Venus And Serena Welcomed And Admired In Bangalore
Williams sisters come across as a pleasant interlude, in comparison to the hefty air some Indian players with smaller stakes throw
BANGALORE: Serena Williams has 15 Grand Slam titles to her credit, Venus Williams has 14. If one would not be a tennis fan, it would be impossible to know the achievements that these women have to their credit given their easy demeanour.
Given the noise and air that some of our players with much smaller stakes on the world stage manage to quickly adopt, the Williams sisters are a pleasant interlude for any Indian tennis reporter.
The sisters have faced the same questions across the world over and over again. They could hardly be blamed for looking jaded when an eager press pressed in with queries that did not always stem from tennis know-how.
Serena Aims To Smash Down Barriers In Sports
BANGALORE, India, March 4 (Reuters) - Opportunities for black players to succeed in tennis are increasing but still there is much to be done to make the sport accessible for all, according to multiple grand slam winner Serena Williams. "Each year when I go on tour and at the U.S. Open I see another black face. It just makes my heart smile," the younger of the Williams sisters told Reuters on the sidelines of the WTA Bangalore Open.
Tennis, however, is yet to become affordable for the underprivileged black community, she said, adding that she plans to address the situation after her retirement from active tennis.
"It takes time, this isn't a typical black sport," she said. "It's the same thing in golf. There is pretty much one black player that is playing," she said referring to Tiger Woods.
"Maybe sometime if you want to talk economics, then maybe it (tennis) might not be affordable for some black people.
"Traditionally you look at tennis, you see in the past, fifty years, maybe one black player there. Tennis is an expensive sport.
"I mean just like, you know, I can name two great players that are playing tennis right now who have won 20 grand slams (singles, doubles and mixed) amongst them, they are black," she said referring to herself and elder sister Venus.
INTO PHILANTHROPY
"I am definitely into philanthropy. Whether I am helping some of the poverty in India, which I would love to do, or some of the poverty in Africa, I am definitely into it," she added.
"I want to travel, get dirty and help people. That's really my goal," she said on her plans for life after tennis.
Serena and Venus, currently ranked 11th and seventh in the world, dominated women's tennis for a decade and more, winning 14 grand slam singles titles between them.
Serena, 27, is the last player --- male or female --- to have held all four grand singles titles simultaneously.
She said there was much reason for optimism.
"I think it has come a long way. Like I said every tournament I see a lo t more black people playing tennis, which is really good to see and just takes time," she said.
"And I think there are more black people coming up. It's cool. Like the guy who got to the final of the Australian Open. That was really exciting seeing him," she added.
Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, born to a French mother and Congolese father, made a spectacular run at the season's opening grand slam.
Unseeded Tsonga breezed past four highly ranked players, including world number two Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals, before losing to Serb Novak Djokovic in four sets.
"Tennis, you know, is still pretty much a white sport. There are, however , lots more African American players who are playing... which (is) really very exciting for me," Serena said.
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Venus, Serena And Other WTA Players At Bangalore Open In Traditional Indian Wear
Posted by Shelia Labels: Bangalore Open, Serena Williams, Venus Williams Email this post
WTA Tour/USTA Pro Circuit Tennis Action This Week
Monday, March 3, 2008
Round 1 - Singles
Milagros Sequera, VEN vs. Tatjana Malek, GER
Ahsha Rolle, USA vs. Alberta Brianti, ITA
Asia Muhammad, USA vs. Melinda Czink, HUN
Round 1 - Doubles
Draw not released
Round 1 - Singles
Venus Williams, USA vs. BYE
Serena Williams, USA vs. BYE
Round 1 - Doubles
Venus Williams, USA and Serena Williams, USA*
vs.
Andreea Ehritt-Vanc, ROU and Tamarine Tanasugarn, THA
*Venus and Serena Won 7-6(5), 6-4
Round 1 - Qualyifying Singles
Alexandra Stevenson vs. Angelika Bachmann, GER*
*Stevenson was defeated in the second round 6-3, 6-4
ATP Tour Tennis Action This Week
Round 1 - Qualifying Singles
Scoville Jenkins, USA vs. Amer Delic, USA*
*Jenkins was defeated in the second round 6-3, 6-4
Round 1 - Singles
Gael Monfils, FRA vs Thomas Berdych, CZE
Round 1 - Doubles
Jeff Coetzee, RSA and Wesley Moodie, RSA*
vs.
Feliciano Lopez, ESP and Rafael Nadal, ESP
*Coetzee and Moodie were defeated 6-4, 7-6(5)
Federer, Again I Say, This Is Apocalyptic
I can only take so much drama on Mondays, it is not my best or favorite day of the week. As I was updating the list of upcoming ATP tournaments for the month of March, I saw a photo of Federer on the Dubai Tennis Championships home page. I was very glad to see him because when you can't count on anything or anyone else in tennis, Federer is the player to look to. For what, five years now? Federer has virtually been unbeatable. Of course the Spainard with the cute butt came along and changed that dynamic a bit, but other than that, Federer was still your man.
I must admit, Federer shook me up at the ATP Masters Cup in Shanghai, China at the end of 2007, where as defending champion, he lost to Fernando Gonzalez and suffered his first consecutive match loss in 4 1/2 years. At that time, I asked if we had just seen "The First Sign of The Apocalypse." Now, in the first round of the Barclay's Dubai Tennis Championships, he is defeated by Andy Murray 6-7, 6-3, 6-4.
To make matters worse, the annointed one mildly blasted Murray's game saying, “I don’t think he has changed his game a whole lot since the first time I played him and I really thought he would have done ...... He is going to have to grind it very hard in the next few years if he is going to play this way." When asked to elaborate Federer said, "He stands way behind the court. You have to do a lot of running and he tends to wait for the mistakes of his opponent. I gave him the mistakes today but overall in a 15-year career you want to look to win a point more often rather than wait for the other guy to miss. Who knows he might surprise us all."
I am just going to take this as a very disappointed Federer not knowing how to respond since losing has been a rarity for him. Oh well, I hope that I wake up on Tuesday to automobiles, not chariots.
Manic Monday: Nike Sport Music: Serena Williams’ Interval Run and Spontaneous Speed Workouts
Sunday, March 2, 2008
It's A Blog Eat Blog World - Home Of Manic Monday
Want to know how an athlete like Serena Williams achieves her combustible mix of electric speed and long haul endurance? Find out from her custom-made workouts that are designed to improve speed, build stamina, and give you a boost when needed.
The first workout out is a 30-minute interval run set to a series of high-octane hits by Timbaland, Nicole Scherzinger, Fergie, Daddy Yankee and other Interscope Records artists. While you listen to the music, Serena sets the pace and offer tips and encouragement to help you complete your run.
Serena coaches you through a dynamic sequence of running intervals developed with world-class trainer Jay Blahnik. It starts with a comfortable warm-up and then tackles three fast-paced “hustles”, which are each followed by a recovery period that allows you to catch your breath and get ready for the next burst.
Read the rest of this post...........
Want to know how an athlete like Serena Williams achieves her combustible mix of electric speed and long haul endurance? Find out from her custom-made workouts that are designed to improve speed, build stamina, and give you a boost when needed.The first workout out is a 30-minute interval run set to a series of high-octane hits by Timbaland, Nicole Scherzinger, Fergie, Daddy Yankee and other Interscope Records artists. While you listen to the music, Serena sets the pace and offer tips and encouragement to help you complete your run.
Serena coaches you through a dynamic sequence of running intervals developed with world-class trainer Jay Blahnik. It starts with a comfortable warm-up and then tackles three fast-paced “hustles”, which are each followed by a recovery period that allows you to catch your breath and get ready for the next burst.
Tracks on Serena Williams’ Interval Run
- Whatever U Like (Nicole Scherzinger)
- The Way I Are (Timbaland)
- Give It to Me (Timbaland)
- My Humps (Black Eyed Peas)
- Makes Me Wonder (Maroon 5)
- Tambourine (Eve)
- Impacto (Daddy Yankee)
- Out of Control (State of Emotion) (Kenna)
- Glamorous (Fergie)
- Fergalicious (Fergie)
- Pump It (Black Eyed Peas)
Like the traditional Interval Run, the Spontaneous Speed Workout consists of a warm-up period, followed by time stretches of fast-paced running, each followed by a chance to recover with help from Serena’s favorite music, a mix of Mary J. Blige, Vanessa Carlton, Timbaland, and many more.
This work out differs from the pervious run because the intervals are unpredictable, just like match play. In the Spontaneous Speed Workout, Serena coaches you through a series of high-intensity speed bursts, which can be as short as 30 seconds or as long as two minutes. Serena keeps you sharp with her trademark mix of wit and style.
This work out differs from the pervious run because the intervals are unpredictable, just like match play. In the Spontaneous Speed Workout, Serena coaches you through a series of high-intensity speed bursts, which can be as short as 30 seconds or as long as two minutes. Serena keeps you sharp with her trademark mix of wit and style.
Tracks on Serena Williams’ Spontaneous Speed Workout
- Family Affair (Mary J Blige)
- Just Fine (Mary J Blige)
- Let It Go (Keyshia Cole)
- Instigator (Kaci Brown)
- Baby Love (Nicole Sherzinger)
- Release (Timbaland/Justin Timberlake)
- Apologize (Timbaland/OneRepublic)
- Give It To You (Eve & Sean Paul)
- Unblievealbe (Kaci Brown)
- Nolia Fairytake (Vanessa Carlton)
- A Thousand Miles (Vanessa Carlton)
Haynes and Washington Defeated In Memphis Final
Americans Angela Haynes and Mashona Washington were not able to cap their great run at the Cellular South Cup in Memphis Tennessee with a win on Saturday. The teammates were defeated by another American pair, Lindsey Davenport and Lisa Raymond 6-3, 6-1.
Unless something miraculous occured, I knew from the onset that doubles specialist Lisa Raymond was going to give them hell to pay all by herself, and add to that mix a resurgent Lindsey Davenport, it was not an easy match up to say the least.
Lindsay Davenport won her 55th career singles title and fourth since giving birth to her son last summer. Way to go mommy.
Good job ladies, I look forward to seeing more of you on tour. Send me some pictures!
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