and at one point was ranked as low as No. 173 in the world. He entered into the Open this year ranked 63rd.

Sloane Stephens, USA

American teenager Sloane Stephens lost in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4 to Serbian Ana Ivanovic on Friday evening. She never really seemed able to find her footing, but did attempt to do so as the match went on. Unfortunately, sufficient response to give herself a fighting chance never materialized.

Post match she said “I was so caught up in being tight and nervous and not really handling the situation well to just freaking out, like, ‘What are you doing?’ ” Stephens said. “I was thinking like a 10-year-old. Everything kind of got to me at the end. I tried to fight it as best I could. But at some point, it catches up to you.”

“My serve is something that I usually can count on, and today it wasn’t there.”

source: usopen.org



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2011 U.S. OPEN DAY 5: OOOOHHHHH DONALD YOUNG, TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL - GAME ON!!!

Friday, September 2, 2011

 Donald Young, USA

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American Donald Young owned, and took control of his game today in a way that he hasn't previously. It was clear from the onset of his match with Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka that Donald was in a mode of focus that kept him sufficiently centered to see the match through no matter what the outcome.

The outcome, however, was nothing short of incredible. The 84th ranked 22-year old who received a wild card into the Open, literally took the match that appeared to be in Wawrinka's pocket mid fourth set.

The steadiness that Young embraced to win the fourth set, endure a bit of a see saw in the fifth and just dominate the tie-break to win this match was powerful to watch.

Taking the 7-6 (7), 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (1) win in 4 hours, 20 minutes set the Open up for a Friday that it could not have anticipated.

This win matches his best performance at a Grand Slam by reaching the third round, which he also accomplished at Flushing Meadows in 2007.

Donald's next opponent is World No. 24 Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina.

Keep it moving forward Donald, what a win!!!



Photos by Getty Images



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(PHOTOS) Blake, Tsonga And Others As They Are Seen On The Scene

Saturday, August 20, 2011

American tennis player James Blake (L) poses for a photo with former Washington, DC Mayor Adrian Fenti at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic player's party at the W Washington D.C. on July 31, 2011 in Washington, DC.




Serena Williams in recent Hamptons Magazine Photoshoot

 Canadian rapper Drake seen cheering on Serena Williams at last weeks Rogers Cup in Toronto.




Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2011 Rogers Cup Fashion Show

ATP Tour players in their finery before the 2011 Rogers Cup fashion show

Tsonga and Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka

Mirka Federer and Gavin Rossdale at last week's Rogers Cup







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Tsonga Sails Through First Round Of Aegon Championships

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Aegon Championships, London


LONDON, June 7 (UPI) -- Jo-Wilfried Tsonga dropped just one game Tuesday in sailing through his second-round match at the Aegon Championships in London.

Tsonga, seeded fifth in the grass-court tournament, was on the court just 47 minutes before finishing off a 6-0, 6-1 rout of Michael Berrer. Tsonga won 68 percent of the points in the match, including a healthy 63 percent off Berrer's serve.

Third-seeded Andy Roddick also advanced but in a much more difficult 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (5-7), 6-4 match against Feliciano Lopez. Roddick managed just two breaks in the match -- both coming in the third set.

Wild-card entrant James Ward pulled the upset of the day, knocking off fourth-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6 (7-3), 6-3. But seventh-seeded Fernando Verdasco topped Nicolas Mahut 6-2, 6-3, 10th-seeded Michael Llodra took out Julien Benneteau while defending champion and No. 13-seeded Sam Querrey defeated Rainer Schuettler 7-6 (8-6), 5-7, 6-3.

Ninth-seeded David Nalbandian got past Illya Marchenko 6-3, 6-4 and No. 12 Juan Martin del Potro beat Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-2 in first-round matches. Also in the first round 14th-seeded Janko Tipsarevic and No. 15 Kevin Anderson advanced with wins.

Unseeded first-round winners Tuesday were Matthew Ebden, Radek Stepanek, Adrian Mannarino, Michael Russell and Xavier Malisse.

Photo by Getty Images

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Roland Garros 2011: Getting To Know Dustin Brown

Saturday, May 28, 2011

German Dustin Brown, 2011 French Open
Photo ©FFT


Dustin Brown is one of those players who doesn't quite fit the mould. After recently playing under the Jamaican flag, the German world number 109 hired best friend and car-crash survivor Daniel Puttkammer to be his coach as he prepares for his first ever French Open appearance.

With his red vest and flying dreadlocks, 26-year-old Dustin Brown looks slightly out of place training out on court no.14. Complete with shaved head and baggy basketball shorts, Coach Daniel Puttkammer strikes an equally unorthodox figure, so it is hardly surprising the pair have built up a reputation on the tour for standing out from the crowd. Puttkammer admits the accusation: "It's true, but Dustin's the one who's really different. With the way he looks and plays on court, he's got something new. Dustin likes being a showman, not just for the fans, but for himself. He needs it. And tennis needs more people like him!"

The player with the huge talent, big attitude and frequent outbursts also goes by the nickname Dready, and he also pleads guilty as charged. "I like getting people worked up, I like feeling the energy from the stands. I feed off it. It's good, because I get the feeling that's what the French crowd likes."

After making it to the quarter-finals in Johannesburg and Newport, and defeating Stanislas Wawrinka in Munich this year, Brown, ranked world no.109, now feels he is ready to break through into the highest echelons of the game. It is even written on his website: "A man with the desire to do something… can do anything!"

"Dready" and his camping car

That has been Brown's motto from an early age, and the 26-year-old has shown remarkable determination on his path to the ATP circuit.

After learning the game in Jamaica, Brown criss-crossed Europe in a camping car for years in search of ranking points. According to his coach, who is also his best friend, "He had no support, no money. It was rough."

Puttkammer and Brown met at a tennis academy near Hanover. At the time, 18-year-old Puttkammer was one of the top 100 players in Germany, dreaming of a professional career. That dream was shattered one fateful day, when the youngster was involved in a terrible car crash, tore his spleen and ended up with three litres of blood in his stomach. "I nearly died. The doctors said it was a miracle," he explained. Three weeks of hospital and a year of physiotherapy later, he picked up his racket, but not where he left off...

A reunion of old friends

Meanwhile, Dready was making progress. After taking the Futures tournaments by storm in his camping car, he progressed to the Challengers and entered the top 100 with something approaching flamboyance. It was then, in September 2010, that he decided to put his prize money to good use and give his old friend Puttkammer a call. "I'd never had a coach before, and I thought maybe it was time to get one," recalls Dustin. "Who better to call than an old friend?"

Puttkammer's dream is now becoming reality - even if it is vicariously. "It's great to experience this with Dustin. And two pairs of eyes are better than one. I see things he doesn't see. He has so many strong points, it's easy to build an arsenal. No-one is faster than him when he hits off one of his cannonballs. He just needs to be more consistent."

Brown's racket speed is out of this world, and his volley more than acceptable. He has a feel for the game, and always gives it everything. Now he just needs to keep his focus, and with a tough match against Argentinean Leonardo Mayer on Monday, he will be put to the test. "After that, the draw is open - anything's possible," says Dready. For this very Jamaican German, it is about living up to his motto.



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FRENCH OPEN DAY 6: Monfils In... Tsonga Out

Frenchman Gael Monfils celebrating after defeating Belgian Steve Darcis on day 6.

An nearly perfect day for French players turned a little cloudy when Stanislas Wawrinka came back from two sets down to stun Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6, 6-7)(3), 7-6(5), 6-2, 6-3.

Before that, Gael Monfils had crushed Steve Darcis 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 and Richard Gasquet dispatched Thomaz Bellucci 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Those two wins bookmarked a fantastic effort by their WTA counterpart Marion Bartoli, who edged Julia Goerges in three sets.

Unfortunately for the partisan home crowd, it was not to be for Tsonga, who played so well in the first two sets against the flying Swiss, controlling the match with a booming serve down the tee, a big forehand and effective net approaches. Wawrinka began to play more inside the court from the third set onwards however, cutting off hard balls to his one-handed backhand, serving big himself and staying strong in forehand rallies.

Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga grimaces as he loses to Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka

He broke Tsonga to 5-3 in the final set when the Frenchman erred on a forehand, and then he won the contest on his third match point with a screaming inside-out forehand winner. Tsonga said that Wawrinka simply zoned on him in the last three sets. "I felt that he was making no mistakes at all. If I wasn't hitting the ball very strong and putting it in the corner, I would not win a single point," the no.17 seed said. "And then the ball didn't bounce anymore, so I hit the ball as hard as I could. I couldn't make any winning points. The one who loses the third set is in a much more difficult situation. I put everything in the battle in the third set to try and close the match. That's what tennis is about. It's a mental thing, and today he clearly was stronger than I was throughout the match… He simply played a superb match."

2008 semi-finalist Monfils played a near-faultless match against Darcis, despite the fact that, as is often the case at his home tournament, he is coming in lacking in match practice due to illness and injury.

"It was not easy in terms of my game," said the no.9 seed. "And now this is a new week, a new tournament. Of course I'll play against stronger players. Otherwise, I'll perhaps change the way I play a little. I'll have to be much more aggressive, but apart from this, I'm happy."Monfils knows that against David Ferrer in the Round of 16, he faces a tussle against an accomplished clay courter. "I'll turn the page immediately, because as I told my coaches, I think I have survived. I've lived on what I know - how to defend myself on the court. But next week I'll have to go up a level and enhance my performance. Even today I was not totally relaxed when I was hitting the balls - I was not fluid enough in my forearms. The winning shots were not good enough. Too many of these little things that I don't have at present (if I want) to go further."

Photos ©FFT

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French Open 2011


ROUND 1


WOMEN

Singles

Stephanie Foretz Gacon, FRA defeated by Heather Watson, GBR
66-78, 1-6

Sloane Stephens, USA defeated by Elena Baltacha, GBR
5-7, 2-6

Doubles


Raquel Kops-Jones, USA and Abigail Spears, USA
defeated by
Kristina Barrois, GER and Johanna Larson, SWE
1-6, 6-3, 1-6


Stephanie Foretz Gacon, FRA and Claire Feuerstein, FRA
defeated by
Yung-Jan Chan, TPE (13) and Monica Niculescu, ROU (13)
6-2, 4-6, 1-6


MEN

Singles

Gael Monfils(9), FRA defeated Bjorn Phau, GER
4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-0

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga(17), FRA defeated Jan Hajek, CZK
6-3, 6-2, 6-2

Dustin Brown, GER defeated by Leonardo Mayer, ARG
6-3, 65-77, 2-6, 2-6


ROUND 2


MEN


Singles

Gael Monfils(9), FRA defeated Guillaume Rufin, FRA
6-3, 1-6, 6-1, 6-3

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga(17), FRA defeated Igor Andreev, RUS
6-3, 77-64, 6-3


ROUND 3


MEN


Singles

Gael Monfils(9), FRA defeated Steve Darcis, BEL
6-3, 6-4, 7-5

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga(17), FRA defeated by Stanislas Wawrinka(14), SUI
6-4, 77-63, 65-77, 2-6, 3-6


ROUND 4


MEN


Singles

Gael Monfils(9), FRA vs. David Ferrer(7), ESP

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Monfils And Wawrinka Take On Mickey Mouse At Disneyland Paris

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Black Tennis Pro's Gael Monfils, Mickey Mouse and Stanislas Wawrinka at Disneyland Paris

Visitors to Disneyland Paris today had a big surprise when they saw Mickey Mouse playing a game of doubles with invited children against professional tennis players Gael Monfils and Stansilas Wawrinka.

The court itself was a little short and had quasi-official dimensions, but that didn’t matter when the children had such a great event.

Disneyland Paris invited 200 children from the French “Fête le Mur” association, founded by Yannick Noah, to participate in this more than unusual exchange.

The Fête le Mur association is set up in the heart of 25 under-privileged Urban Zones, allows the children of those neighborhoods to practice tennis, to train and perfect themselves, and some of them to later find a professional opening.



Black Tennis Pro's Mickey Mouse Disneyland ParisBlack Tennis Pro's Mickey Mouse and Stanislas Wawrinka Disneyland Paris Black Tennis Pro's Gael Monfils and Mickey Mouse Disneyland ParisBlack Tennis Pro's Gael Monfils, Stanislas Wawrinka and Mickey Mouse playing doubles Disneyland ParisBlack Tennis Pro's Gael Monfils, Stanislas Wawrinka and Mickey Mouse with trophy Disneyland ParisBlack Tennis Pro's Gael Monfils signing autographs at Disneyland Paris

Photos ©Abaca Source


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That's Two! James Blake Into Estoril Quarterfinals

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Black Tennis Pro's James Blake Estoril OpenJames Blake, USA
(Photos by Francisco Leong AFP/Getty Images)


Black Tennis Pro's James Blake Estoril OpenESTORIL, Portugal (AFP) — America's James Blake booked his first claycourt quarter-final in more than a year with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 defeat of France's Marc Gicquel at the Estoril Open on Thursday.

Blake, now 2-2 on the surface which has traditionally been his downfall, claimed his second victory in as many days at the Estadio Nacional as his game springs to life with the French Open approaching in just over a fortnight.

The 29-year-old has not appeared in a last-eight lineup on clay since May last year when he lost in Rome to Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka.

"It's a good feeling, I really like the way I'm playing," said Blake, 11-8 on the season. "I'm now playing my style and it feels great.

"Even if I'd not won two in a row, I would have been satisfied with my game. I was really going for my shots."

The American is playing in his third clay event of the season after losing openers in both Houston and Rome. But his Wednesday first-round win over Portuguese number one Frederico Gil gave him the boost he needed.

Fourth seed Blake overcame nine aces off Gicquel's racquet, producing five of his own and saving the only break point that he faced.

Blake broke twice in the 79-minute contest which puts him into a quarter-final against French eighth seed Florent Serra who defeated Argentine Juan Monaco 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.

"He beat me pretty bad on clay (Rome, 2006)," said the American. "He's a tough competitor and I certainly don't expect him to roll over - but that won't happen with me either.

"I'm confident in my game and I like my chances if I keep playing like this."

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Davis Cup: Switzerland Out Of The Way, USA Looks Toward Croatia

Tuesday, March 10, 2009


In the quarterfinal round the USA will have the opportunity to avenge the significant loss they suffered to the 2005 Davis Cup champions, Croatia. When the USA and Croatia last met in Carson, California, the USA was eliminated in the first round.

On Sunday in reverse rubbers with the USA standing at 2-1, Andy Roddick defeated Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4, 6-4, 6-2, handing the Americans the win and a slot into the quarterfinals.

In the fifth and final match, which was a dead rubber, James Blake defeated Marco Chiudinelli 6-4, 7-6(6), sending the USA up 4-1 for the first round.




Photo by AP/Getty Images

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Davis Cup: USA Gains The Edge Against Switzerland

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Black Tennis Pro's Bob and Mike Bryan 2009 Davis Cup
American super twins Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan got the job done in Birmingham, Alabama today by chalking up a 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-6(2) win over the Swiss doubles team of Yves Allegro and Stanislas Wawrinka. The USA takes a 2-1 lead over Switzerland.

This win gives the Bryans their 15th out of 17 Davis Cup match wins. They now become the most winning doubles team in US Davis Cup history.

Mike Bryan said, “obviously it feels very good to be considered one of the best US doubles teams. We have a lot of respect for teams like McEnroe-Fleming and Flach-Seguso, guys like that, but we just do what we do and treat every match like a grand slam final and put everything into it and here we are six years later, we have 15 wins and being considered one of the best teams.”


Black Tennis Pro's Bob and Mike Bryan 2009 Davis Cup Black Tennis Pro's Bob and Mike Bryan 2009 Davis CupBlack Tennis Pro's Bob and Mike Bryan 2009 Davis Cup

Photos AP/Getty Images

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Davis Cup: USA And Switzerland 1-1

Black Tennis Pro's James Blake 2009 Davis CupJames Blake


The United States and Switzerland draw even at 1-1 in the first round of 2009 Davis Cup play.

In the first rubber, after an impressive first set, James Blake was defeated by Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-7(3).

The second rubber paired Andy Roddick against Marco Chiudinelli whom Roddick defeated 6-1, 6-3, 7-6(5). This win brought Roddick his 30th Davis Cup victory, tying him in total wins with Andre Agassi in sixth place in American Davis Cup history.

Tomorrow’s doubles line-up will feature Bob and Mike Bryan against Yves Allegro and Wawrinka. The USA is favored against the team even with Wawrinka having won the Olympic gold medal in doubles with Roger Federer, beating the Bryan brothers in route to the final.

On Sunday in reverse rubbers, Roddick will face Wawrinka in the opening singles followed by Blake against Chiudinelli.


Black Tennis Pro's James Blake and Patrick McEnroe 2009 Davis CupBlack Tennis Pro's James Blake and Stanislas Wawrinka 2009 Davis CupBlack Tennis Pro's James Blake 2009 Davis Cup Black Tennis Pro's Andy Roddick and Patrick McEnroe 2009 Davis CupBlack Tennis Pro's Andy Roddick 2009 Davis CupBlack Tennis Pro's USA Davis Cup Team 2009 Davis CupBlack Tennis Pro's James Blake and Andy Roddick 2009 Davis Cup


Photos by AP/Getty Images





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