Black Tennis Pros

Over the years we've all seen Serena Williams sit down during the changeover and consult her notes to either stick to, or modify her game. In yesterday's match with Russia's Vera Zvonareva she did the same thing and pulled out her pink notebook for a quick study. What happened next, that was a surprise.

Chair umpire Damian Steiner told her to put it away. Even scolded her!

"He told me I couldn't use my notes," Williams said after a 6-4, 7-6 (4) win that put her into the fourth round. "I was like, 'Well, it's not like I'm Harry Potter and my dad can magically give me notes to read.'

"It's something that I write myself. Just little things. What if I were to take a paper on the court and write something, what's the difference?" she said.

Shortly thereafter, Steiner relented.

Hmmmm, somebody had a very itchy bug up his butt yesterday. We'll let him slide just this once, perhaps he needs more fiber in his diet.

Serena moved on to the round of 16 at the Open regardless.

Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga effectively guaranteed that Great Britain's Tim Henman would not win a Grand Slam Tournament in his tennis career lifetime by defeating him yesterday by a score of 7-6 (7/2), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Prior to the loss, Henman had already decided that this would be his last ATP Tour Grand Slam Tournament. The soon-to-be 33-year-old Englishman only has his country's Davis Cup clash with Croatia at Wimbledon next month to follow.

"Relief is not quite the right word but I am ready to get on with the next part of my life," he said.

"I've had a fantastic career - but there are a lot of exciting things ahead of me - two young kids and another on the way.

"I feel so clear in mind that time is time and that a couple of good matches at the Davis Cup and I will leave this sport a happy man."

Tsonga is also a happy man! He moves on to the 3rd round of the Open.

After a tremendous start at the U. S. Open, Ahsha Rolle's hopes for more Open glory were dashed today by Russian Dinara Safina. Dinara really showed the difference in experience between the ladies, she never allowed Rolle to gain any footing into the match. The score was 6-4, 6-3.

"Obviously, she has more experience than me," Rolle said. "I feel like I had a couple of bad shot selections that kind of cost me big games."

Well, the short-lived U. S. Open dream of Ahsha Rolle is over, but a new tennis favorite has definitely been born. I look forward to seeing a whole lot of Ahsha on tour.

WTA Tour Players

Serena Williams, USA vs Vera Zvonareva, RUS
Venus Williams, USA vs Alona Bondarenko, UKR
Ahsha Rolle, USA, vs Dinara Safina, RUS


ATP Tour Players

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA vs Tim Henman, GBR

For more U. S. Open schedule information click here.

American James Blake and Frenchman Fabrice Santoro gave the people what will probably be the epic match of the 2007 U. S. Open. The 3 1/2 hour match gave the people what they wanted and then some. Blake went in a 5-set virgin and came out smokin'! Santoro went in a 34-year old veteran of the game and came out looking quite cool.

I can 99.9% guarantee you that no matter who is in the final, it will not hold a candle to the wonderful tennis that we saw these two put on display last night.

To reach a final score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, the veteran Frenchman Santoro brought his entire arsenal of shots. He had to have used, literally, every shot that he's ever learned over his tennis career, and prayed to the tennis God's as well.

The 27-year old young blood Blake was no slouch in the shot making department either. Blake used the lob shot with particular effect over the course of the match. And while Blake didn't summon the Divine, he had private consultation during the change over.

The match was so long and grueling for Santoro that he got a headache!

He deserved an ice pack the way that he played. He was all over the court defending Blake's powerful shots with his smooth slice. He didn't care what fancy shot Blake pulled out of his pocket, he just kept on coming. It was wonderful!

Prior to tonight's match James Blake had the label of having never won a 5-set match, he was 0-9. I was more concerned during the third set than I was when Santoro took the 4th set, because I knew that the Blake that has evolved to this point was not going to let this 5-set opportunity at the U. S. Open pass him by. That's just who he is at this point, he expects to win.

"A weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I actually honestly said to myself at the beginning of that fifth set, I'm not going to lose this match. I'm going to win"

At some point Santoro realized the truth too. He was such a character. He came to play and brought all of his emotions with him.

"My body was totally dead at the end. I tried to give him some troubles and I think I did. He looks tired."

Santoro gave him some troubles alright, and Blake helped his cause with 71 unforced errors. Santoro had only 21. Nonetheless, no matter what they did to or for one another, they mesmerized the crowd who stayed late into the night.

"New York is something special, a night session is special. When you have the chance to play in New York in a big tournament like a Grand Slam, a night session against an American guy is a great atmosphere, I was feeling lucky on the court, and the battle was just great."

Santoro wasn't the only one who loved the battle, the J-Block was in the house keeping up much noise to spur their friend on.

Celebrities like Colin Ferrell were in the house keeping up a racket also. This time they got to watch the performance.

Blake and Santoro created yet another memorable match that will list among the great ones at the U. S. Open.

With all of the ups and downs and twists and turns that this match brought, there could only be one victor. But in the end, we know that both of these players won last night.

The Young one got a walk over today from the withdrawal of Frenchman Richard Gasquet. Gasquet withdrew because of fever, sore throat and other viral implications. He said "looking at three sets was just too much and I didn't think that I could make it."

"Fastest match I've ever played.....I didn't believe it at first", so Young did the right then and consulted a tournament official. "Great luck."

It's not the way he wanted it, but hey, he's in the 3rd round of the U. S. Open -- he'll take it.