Black Tennis Pros

WTA Tour Players

Angela Haynes, USA and Ahsha Rolle, USA
vs
Vania King, USA and Emilie Loit, FRA


ATP Tour Players

James Blake, USA vs Fabrice Santoro, FRA (Evening Match)
Donald Young, USA vs Richard Gasquet, FRA

Scoville Jenkins, USA and Phillip Simmonds, USA
vs
Yves Allegro, SUI and Kristof Vliegen, BEL

Scoville Jenkins, USA and Alexa Glatch, USA
vs
Vania King, USA and Vincent Spadea, USA

I'm keeping a laundry list of dumb statements that I hear from the commentators during this year's Open. I get so sick of it, especially because so much of it is geared toward the Williams sisters that I've decided to keep tabs. It is my desire to post this list of stupidity at the close of the Open, but I have just got to mention tonight's.

Prior to tonight I would mute the sound on my television at the mere sight of Tracy Austin and Ted Robinson, but not tonight. Have any of you ever seen that old cartoon about those two mouth-running birds Hekyll and Jekyll? Well that's just who they remind me of. Always bitchin' about the Williams sister to no end. When they got started tonight Hekyll (Ted Robinson), gushed for damn near ten minutes over Jekyll's (Tracy Austin) red dress and wedding ring. Shortly thereafter Jekyll bitched about not getting enough Cobb salad and she was still hungry, and how high the food was. What happened Jekyll? Run through all of your money already? And then, to top it off in their usual fashion, they spent 30 minutes "not criticizing" Serena Williams and what she has "not" done this year and what she "could" have done. And my favorite, Jekyll stated "and her two Australian's Open titles, they weren't easy". Talk about a jealous magpie! I am too sick of them and their lambasting of the Williams sisters over the years and how it is accepted by the network. You don't hear this kind of bitching about any other player. And the same crap that they bitch about the Williams sisters for, they praise Maria Sharapova.

Get a grip yard birds. You're commentators not movie critics. Do your damn job and call the game fairly for the Williams sisters as you do the other players. I don't know what the problem is, ignorance, racism, bias, envy, what? Whatever it is get over it cause you ruin the game for those of us who just want game commentary and not your fair weathered opinions.

Oh, Hekyll and Jekyll, "I'm not criticizing the two of you," just making note of where you could do better.

Serena Williams fashioned her way into her evening match last night and took out Maria Elena Camerin of Italy 7-5, 6-2. It wasn't pretty, but it did what? It got the job done. That beautiful serve of hers helped her out a bit. She served 7 aces to Camerin's 0. Simultaneously she served 5 double faults to Camerin's 0.

"I'm definitely getting a lot stronger, I'm definitely feeling a lot better. I'm happy to be out here.''

"I just want to play a little better each round, as each match goes on."

"My return of serve is usually unbelievable," she said. "So I'm just waiting on that to come back. I would like to see that go a little better. Just a little bit of everything."

Shhhhhhh, don't tell Ahsha Rolle that she's not the No. 1 player, cause she surely can't know it the way she's playing. Here's a woman very unknown to most making some serious noise at the Open this year. She is being Googled big time because most of us had never heard of her. Well that ship has sailed.

After taking out the No. 17 seed in the first round, what does Ms. Ahsha do for the second? She takes out the Italian flavored Karin Knapp.

Talk about seizing the moment! I'm lovin' this girl!

At 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, you can see that she's battling for the win. But if you're gonna win the war that's how you've got to take it, one battle at a time, and she's fighting the good fight. Work it out girlfriend!

Unfortunately for Chanda Rubin and Jamea Jackson who both received wild cards into this year's Open, the same injury that probably cost Jamea her singles match against Nicole Pratt cost both of them an opportunity in the doubles. Jamea withdrew today prior to the match that she and Chanda would have played. Truly unfortunate.

As you know, some months ago Jamea had hip surgery and has not been able to really compete this year. Go home and get well sweetie, we want to see you on the court healthy and happy.

Think Jo-Wilfried is probably singing a little Tsong-a about his 7-5, 6-1, 6-3 win over the Spaniard Oscar Hernandez? (Ha Ha) Well Tsonga brought much game across the ocean and has moved right into the second round. The stats weren't that varied. The simple fact is that Hernandez came out on fire, but Tsonga got fired up in the second and third sets and made the match all his.

Venus Williams shed her more fashionable designer 'EleVen' duds from opening night and put on some stylish work clothes from her 'EleVen' line -- look out ladies! She also brought a new male with her, and she's got him in the bag. I'll tell you about him in a sec.

Poor Ioana Raluca Olaru of Romania probably new that her chances were slim from jump street. She definitely found out once the match started. While Venus did not begin the match with the precision that she played with in Monday night's match, she was still relentless. Venus wrapped up her victory in 69 minutes with a score of 6-4, 6-2.

In her post-match interview, Venus used fightin' words. She stated, "I have to work hard to keep my weight on. I'd be even thinner if I wasn't playing tennis. Probably be modeling somewhere. . . ." Grrrrr. She didn't have to say it out loud.

Continuing the interview when asked what she might be doing if she were not playing tennis, Venus stated, "At least if I wasn't even doing anything super special, I would feel special. I've always felt really good about me. So that's what really counts."I like my style. I just like who I am. I'm comfortable with that. So whether or not I was working at a desk job, I would feel like I was a special person." You are a special person Ms. Williams and we think you're pretty great too!

Now, on to this Harold fella. Oh, did I forget to mention that Harold was a five-month old Havanese puppy? Just after her win, she walked toward the locker room carrying a big purse. It was a doggie bag -- for real. Venus received Harold after her Wimbledon win this year. Harold's got the good life in the bag.

In a previous post I stated that Ahsha Rolle was not listed with the WTA Tour, that is incorrect. The initial spelling that I used from an article that I found on Rolle was not the way that the WTA Tour has her listed. If and until I learn something different, I will use the above spelling.