Black Tennis Pros

Frenchman Gael Monfils stars in a striking off-court feature in the September issue of French magazine, Sport & Style. Monfils features modeling a variety of designer clothing, ranging from Givenchy, Giorgio Armani, Alexander McQueen, Chanel, as well as his own sponsors, Nike and Head.

The article chronicles Monfils's rise to fame on the professional tennis circuit, highlighting his jump from No. 400 to No. 23 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings. However, with his meteoric rise up the rankings having been tempered in the last 12 months following a series of injuries, Monfils, nicknamed 'Sliderman', says, "I need to find the right balance between style, showmanship, and effictiveness on the court.

"Monfils also comments on his passion for music and breakdancing. "I often organize freestyle 'battles' with my group of friends. I've been brought up under the MTV culture. Music and dance are my life."

Finally the Frenchman, who currently resides in Nyon, Switzerland, comments on the unique trajectory of each player's career, saying "Nadal is the best at the moment. But I also know that I'm capable of winning Roland Garros. It's not a race. Federer won his first Grand Slam at the age of 23. Noah as well. Each to their own."

Source - ATP Tour

TOKYO - Roger Federer pulled out of the Japan Open because he needs to rest after the U.S. Open and Davis Cup.

The top-ranked Swiss said his doctor told him he should not play in a tournament for at least 10 days to avoid the risk of serious injury.

"I'm so disappointed that I have to withdraw from the Japan Open," Federer said in a statement released by organizers Friday. "I have not physically recovered 100 percent from the U.S. Open and Davis Cup."

Federer won last year's Japan Open, defeating Tim Henman in the final. Federer won his fourth consecutive U.S. Open on Sept. 9, and competed for Switzerland last weekend in its loss to the Czech Republic.

The Japan Open begins Monday. David Ferrer and Richard Gasquet were added to the men's bracket and Venus Williams, who is playing in South Korea, to the women's bracket.

Source -- AP

American Raquel Kops-Jones wasn't able to make it out of the first round of the singles or doubles of the Guangzhou, China International Women's Open.

Kops-Jones was defeated in singles by Sun Tiantian of China in a toe-to-toe match 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-5.

In doubles, Kops-Jones and American teammate Julie Ditty were defeated by the doubles team of Tatiana Poutchek of Belarus and Anastasia Rodionova of Russia 6-4, 7-6(0).

SEOUL, South Korea - Venus Williams reached the Korea Open semifinals today by beating Marta Domachowska of Poland 6-2, 6-3.

American Ahsha Rolle moved through the first round of the WTA Hansol Korea Open with ease against the new British No. 1, Anne Keothavong. Unfortunately the same was not to be in Round 2.

In the second round, fifth-seeded and defending Seoul champion Eleni Daniilidou of Greece was very effective against Rolle.

The world no. 37 Daniilidou served well with a 76% first serve percentage and simply outplayed Rolle overall for a 6-3, 6-2 win.

SEOUL, South Korea -- Venus Williams coasted into the Korea Open quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn on Thursday.

Despite wearing strapping on her right leg, the top-seeded Williams made short work of Tanasugarn on an overcast afternoon before heavy rain forced a suspension of play at Olympic Park with two second-round matches remaining.

"It was a good game," Williams said. "It was good to finish when we did, it was about to rain. The rain blowing in different directions made it difficult, but it was a good experience."
The Wimbledon champion played down any problems with her leg.

"From yesterday, my right calf hasn't been feeling great but I was able to play and it's fine," she said.

The Wimbledon champion will meet Marta Domachowska of Poland in Thursday's quarterfinals after defeating Severine Bremond of France 7-5, 6-2.

Source -- AP

Despite warm conditions at Seoul's Olympic Park tennis arena, Venus Williams barely broke a sweat as she used her powerful serve to dominate the match. Fellow American Abigail Spears, whose right arm was heavily strapped, failed to win a single point from Williams' first serve in the opening set.

Venus took just 70 minutes to dispatch of the qualifier, firing eight aces on her way to the 6-2, 6-3 opening-round win.

In the second set, Venus broke again in the opening game and held off a late rally from Spears to complete a comfortable win.

"In a competition where there are few Americans, I don't know why I played against one in the first game,'' Williams said. "I was happy with my serve as it got me through some difficult moments at break points."

The USTA today announced the top American juniors who will represent the United States in the 2007 Junior Davis Cup & Junior Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Finals. The event features 32 teams (16 boys’ teams and 16 girls’ teams) composed of players 16-and-under from 24 nations across the world.

The Junior Davis Cup & Junior Fed Cup Finals will be held September 25-30 in Reggio Emilio, Italy. Both U.S. teams qualified for the finals in May at the North/Central America and Caribbean Regional Championships along with Mexico’s Junior Davis Cup team and Canada’s Junior Fed Cup team.

The United States is one of eight nations to send a boys’ and a girls’ team to the finals (Argentina, Australia, Chile, Czech Republic, Italy, Japan and South Africa).

Frank Carleton is the only returning member of the Junior Davis Cup team, which will again be coached by USTA National Coach Martin Van Daalen. Carleton, who led the team with a 5-0 overall record in May at the Regional Championships, will be joined in Italy by 2007 16-and-under Easter Bowl finalists Lawrence Formentera and James “Bo” Seal. (Formentera upset No. 1 seed Seal, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4)).

Each member of the girls’ team competed in May at the Regional Championships. 2007 Florida State High School Singles Champion Lauren Embree led the team with an 8-1 record, while teammates Asia Muhammad and Coco Vandeweghe both posted a 4-0 overall record for the U.S. USTA National Coach Richard Ashby returns to lead the girls’ team.

The United States won the 1999 Junior Davis Cup title and reached the final on four other occasions, including a 1986 second-place finish by Jim Courier and Michael Chang. The United States was runner-up at the 1993 Junior Fed Cup to Australia.

Source - USTA