Black Tennis Pros

The U.S. Fed Cup team was swept 3-0 in live play in the semifinals this past April, but the USTA is hoping the loss, and a new-look line-up, will kick-start a new generation of U.S. women players.

When the Williams sisters took a pass on the tie and Lindsay Davenport was still recovering from an illness, captain Zina Garrison and coach-and-future-captain Mary Joe Fernandez decided to go with the rookie singles squad of Vania King and Florida's Ahsha Rolle, both ranked outside the Top 100. The deep Russian squad, led by former US Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova (Maria Sharapova was not called to duty), moved fairly easily into the final, but not before some bright spots for the U.S.

King, with a 1-2 career win-loss record in Fed Cup for the U.S. entering the tie, stretched Anna Chakvetadze in 6-4, 7-5 loss, then gave Vera Zvonareva a scare before succumbing 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Rolle lost 6-2, 6-1 to Kuznetsova in her Davis Cup debut, but then in the "dead rubber" fourth singles match defeated Elena Vesnina in straight sets.

Rolle, a 23-year-old Miami Shores resident, employs an exciting all-court game, which can take longer to mature than the typical baseline basher.

"I think it's 'cause I have so many things in my game, like I have a one-handed backhand, I can slice, I can come to the net," Rolle says. "There's so many things that I have that I can do on each ball, whereas the girls that are young are pretty much just big hitters, they know what they want to do with each ball. I think it's taken me longer to develop my different shots and just how I want to play each point."

Rolle also has a Howitzer of a serve which benefits her on any surface, as it did during her win on the red clay in Russia.

"Ahsha served unbelievably well and I think it was amazing that she was able to keep her serve on that level for the whole match," Garrison said. "That kind of serving is a high level for anyone and is Grand Slam material."

Last year Rolle compiled her best season since turning pro in 2004. She qualified into the main draw at the Australian Open, and beat countrywoman Meghann Shaughnessy en route to the third round at Indian Wells. She then caught fire toward the end of the year with a runner-up effort at the Bronx Challenger, and defeated Tatiana Golovin en route to the third round at the US Open.

At the end of 2007 she was working toward putting an ankle injury and also some anger issues on court behind her.

"I was working with a sports psychologist for a while because I was just getting angry, then I'd lose," Rolle said at last year's US Open. "So it wasn't good. But I think I'm starting to control my emotions a little bit better. But I'm an emotional person, especially on the court. I'm competitive. So when I lose a point, then you're probably going to know I lost a point. But I'm trying to hold it together a little bit better."

She has held it together thus far in 2008, approaching the Top 100 once again (after reaching a career-high No. 82 last year), and substantiating the hundreds of thousands of dollars her parents have put behind her and her younger sister, Tiya, even tapping into their retirement fund.

For now it looks like the USTA has committed to Rolle, King, and the next generation of U.S. players for Fed Cup. It's a formula that was successful when the USTA first employed it in 2001, when new Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe took a chance with rookies Andy Roddick and James Blake. Six years later the same crew, along with the Bryan brothers, brought home the Davis Cup and have been readily on-call for the international competition ever since � a fact not lost on Garrison and Fernandez, who could not get either Venus or Serena Williams to play in 2008.

"Mary Joe Fernandez and I talked about it and we decided to take this direction since she is coming in next year as Fed Cup captain," Garrison said. "I wanted to make sure that Mary Joe had input, as they are players she will be working with next year."

This article appears in the June issue of Play Tennis Florida magazine, Official Magazine of USTA Florida, www.PlayTennisFlorida.com

American Venus Williams visits the Bloomingdale's Atrium at the King of Prussia Mall for a press conference prior to playing World Team Tennis.


Venus stretches during warmup prior to playing doubles with the Philadelphia Freedoms against the Delaware Smash in a World Team Tennis Match on July 9, 2008 in King Of Prussia, Pennsylvania

"I have fun and I like being on a team. It gets the young kids out here playing, making tennis fun. [The atmosphere] is less restrictive. You can cheer and the other innovative things [are positives], especially when we're competing with other sports.

"I want to win, no matter what I compete at. I also want people to be entertained."

Last night, Venus won in women's doubles (with Lisa Raymond), mixed doubles (with Travis Parrott) and singles matches as the Freedoms defeated the Smash, 25-15.

Venus and Philadelphia Freedom teammates.

Serena Williams talks with a fan then warms up prior to her debut as a member of the Washington Kastles of World Team Tennis in Kastles Stadium at the City Center DC on July 8, 2008 in Washington, D.C. where they lost to the Boston Lobsters.

The Wednesday Coaches Corner will no longer appear weekly. Suffice it to say that I was a bit ambitious thinking that I could schedule and conduct the interviews necessary to produce these pieces weekly in addition to all else that is on my plate - NOT.

I really like the Coaches Corner and want the articles that I produce for it to maintain a high quality. To do this, the Coaches Corner will now appear only on the first Wednesday of each month.

Venus Williams could be reveling in the fact that she just won her fifth Wimbledon title - and seventh Grand Slam championship.

But tonight, her focus is on future tennis stars in Delaware who are inspired by her achievements.

Just being able to watch Venus Williams play is a treat for many of the local kids gathered here.

But to have some one-on-one time with the newly-crowned Wimbledon champ is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"I'm just happy to be here, to be able to hit with her. It's really exciting," said 17-year old Serena Walker.

The kids were part of a youth tennis clinic at the duPont Country Club led by Venus Williams.

SINGLES

Round 1

Josselin Ouanna, FRA defeated by Marin Cilic, CRO
3-6, 4-6


SINGLES

Round 1

Donald Young, USA defeated Woong-Sun Jun, KOR
6-3, 2-6, 6-4


INJURY

Gael Monfils, FRA - Ankle


SINGLES*

Round 1

Milagros Sequera, VEN vs. Qualifier/Lucky Loser


DOUBLES

Round 1

Milagros Sequera, VEN and Stephanie DuBois, CAN
vs.
Lena Litvak, USA and Alexis Prousis, USA


*Eliminated during Ladies Singles qualifying rounds:

Tiya Rolle
Asia Muhammad


SINGLES

Round 1

Marcus Fugate, USA vs. Kirill Sinitsyn, CAN


DOUBLES

Round 1

Marcus Fugate, USA and Tigran Martirosyan, ARM
vs.
Roy Kalmanavich, USA and Benjamin Rogers, USA

Don't you just love them?

The American doubles team of sisters Venus and Serena Williams returned to Wimbledon’s Centre Court to win the women’s doubles title on Saturday night.

Hours after Venus beat Serena in straight sets in the third all-Williams singles final at the All England Club, the sisters teamed up to beat fellow American Lisa Raymond and Australia’s Samantha Stosur 6-2 6-2.

The Williams sisters broke twice in each set to complete a double they last achieved in 2002, when Serena clinched the singles crown.