Black Tennis Pros

As part of its Smyth Leadership Lecture Series, Mary Baldwin College hosted Venus Williams at 5 p.m. today.

The 27-year-old tennis star and four-time Wimbledon winner spoke to Mary Baldwin College students and the public about her experiences with the sport in addition to addressing the issues of equal pay for women. Williams has long been an advocate of fair pay for women.

Williams also has started her own interior design business and created a clothing line called Eleven by Venus.

In February of 2002, Williams became the first black woman to be ranked No. 1 on the World Tennis Association Tour.

Williams is one of the many speakers invited to Mary Baldwin thought the Smyth series.

Source - The News Leader

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Today at the Davidoff Swiss Indoors in Basel, Switzerland, the doubles team of American James Blake and Bahamian Mark Knowles defeated Swede Simon Aspelin and his doubles partner Austrian Julian Knowle 5-7, 7-6(7), 10-4.

Over in Lyon, France at the Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon, Frenchmen Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Sebastien Grosjean defeated compatriots Julien Benneteau and Michael Llodra 6-2, 6-4, 0-0. Benneteau and Llodra retired at the end of the second set.






Technorati Tags: Sports Tennis James Blake
Mark Knowles Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Sebastien Grosjean
Davidoff Swiss Indoors
Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon Doubles

American Angela Haynes is making some serious noise on the Pro Circuit. After a recent doubles title, Haynes made it to the final in Lawrenceville, Georgia this weekend. After a tight match, Haynes was defeated by American Julie Ditty 7-6(6), 6-4.



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Julie DittyUSTA Pro Circuit

In 1 hour 16 minutes Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga easily defeated American Vincent Spadea 6-3, 6-4 at the Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon yesterday. Tsonga served 12 aces and had a 77% first serve percentage rate to Spadea's 58%.

What happened to smack talkin' Spadea's game today?





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Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Vincent Spadea
Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon

Davidoff Swiss Indoors
Basel Switzerland
October 22-28, 2007







Round 1 - Singles

James Blake, USA vs Oscar Hernandez, ESP

Round 1 - Doubles

James Blake, USA and Mark Knowles, BAH
vs
Simon Aspelin, SWE and Julian Knowle, AUT


Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon
Lyon, France
October 22-28, 2007






Round 1 - Singles

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA vs Vince Spadea, USA

Round 1 - Doubles

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA and Sebastien Grosjean, FRA
vs
Julien Benneteau, FRA and Michael Llodra, FRA

Technorati Tags: SportsTennisJames Blake
Jo-Wilfried TsongaGrand Prix de Tennis de Lyon
Davidoff Swiss Indoors

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Thursday, October 18, 2007

The missing Blackberry really hurt me...

Here's what happened: after Zürich, I went to Paris to relax. As I was leaving the hotel, I decided I wanted to go to go to the Fendi store. I saw some fabulous boots there that I thought would go great in my fall repertoire. Well, I also had to use the bathroom really badly... So the driver dropped me and my friend Paul off at the corner and we walked to the Fendi store. I asked the employee if I could use the bathroom. I went to the bathroom with my purse, then came out and looked at a dress. I never sat my purse down - I just was holding it. Later, I tried on the boots and put my purse down. I liked the boots so I decided to buy them. I picked up my purse and noticed my Blackberry was missing...

So I paid for the boots and then looked for the Blackberry. It was nowhere to be found. I called it and found out that it was turned off. Someone got it and turned it OFF! All of you out there that have Blackberries know that they're not easy to turn off - you have to purposely turn them off, or they will always stay on. Every time I called it I went straight to voicemail. Someone took it out of my purse and turned it off so when I called it I would not hear it ring. Who would do this people? I mean really! It's so upsetting, and I feel as though my privacy has just been violated. I feel raw and alone now that I don't have my BB. My BB is out there, all alone, cold and scared. She had a great life, a warm bed and a wonderful mom that took great care of her. I wish I could just see her one more time. I did not even get chance to say goodbye.

Needless to say I was super depressed, but also fairly calm. I never thought we would part. She's lost forever in Paris :( I still tear up when I think about her. So to make me feel better, Paul kept telling me we will find it, but I wonder if he really believed it himself. Anyways, he promised me and my mom a great dinner! And it would lift my spirits. Dinner definitely lifted my spirits as I love Thai food, and we went to this resturant called "Ginger". What's strange is that for Roland Garros (The French Open) I stay one block from Ginger and I've never been there. Nonetheless, for the first time in my life I had a glass (or two or three) of wine! I hate wine and I never drink wine. But I decided because I was in France I should give it a go. I'm growning up guys! Your lil' Serena is growing up!!

Okay so here's my saying of the day today:

Always stay positive. No matter what you are going through, know that God will never give you more than you can handle.

So no matter what you do, be positive. No matter what you face, look it straight in the eye, no matter how afraid you may be!

Love u!!

Xxx

Serena

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Technorati Tags: Sports Tennis Serena Williams
Zurich Open

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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