Black Tennis Pros

Quarterfinal

USA vs. France
April 11-13, 2008

Title number five came at the expense of one shattered racquet, and the elongated conversion of I don't know how many match points, but it was great to watch. Seeing American Serena Williams fight to the finish is always a win in and of itself.

At the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami on Saturday afternoon, Serena defended her title against Serbian Jelena Jankovic, defeating her 6-1, 5-7, 6-3. Earning the 30th title of her career, Serena became one of an elite party of two to hold this title for a whopping five times. She joins the great Steffi Graf in that honor.

The match was a wicked roller coaster ride. Serena came out in the first set and it was strictly business. She very thoughtfully, professionally and clinically kicked ass, it was a sight to see. From her serve, to her return of serve, to the rallies, nothing was missing or off, it was rich.

"I was definitely up and on my way to glory within an hour, but I started making a lot of mistakes, and Jelena obviously started playing better, too," Williams said. "Players who have nothing to lose are the most dangerous people in life on the court."

Second set, the first set in reverse, the fantastic one deconstructed and allowed Jelena back into the match. It was like you were watching a tennis video of 'how to,' and 'how not to' play a final at the same time. Serena's entire game and cool seemed to unravel and major frustration began to build.

Third set, the comeback. Serena began collecting herself, all of her tennis talents and began to bring the title home. She soared to 5-0 and then, and then, brain cramp! Once again, Jelena was back into the match. After several unsuccessful attempts to serve for the match, even Serena's racquet turned on her. She wasn't having that though, she killed it.



Now that the bad racquet was dead, Serena was able to compose herself and try to close this thing out again.

When asked about the murdered racquet post match, Serena said, “I smashed a racket? My hand must have been really oily and sweaty. That's just not me.”

“I thought I had like 15 match points. I'm glad to know it wasn't,” Williams said. “I got tight. I guess you can classify that as nervous. ... It's me just feeling like, 'I'm almost there. I would hate to lose this match after being up so much.'”

It was a fight to the finish today when American Serena Williams and Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova battled it out on the tennis court in Miami at the Sony Ericsson Open. In the end Kuznetsova got knocked out 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Serena has been back on the money with regard to her fitness and preparation. She's playing this tournament with the prowess that originally took her to the top.

"I don't feel tired or sore or anything," Williams said 90 minutes after the match. "I feel like I'm really fit. I've been working really hard."

There were some portions of the match though that just were not pretty, and Serena's game was error filled, but she got the job done regardless.

For a brief moment she slowed to where it appeared that she was about to be overtaken by Kuznetsova. Serena took an injury timeout during which she received treatment from the trainer for what was later described as a back injury.

"Once she came out it got better, like straightaway, and it got even better after that."

A win in the final would be a fifth title at this event for Serena. "I haven't won anything five times, except I win all the time in Uno, I don't think that counts."

"I love playing here, all my friends come out. I promised tickets for Saturday, so I was like, `I can't lose. I've got to stay in there a little bit longer.' It was mainly my motivation."

In the words that one of the fans yelled from the stands, "Serena, this is your house"

Where James Blake left off this afternoon, fellow American and Florida resident Serena Williams picked up in the women's game and kept the punishment rolling.

The Sony Ericsson Open is feeling all kinds of heat today. Serena Williams was all about her game and took it to Belgium Justine Henin with no holds barred. In little more than an hour and twenty minutes Serena defeated Henin 6-2, 6-0. Yeowches!

Serena was very businesslike and strategic throughout the entire match showing very little emotion or concern for anything other than the next play. If Henin had a game plan, it didn't work.

"It wasn't easy, it was just the fact of me making the right shots at the right time."

"I wish this was a Grand Slam," Serena said with a laugh. "I'm going to try do this at a Grand Slam, and not only at this tournament."

During her post-match news conference, an exchange regarding Serena's fitness left the room in laughter.

Reporter: "So many people here at the tournament have been buzzing about just how good you look physically on the court. You've not looked this good since... Can you finish that sentence?"

Williams: "Since 1982."

Reporter: "Serious question."

Williams: "That was a serious answer."

Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic had two choices today, to either hit the ball or to get out of it's way because his opponent, American James Blake, was in the zone and firing winners across the net very impressively.

Just a short while ago at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, Blake defeated Stepanek 6-3, 6-4 in roughly an hour and twenty minutes.

Blake was strictly business this afternoon. In his very aggressive quest to win today's match, Blake whizzed 24 winners by Stepanek and won 25 of 35 first serve points. It was truly a ball striking performance to be envied.

Stepanek may have had a game plan in mind, but ended up trying his best just to return the ball. He wasn't without a few glimpses at potentially slowing Blake down, he managed to break his serve twice. Unfortunately it was just a blip on Blake's way to taking both sets.

Blake now awaits the winner of the Rafael Nadal and Paul Henri Mathieu match.

Round 3 - Women's Singles

Serena Williams, USA
defeated Flavia Penetta, ITA 7-6(6), 6-3, 6-2









Venus Williams, USA
defeated Marina Erakovic, NZL 6-2, 6-1









Round 3 - Men's Singles

James Blake, USA
defeated
Fabrice Santoro, FRA 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-4










Round 3 - Men's Doubles

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA and Richard Gasquet, FRA
defeated
Jurgen Melzer, AUT and Andy Roddick, USA
3-6, 6-3, 10-8

Who would have thought that ATP Tour players Americans James Blake and Sam Querrey could hit home runs with the same ease they serve an ace?

On Saturday, during a detour from the Sony Ericsson Open, Blake and Querrey suited up in Marlins' uniforms and the question was answered.

Blake hit two home runs out to left field, while Querrey connected on two of his own.

These guys are working it on and off the court.

No, it wasn't your classic Federer trouncing of his opponent, but it was Federer doing what he needed to do to win, and pulling it off.

World no. 1 Roger Federer looking a bit more sharp than in his previous matches as of late, defeated Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-4 last night at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami.

There wasn't a whole lot of difference between the two men in the match. Neither was able to completely play their own game. The edge that Federer brought was his ability to play the big points well. He refused Monfils seven break point opportunities by raising his level of play in each instance.

"I tried to play in an aggressive way," said Federer post match."

"I couldn't really chip and charge the way I wanted to do because he's improved his second serve. I played well on the big points."