Black Tennis Pros

It is absolutely amazing what a lil' baby oil will do for a fella!

Ahem, *cough, cough* moving right along,.......Stylish, injury-hit Frenchman Gael Monfils has withdrawn from the Australian Open, his coach Thierry Champion says.

The former world junior number one has not played competitively since September due to an injury to his left hand.

He had been due to return to action at this week's Sydney International but has been forced out this time because of a knee injury.

Doctors advised him to rest for a longer period and the decision was taken to skip the Australian Open.

Monfils has targeted the ATP tournament in Marseille which starts on February 11, for his return.

Sports

Tennis

Gael Monfils

This post is taken directly from Serena's Diary at Serena Williams' Official Site. It's a very personal post from Serena, but she obviously wanted to share her feelings with her fans, these are her words verbatim.






Stand In These Shoes (I'm Sure You Have Before)

You just start dating a guy. He likes you, you like him. You guys want to spend every second together. When you are not with him you are talking to him on the phone. You have deep feelings for him. The feelings keep developing. They keep growing. You begin to think this could be it. You begin to think I really think this is it for me..... You love being together. You can't stand being without each other. You start to feel like you have never felt before, and you do things for him you have never done before. He tells you he doesn’t want to be with you and only you. He tells you he adores you. He tells you u guys were meant for each other. You care for him. You are falling for him. You take things slow. You don't want to make any mistakes. You go slower with him than you have ever done before. You don't rush to introduce him to your friends, let alone anyone else. You want it to be right. You are feeling this and you feel this could mean something. He communicates with you. He thanks God you are in his life. You guys have fun together. You laugh together. He talks about being and becoming serious with you. He talks about his desire to love you one day. He talks about he can't imagine not being with you. You think he's falling in love with you. But you can't be 100% sure. You guys have not said that sacred 4 letter word that starts with an "L". But you feel it deep deep in you. Deeper than you have in a long time.

You ask him "are we moving too fast"? He replies "We are just following our hearts." You start to trust him. Something you have not done since your first heart break. How long ago was that? You wonder. Trust is something you vowed you would never do again. But slowly your heart comes out of its steel enclosure. You feel like you can trust him. You feel as if everything you went though was for a reason. And the reason was to meet him. Days turns into weeks. And he tells you about the connection you guys have in each others hearts.

Weeks turns into months and you slowly start to wean the other guys in your life out. And than it happens. No not the "L" word. But what you have been most afraid of. What deep in your heart you have been afraid to confront. What you always suspected would happen one day sooner or later. HE STOPS CALLING. You panic. But you try to stay calm. He did this before when you first started talking, but u tried to forget it. You knew u should have not forgotten. But u tried to ignore it. He disappears for a week with no phone call. No answer to yours no nothing. Finally you hear from him. You want to rage you want to scream you want to cry. But you can't help you heart from feeling a tad bit happy.

As you begin to ask him what happened he stops you. He says "I need space". You cringe at these words. This is the very reason you begin to think why your heart was in that steel enclosure. The reason you don't put your emotions your feelings, your heart into it. Because one day it always turns in to this day. But you are already too far out you are at the point of no return, you can't come back. You can't believe, although a piece of you does believe it. Space. How many time have you heard this before? Space? Wasn’t you giving him enough? Space. Hummm you laugh because its so ridiculous. You laugh because again u knew this day would come. Why did you not listen to that little voice inside your hear telling you to "watch out". "Be careful". You laugh only because tears won't come.

You know its not you, but u cant help but look at that man in the mirror. You can't help but pick yourself apart. Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? And again and again you can't come up with the answer. Slowly as you try to focus on other things and think of other people you put you heart back into that steel case.

Tears finally come and they make you feel a little better, but the pain is piercing through your soul. The pain never hurts as bad as the first time. . But all the same you can't help but feel hopeless, foolish. Your great chance to be with your soul mate has again somehow slipped and failed.

But eventually you know you will pick yourself up. Eventually you know you will try again. And eventually you know you will find the keys to you heart, but also in the back of your mind you think.... Will it happen again.

A lot of sports writers think that Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is a dead ringer for Muhammad Ali. What do you think?

I'm glad that Wordless Wednesday is coming up, because the fellas are getting knocked out of first rounds left and right. First it was American James Blake, and now it's Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who was defeated 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 by Italian Andreas Seppi at the Medibank International. Tsonga racked up seven aces, but it really didn't seem to matter.

Technorati Tags: Sports Tennis
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Medibank International
Australian Open Series

Villager over at the Electronic Village has definitely brightened my day by awarding me with the You Rock My Socks Award! I love getting awards from those blogs whom I think are unparalled. The Electronic Village is definitely in a class by itself, I love it. Awarded with me are Mes Deux Cents and Invisible Woman, also blogs in their own league.

I'm going to pass this fantabulous award on to Mrs. Grapevine at Mrs. Grapevine, TGrundy at Ribs: Rhythms in Black Satin, 2SweetNSaxy at Sax Appeal and to Chessnoid at Chessnoid. These, among others are definitely on my hit parade right now.

The other recipients of this award are:

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James Blake's attempt to win his third successive Sydney International ended Monday after just one match.

France's Fabrice Santoro beat the third-seeded American 7-6 (4), 6-2, taking a 5-0 lead in the second set before Blake came back to win a pair of games. Blake broke Santoro with the Frenchman serving for the match, but then lost it on his own service two games later.

Blake won the Sydney International in 2006 and 2007, beating Carlos Moya in last year's final. He was trying to become the first man since Australian John Bromwich in 1940 to win the title three times in a row.

Blake, who helped the United States win the Davis Cup in November over Russia, said he had some problems adjusting to the new plexicushion surface - the same surface that will be used in Melbourne at the Australian Open.

"Maybe it was him, maybe it was the court, but it seemed so slow it was tough for me to put balls away," Blake said. "I think I got a bit ahead of myself."

Blake admitted to being a little sluggish after his late 2007 season due to the Davis Cup.

"I would have loved to have had a longer offseason, but I'll trade that for a Davis Cup win anytime," he said.

Sports

Tennis

James Blake

Australian Open Series

Medibank International

Round 1 - Singles

James Blake, USA vs Fabrice Santoro FRA
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA vs Andreas Seppi, ITA

Round 1 - Doubles

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA and Richard Gasquet, FRA
vs
Chris Guccione, AUS and Robert Smeets, AUS

Technorati Tags: Sports Tennis
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga James Blake
Australian Open Series Medibank International