Black Tennis Pros

WTA Tour Players

Venus Williams, USA vs. Justine Henin, BEL


USTA Jr. Girls Doubles

Asia Muhammad, USA and Kristy Frilling, USA vs
Ksenia Milevskaya, BLR and Urzula Radwanska, POL


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

Let me just start out with a hearty yay for the ladies! Now that's what I'm talking about, two great players playing a fantastic match and having good spirits about it at the end. You rock ladies!!

Yes, I am extremely happy that Venus won, but more than anything, those of us who love tennis tune in for a great match. We want whomever we're pulling for to win, but we want a battle 'till the end, and that's what American Venus Williams and Serbian Jelena Jankovic gave us tonight.

Jelena came out smokin'! I think she put her prior match record against Venus, which was 3-0, in the forefront of her mind and figured she could do the same thing this time and keep it rolling. Jelena really played well, and while Venus held her own, she made a lot of mistakes in that first set. As a matter of fact, Venus had 56 unforced errors for the entire match -- yowza!

The tables turned in the second set though, and Venus, rockin' more 'Eleven' shawt shawts, came out smokin'. She was moving forward and swatting balls out of the air like crazy. Jelena kept looking at her moms whom I guess she thought could help her, but it didn't work. Venus allowed Jelena only 1 game.

The third set was toe-to-toe, and it was only fair that it came down to a tie-break which Venus won 7-4. The overall score for the match was 6-4, 1-6, 6-7(7/4).

Post match Jelena (while smiling) stated "I am really disappointed now, but I am talking to you guys. I had such a great time playing in front of you. I have to wish Venus great luck the rest of the tournament." What sports"womanship!"

Post match Venus said "I was hoping that I don't come out here and make errors, and I did."

"I have never had support like this at the Open before, it's amazing!"

When asked about the house being sold out, Venus said "The ticket situation in my box, honestly, I don't even deal with it...whoever can get a ticket gets a ticket. It's like musical chairs."

When asked how she brought her game together after the 1st set, Venus stated "I don't know, it went so fast. I was hoping the 3rd set would go like that too, but Jelena is an unbelievable competitor. However, when headed to the women's locker room, she was heard to say, "I want to kill myself." Awww, no need, we still love ya.

When asked about Serena's loss last night, Venus stated "I wasn't happy with the result at all, to say the very least. I was sad that Serena lost because I didn't like to see her so upset. I definitely have to try to win for Williams."

The parents of the ladies were in the stands of course.







Venus's mom and dad and Jelena's mom Snezana Jankovic.

Celebs were on hand just as they have been for the entire U. S. Open. Tonight they included Ted Brokaw, Ile Natase, Grace Jones, Jerry Seinfield and his wife, Larry David and Natalie Portman to name a few.






Oh, and least I forget the great Andre Agassi was in the house helping the commentators out. He looks great.

WTA Tour Players

Venus Williams, USA vs Jelena Jankovic, SRB

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

Unfortunately, my outlook was not that bright for Serena today. Of course I hoped that she'd win, but she really has not been in top form this entire Open. She's been able to pull wins out of the air as only Serena can, but it's been by the skin of her teeth.

During her last match she looked better, so I thought that she might bring that form to her match with Henin, but it didn't happen. Serena was defeated by a score of 7-6 (7/3), 6-1. The 6-1 ought to tell you something about just how out of form Serena was. Her fight was not up to snuff, and she had only 17 winners.

"I really don't feel like talking about it," Williams said. "I can't explain that [result] right now.

"I just think she made a lot of lucky shots, and I made a lot of errors."

When asked about being disappointed about the loss, "No," I'm very happy."

When asked about the lack of match plays, "No," she said. "I don't think it affected me. I mean, I don't think it did. Maybe it did. "You guys, I think, watched it. Maybe you can analyze it better."

I usually post the photo of both players cause I got love for all the players, but ever since Henin's lyin' behind has refused to admit that she held up her hand during the 2003 French Open, I have declared that she shall never disgrace the pages of Black Tennis Pro's. It's one thing to make a mistake, it's quite another to own an ongoing lie about it. You had to be blind in this and your next life to not have seen her hold up her hand. Yet she's the one the commentators are always calling professional -- yeah, a professional what.

WTA Tour Players

Venus Williams, USA vs Jelena Jankovic SRB

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

Note: Somebody at the U. S. Open jacked up the schedule today, Venus did not play. The correct schedule included:

Serena Williams, USA vs. Justine Henin, BEL

In the Arthur Ashe Stadium on this Labor Day Monday, it was a match worthy of a final. The fellas went toe-to-toe for the most part, but somebody had to lose, and unfortunately it was the No. 6 seed, American James Blake. Once again I just knew that he would be able to pull a win out, but not so.

No. 10 seed Tommy Haas of Germany defeated Blake in Blake's second 5-set match this week by a score of 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-0, 7-6(7/4).

I'm at a loss for words, I'm going to get a drank.

ATP Tour Players

James Blake, USA vs. Tommy Haas, GER

For further U. S Open schedule information click here