Black Tennis Pros

It's less than 2 months until EA SPORTS Grand Slam Tennis (Wii version) ships to North American retailers.

Here is the complete roster of legends and stars that will be featured in the game:

Serena Williams (USA) – The ladies are headlined by Serena Williams, who appears on the North American cover along with McEnroe and Federer. Serena becomes the first woman to appear on the cover of an EA SPORTS simulation product. With a solid all-around game and a personality and style all her own, she’ll be a popular figure in this game for the women and men.

Maria Sharapova (RUS) – Grand Slam Tennis won’t be short in style and personality with Maria Sharapova also representing the women in this game. The Russian is 3-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one.

Ana Ivanovic (SRB) – Compatriot Novak Djokovic isn’t the only Serbian star featured in Grand Slam Tennis. Last year Ivanovic won her first Grand Slam title at the French Open and rose to number one in the world.

Andy Murray (GBR) – With Federer, Nadal and Djokovic already confirmed for Grand Slam Tennis, we round out the current “Big 4” with rising star Andy Murray. With a game that exclusively features Wimbledon, Murray is an ideal fit as he’s sure to electrify the home crowds.

Chris Evert (USA) – America’s tennis darling in the 70s and 80s is another headlining legend in Grand Slam Tennis. Would you take up the challenge to replicate her mind-boggling 125 match winning streak on clay? It spanned almost 6 years from 1973 to 1979. Evert retired in 1989 with 18 Grand Slam titles.

Martina Navratilova (USA) – Replay a classic tennis rivalry with Navratilova versus Evert. The two met 77 times in their careers, making up one of the most epic rivalries in tennis history. Navratilova retired from singles competition in 1994 but played doubles into her 50s! Like Evert, she holds 18 Grand Slam titles and a record nine from Wimbledon.

Pat Cash (AUS) – The Aussie who made the checkered sweatband famous is pulling double duty in Grand Slam Tennis, appearing as not just a player but as a commentator as well. Now you can relive Cash’s Wimbledon triumph from 1987 in the game.

Justine Henin (BEL) – One of the greatest player of her generation retired early and still in her prime but you can play as or against the Belgian in Grand Slam Tennis. Dominate at Roland Garros just as Henin did, winning four straight titles on the clay in Paris.

Michael Stich (GER) – The late 80s and early 90s were a great time for German tennis and part of that was thanks to 1991 Wimbledon champion Michael Stich. Perhaps he is best known for teaming up with John McEnroe and winning the 1992 Wimbledon doubles title in a marathon 5-set match that lasted five hours.

Lindsay Davenport (USA) – Can you strike the ball as crisply and cleanly as 3-time Grand Slam champion Davenport? Known as one of the best and purest ball strikers in tennis history, the American, finished number one in the world for four years and earned more than $22-million in prize money.

Kei Nishikori (JPN) – The teenager Nishikori has celebrity status in Japan and has already been touted as a future top-5 player by Radael Nadal. Last year he received the "Newcomer of the Year" award, which was voted on by all the players on the ATP Tour.

Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) – Play as the fiery Aussie and fist pump your way to a Wimbledon and U.S. Open title as Hewitt did. If the competitive, counter punching style appeals to you, the former world number one is in-game pro for you.

Venus Williams (USA) – Can you dominate on the grass of Centre Court like 5-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams? She joins her sister Serena in the all-star player line-up for EA SPORTS Grand Slam Tennis. Venus has also won a pair of U.S. Open titles.

There you have it; 23 players that make up the roster for EA SPORTS Grand Slam Tennis. With a combined 135 Grand Slam titles and 50 Wimbledon titles, this just may be the greatest and most accomplished group of players for any tennis videogame.

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WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — The Wimbledon champions are getting a big increase in prize money this year, at least when it comes to the British pound.

The prize for each of the men's and women's champions went up by 13.3 percent to $1.24 million, organizers said Tuesday, but the pound's weak exchange rate means that translates to a reduction in dollars of 17 percent from last year's $1.49 million.

Buoyed by a new television contract in Asia and the extension of its commercial agreement with IBM, the tournament has also raised the total prize fund for the June 22-July 5 tournament by 6.2 percent to $18.38 million.

But that still compares unfavorably to last year's $23.46 million despite the increase being nearly double the 3.4 percent hike the All England Club managed 12 months ago.

All England Club chairman Tim Phillips said the event was doing what it could to help offset the weakened exchange rates and maintain the prestige among players of the only grass-court Grand Slam.

"Most of the players here don't bank in sterling," Phillips said. "We have to be mindful of the fact that a year ago it was $2 to the pound."

The pound has dropped by more than 25 percent against the dollar since last year's prize money was announced, and has slumped by about 11 percent against the euro. On Tuesday, the exchange rate was $1.45 to 1 pound.

The All England Club also announced a five-year extension of its sponsorship with IBM, which advises on and helps implement new technologies at the event, and said that it had signed a new broadcast deal with Star Sports Asia.

"In this climate, it's a vote of confidence in Wimbledon," All England Club chief executive Ian Ritchie said. "In the current climate, it would be foolish for anyone to be complacent, but we feel the strength of the brand is coming through and commercial opportunities continuing unabated."

This year's tournament will feature the unveiling of a sliding roof over Centre Court.

Ritchie said the tournament was in good financial health despite the global economic crisis, pointing out that the All England Club had received 20 percent more ticket applications than in 2008.

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The Press Association - Gael Monfils' hopes of repeating his French Open exploits of last year have been damaged after he was ruled out of action for up to a month with knee trouble.

The Frenchman will miss all the preparation tournaments for Roland Garros, which begins on May 24, as he is suffering from tendonitis in both knees.

Monfils, a semi-finalist at his home grand slam in 2008, should be fit for this year's event but his lack of practice on clay will not help his bid for the title.

The world number 10 was knocked out of the Monte Carlo Masters in the first round by Janko Tipsarevic in straight sets earlier this week.

PARIS (AFP) — French star Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has pulled out of the ATP tournament in Barcelona which starts on Monday with pain in his right knee, his agent revealed on Friday.

It was due to be the world number 11's first claycourt engagement of the season.

Fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils also pulled out of the tournament on Friday due to tendinitis in his knees.

"Jo is training in Geneva at the moment and felt something in his right knee," said Tsonga's agent Morgan Menahem, who said his client would return at the tournament in Rome the week after next.

"He won't go to Barcelona as a precaution, but it's nothing to worry about."

Tsonga, who has won two tournaments this season - in Johannesburg and Marseille - had already withdrawn from this week's Monte Carlo Masters in order to keep fresh.

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ATP World Tour No. 6 Andy Roddick became the second Top 10 player inside a week to tie the knot as he and fiancée, Brooklyn Decker, exchanged vows in a candlelit ceremony before close family and friends in Austin, Texas on Friday.

Last Saturday, World No. 2 Roger Federer wed his long-time girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec in his hometown of Basel.

Roddick and Decker were joined in their celebration by former and current American players, Andre Agassi – with wife Steffi Graf - , Justin Gimelstob, James Blake and Mardy Fish, while Sir Elton John – a good friend of Roddick and Agassi - flew in from Las Vegas to perform for the wedding party.

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American Venus Williams was ousted today by German Sabine Lisicki at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina 6-4, 7-6(5).

While the Wimbledon champion gave Lisicki quite a bit of help in defeating her today, Lisicki never backed down and basically took her game to Venus, whose response was inadequate.

Post match Venus said, "I wasn't expecting that and, you know, I'll try to come back next year and win. "I made a few errors at the wrong time and she played some great shots."

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American tennis superstar Serena Williams and fashion model Selita Ebanks both look gorgeous as they highlight the red carpet of the 6th Annual New Yorkers For Children Spring Dinner Dance at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City on Wednesday evening. The event benefits many of the City’s 17,000 youth in foster care.

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