Black Tennis Pros

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Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Hey guys,

As I am sure you know I had to withdraw from my match in Zürich. If there is one thing I hate it's giving up or quitting. It is simply not in my vocabulary. So my mom told me I should have stopped after the first set and I could have gotten worse but I felt as though maybe people would think, "She didn't even try."

People who don't know me that well don't realize that I'm a typical Libra and I'm actually quite sensitive. I guess I need to stop thinking about what other people think of me and just do what is best. Well, "What happened?" I'm sure you are asking. I strained my right adductor. If you all followed the Moscow tournament my right leg was strapped because I had some tight muscles. So the doc said that it was me overcompensating for so long that my adductor was doing too much work. Blah blah blah... Injuries are always frustrating for any athlete to deal with.

So with that said, I was really upset because I've always wanted to win Zürich. I made a promise to myself that I was going to play Stuttgart, Moscow and Zürich back at Wimbledon and wanted to do everything to keep that promise. I guess I pushed myself too far. Heck, I had my ticket leaving for next Monday!!!

With that being said I decided not to abandon the blog. I like writing and even if I'm not writing so much about Zürich I can still write about my progress as well as things I am up to. One thing I wanted to talk about on my blog is my 'Saying of the Day' to hopefully help people of all ages out. Today's comes from a special friend that I enjoyed so much I want to share it with you:

Confront your fears and they will disappear. Always remember that bad weather looks worse through a window.

So whatever it is that you want to be or do, don't be afraid to do it or go for it. Sometimes I want to meet new people but I'm afraid they won't like me or they'll think crazy of me. These are my fears... So today and from now on I will try to confront people and talk to them. I'm sure they will find me charming (I hope!)

Let's see... I hope you guys enjoy reading the blog and I will "see" you tomorrow!

xxx

Serena

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Technorati Tags: Sports Tennis Serena Williams
Zurich Open

I felt neither here nor there about American James Blake being ousted in the first round of doubles, I mean that's not his claim to fame. But I am a bit disappointed that he bit the dust in the first round of singles. What tha??? He didn't even seem interested today.

I thought with Blake being only within points of potentially sliding back within range of the top eight for the year-end championships that he'd be hell to beat. Guess I was wrong.

A sixth-seeded Blake was sent packing by Croat Mario Ancic, 6-3, 6-4 on Day 3.

'Nuff said.


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Mario Ancic ATP Masters Series Madrid

Americans James Blake and Eric Butorac have been defeated in doubles in the first round of the ATP Masters Series in Madrid. The Polish doubles team of Mariuz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski prevailed at 7-5, 6-4.

Blake is still in the main draw awaiting play in the second round as he had a Bye in round 1.

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ATP Masters Series Madrid Eric Butorac Doubles

Serena Williams retired with a sore right thigh while trailing Patty Schnyder of Switzerland 6-0, 3-0 in the first round of the Zurich Open on Tuesday.

Trailing 3-0 in the first set, Williams had the tape on her right thigh removed. She won only nine points in the set, five on her serve.

The sixth-seeded American was treated again between sets. Winning only one more point, she was broken twice before retiring.

"I was checking out the situation a bit and after the first set I kind of suspected she might retire," Schnyder said. "But then I got kind of nervous because in the second set she really started trying."

Williams, who has qualified for the season-ending WTA Championships, had asked to play Tuesday despite coming off a three-set loss to Elena Dementieva at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow on Sunday.

"Normally she needs a rest after two weeks of tournaments," Schnyder said. "But I like that she came here and tried."

Source - The Canadian Press

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Monday, October 15, 2007

Hey guys, it's Serena here! Now, as some of you out there may know already, I like to do everything that my sister Venus does. Us lil' sisters are quite the jealous type! Well the point I'm making is that a couple of weeks ago she wrote a blog (which I'm sure you all read with great interest) for our very own Sony Ericsson WTA Tour website, and this week it's my turn! I can't believe they convinced me to do it, but here I am and I would like to share my experiences with all the fans out there.

Well, I'm fresh from my trip to Moscow; can you believe that I'm playing my third event in a row? I can't! I don't think I've ever done that in my career before, but I'm feeling good and determined to make a good run at the end of the year since I hardly played this summer. I had not been to Moscow in 10 years... Can you believe I've been around that long? I can't, I still feel like a teenager... Well, nonetheless, it has been 10 years since the last time I was there - scary. Moscow is an interesting place. I hung out a bit with Kuzzie, saw some interesting things, none of which I can really talk about here, but for sure I had a lot of fun there, played some good matches and picked up some valuable points (yeah!)

For all of those that didn't follow, I got to the finals there and now I'm in Zürich, Switzerland, where the chocolate is oh sooooo good - but shush, don't tell anyone that I ate two today. That's my limit, I swear, otherwise I'll be on the practice court much longer than my hour and 15. I haven't been at the tournament here in probably 10 years as well. I can't wait to make my long awaited return to action. I have been having so much fun playing this fall. My first match is against the tricky but talented Patty Schnyder - make sure you tune into the live scoring!!!

The highlight of the past couple of weeks has been qualifying for Madrid, which we announced today. That's so cool. I feel as though I should be there. Now, with a lil' work and dedication I've made it offically to Madrid. I never would have thought that back in January before I played Australia, and I'm really proud of myself and the strides I've made to get back to this level after two years - no easy feat. I hope my little girls (aka quadrupeds - dogs!), Jackie and Laura, who have been keeping me company, are equally as proud!

P.S. I have also relaunched my website: serenawilliams.com. It's way more slick and up to date compared to the previous incarnation. You guys have to go check it out because it's hilarious. I also write a relationship blog there as well... Where do I get the time?? It's a long story - an important one - but one we will have to talk about!

Well it's late here in Zürich and I would love to write more but I'm a bit tired and I have to play tomorrow. I'm so sleepy, I haven't slept in 36 hours (the life of a jet-setting tennis player is not all it's cracked up to be...)

Good nighzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Xxx

Serena

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Technorati Tags: Sports Tennis Serena Williams Zurich Open Blogging

One year ago, tennis prodigy Donald Young was ranked No. 576 in the world and in danger of flaming out of the game.

It was too early to write off the Chicago native at 17, but his confidence and interest were waning.

Young had turned pro at 14, perhaps unprecedented for a male player, and two years of getting hammered by veteran men at the top levels of the game were taking their toll.

Since then, Young has made a stunning turnaround. John McEnroe's prediction of stardom when he saw Young play at 10 might turn out to be accurate, after all.

Young is ranked No. 144 and seeded eighth in this week's $75,000 Swanston Challenger at the Sutter Lawn Tennis Club. He meets unseeded German Simon Stadler, who eliminated No. 1 seed Sam Querrey on Thursday, today at 10 a.m. in the quarterfinals.

The frustrated, morose Young who lost in the first round of last year's Swanston Challenger has been replaced by a confident, smiling Young.

A 5-foot-10 left-hander called "insanely talented" by Andy Roddick in a 2005 Washington Post article, Young attributed his resurrection to renewed dedication.

"I didn't want to play that much last year," said Young, who at 15 became the youngest male player to reach No. 1 in the junior world rankings. "I had personal things going on. I was turning 18 (in July), and I thought it was time to start playing. I've played double the amount of tournaments this year."

Elaborating on the "personal things," the Atlanta resident said he "wanted to stay home, hang out with my friends and not travel as much."

Rather than work his way up from Futures to Challengers to the elite ATP Tour, the much-hyped Young immediately accepted wild cards at the top level. Beginning in San Jose in February 2005, he lost his first 11 matches on the ATP Tour.

The low point came in a 6-0, 6-0 drubbing by 81st-ranked Carlos Berlocq, a clay-court specialist from Argentina, on a hard court in Miami early last year. (Incredibly, Berlocq suffered the same fate in the next round against ninth-ranked James Blake.)

"It can get discouraging and hurt your confidence. But you're 15, 16, and they're offering you five grand to play a sport you love," said Young, whose parents are tennis instructors. "But you have to go back to reality and play on your level."

Young did, and it has paid off handsomely this year. He won:

• A $15,000 Futures tournament in Little Rock, Ark., in April for his first pro singles title.

• The Wimbledon boys singles crown and his first Challenger singles title, in Aptos (near Santa Cruz), in July.

• ATP Tour and Grand Slam matches for the first time in August.

"In the last year, Donald has put together points where he doesn't beat himself," said Woodland product Scott McCain, the coach of both past Swanston champions, Paul Goldstein (2006) and Rik de Voest (2005), and husband of former top-five doubles star and top-20 singles player Patty Fendick from Sacramento. "He was trying to hit a winner on every shot. He was trying to play like (6-4) Marat Safin, but he's 5-10."

McCain said Young reminds him of diminutive French veterans Arnaud Clement (5-8) and Sebastien Grosjean (5-9). Both have been ranked in the top 10, and Clement reached the final of the 2001 Australian Open.

"Donald is flashy, like the French players," McCain said. "He might hit heavy topspin on one shot and bang it the next. He's quick, covers the court well and has explosiveness. Once he learns how to use it, it can carry him to the next level and beyond."

Matches rained out -- Friday's singles quarterfinals were rained out. The quarters and semifinals are scheduled for today beginning at 10 a.m. Sunny weather with a high of 73 degrees is forecast.

Source - Sacramento Bee (SacBee.com)

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Serena Williams has qualified for next month's season- ending WTA Champion- ships in Madrid.

Williams arrived at the Zurich Open on Monday to discover she was the fifth player to qualify, along with Justine Henin, Jelena Jankovic, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Ana Ivanovic.

The Australian Open champion reached Sunday's final of the Kremlin Cup before losing to Elena Dementieva.

The year-end championship ranking calculations are long and complicated at this point of the season because of the number of players still in the hunt, various injuries that can prevent them from gaining points, and the number of tournaments remaining.

The championship features the season's top eight singles players. At least six other players can still qualify for the remaining berths in the Madrid championships Nov. 6-11.

Williams is among seven of the world's top 10 players at the Zurich event. Reigning champion Maria Sharapova withdrew on Saturday because of a long-standing right-shoulder injury. The tournament also lost Martina Hingis, who pulled out with a hip problem.

Williams, who withdrew from the last two tournaments in Zurich, is slated to play her opening match against local favourite Patty Schnyder on Tuesday. Williams lost in the second round of the 1997 qualification stage and won the doubles event with sister Venus in 1998.

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