Black Tennis Pros

1. 40 years, 40 champions: It is the 40th Anniversary of the Open Era.

2. Thirty-nine former US Open champions will be at Opening Night.

3. Watching some of the best tennis in the world!

4. Going Green: Help the USTA protect the environment.

5. A potential Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal battle for the crown.

6. Another potential Venus Williams-Serena Williams showdown.

7. More Instant Replay: Players now get three challenges instead of two per set.

8. Fourteen-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras and eight-time U.S. championships winner Molla B. Mallory will be inducted into the Court of Champions.

9. More ways to snag tickets with the official ticket exchange on TicketsNow.

10. Record prize money

11. Flavored mojitos at the Mojito Restaurant and Bar

12. Relaxing next to the fountain in front of Arthur Ashe Stadium

13. The Fashion! What are all the players wearing this year?

14. Have a facial consultation and meet two-time US Open champion Tracy Austin at the Juvederm booth.

15. Grabbing a Heineken at the Red Star Café

16. Watching some of your favorite players up close while they hit on the practice courts.

17. Seeing some of your favorite celebrities in the stands.

18. Shopping at the Polo Ralph Lauren and Lacoste stores.

19. Wondering from match to match on the outer courts.

20. Buying the latest 2008 US Open gear.

21. Catch one of three autographed balls hit into the stands after each match on the show courts.

22. The great selections in the food court.

23. The ‘7’ train drops you off right in front of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

24. Live entertainment around the grounds.

25. Jumbo television screens outside the stadiums showing all the action inside.

The 2008 US Open will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the founding of tennis’ Open Era. The US Open’s Opening Night on August 25 will launch the celebration with an on-court ceremony highlighting the 40 US Open singles champions in the 40 years since 1968. Throughout the tournament, the US Open will feature additional celebrations and special tributes to past champions. To mark this historic anniversary, the USTA has also produced a commemorative coffee table book, collectible coins, a vintage clothing line, and a dedicated 40^th Anniversary website.

The US Open and the city of New York share a special relationship that dates back to 1915, when the West Side Tennis Club first hosted the men’s singles U.S. National Championships, a precursor to the modern-day US Open. Until 1968, the U.S. National Championships was strictly limited to amateurs but forty years ago, the tournament became “open” to both professionals and amateurs and the name changed from the U.S. Championships to the US Open.

The size and scope of the US Open continues to expand and develop each year. A total of $100,000 was offered by the USTA to the field of 96 men and 64 women who entered the men’s and women’s singles and doubles events at the 1968 US Open. In 1973, the US Open became the first Grand Slam to offer equal prize money to men and women. Today, US Open prize money exceeds $20 million and features more than 600 men and women, including qualifying.

“The 2008 US Open will pay tribute to one of the most significant milestones in the history of tennis -- the birth of the Open Era,” said Jane Brown Grimes, President and Chairman of the Board, USTA. “By allowing both professionals and amateurs to compete together, the Open Era transformed the sport, creating a platform to elevate the sport’s popularity and grow the game on every level.”

“We will be launching a two-week celebration of this historic occasion with what is sure to be an unforgettable Opening Night,” said Arlen Kantarian, Chief Executive Officer, Pro Tennis, USTA. “The 40th anniversary gives us the opportunity to honor the tournament’s rich history and the game’s greatest champions -- past and present -- all of whom have played a substantial role in making the US Open one of the world’s most celebrated sporting events.”

Special Celebrations and Programs

· An Opening Night ceremony honoring the Open Era’s 40 US Open champions.

· Vignettes highlighting the Open Era’s 40 US Open champions will be displayed on the video boards on the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

· A micro-site on USOpen.org will serve as a retrospective of the US Open and Open Era champions featuring a historical overview of the event and exclusive photo and video highlights of the US Open’s most memorable moments.

· The Open Book: Celebrating 40 Years of America’s Grand Slam -- a hardcover, coffee table book published by Triumph Books -- will be sold in bookstores and major retail outlets.

· The US Open program and US Open draw sheets will include special 40^th Anniversary features and historic tributes.

· A vintage clothing line -- part of the US Open Collection -- captures the spirit of the 40th Anniversary.

· Limited edition silver commemorative coins minted by The Highland Mint and featuring the 40th Anniversary US Open logo will be sold on-site.

US Open Historical Highlights from the Open Era

· Arthur Ashe became the first African-American male to win a Grand Slam in 1968; in 1997, the USTA opened Arthur Ashe Stadium in his honor.

· Billie Jean King needed just 13 games to win the first-ever US Open stadium-court match in 1968; the National Tennis Center was renamed in her honor in 2006.

· Three individual players have completed the Grand Slam at the US Open during the Open Era -- Rod Laver in 1969, Margaret Court in 1970 and Steffi Graf in 1988.

· Jimmy Connors is the only player to win the US Open singles championship on three different surfaces -- on grass in 1974, on clay in 1976 and on hard court in 1978.

· The men’s and women’s champions at the 1973 US Open each received equal prize money for the first time in Grand Slam history.

· Night tennis was instituted at the US Open in 1975 -- the first Grand Slam to feature night tennis.

· The US Open moved from Forest Hills to its current home, the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, in 1978.

· Chris Evert captured her sixth US Open title in 1982, the most of any man or woman during the Open Era.

· The first Grand Slam prime-time women’s singles final was played in 2001 -- Venus Williams’ defeat of sister Serena was viewed by an estimated 22.7 million viewers.

· The Olympus US Open Series was introduced in 2004, creating a summer tennis season that culminates with the US Open and offers bonus prize money to its participants.

· Instant replay with a player challenge system made its Grand Slam debut at the 2006 US Open. 32% of the challenged calls are reversed.

· US Open attendance topped 700,000 for the first time (715,587), at the 2007 US Open. Total attendance at the US Open has increased by more than 150,000 since the opening of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

40 Champions in 40 Years

Below are the US Open champions in alphabetical order with their Open Era championship year(s):

I'm a few days late with this, but I had to express my joy in seeing the Williams sisters win gold again. Venus and Serena are so incredibly accomplished and it is a pleasure to continue to watch them grow and achieve.


While I definitely wanted to see at least one of the ladies take individual gold, seeing them on the podium during the award ceremony with the other doubles winners resolved my previous disappointment.

The utmost pleasure that I get from supporting and watching the Williams sisters comes not from their power, amassing of grand slam titles over the years or even Olympic gold, but from their connection as sisters. I have an older sister who is just my bestest and mostest (sisterly english) in this world. We don't have Olympic gold between us, but everything else in spirit and love is there. I understand and believe them when they say that winning the gold medal with one another is better than anything else. It is simply one more eternal bond they will share.

I've read a number of articles and heard a couple of commentators speak to the Williams sister's "failure" at the Olympics. We're all entitled to our individual perspectives of the outcome of the games. However, if this is "failure," I'll take a truck load.

Here are some of the beautiful photos from the awards ceremony:

Hello everyone, I hope that all is well. I thought that I would be able to do some posting while traveling, but that has not been the case. I've been running around like Flo Jo, but it's all good.

Things should slow down on Wednesday and give me the opportunity to catch up on happenings in the world of Black Tennis Pro's.

Take Care!

Making some trades (pins) with Venus.

Venus, Mike and Serena ham it up.

Team spirit.

Getting ready for 10:30 a.m. match.

Former President George H.W. Bush comes out to support U.S.A. tennis.

Serena and Bob make a trip to the famous Beijing silk market.

Serena, the master negotiator.

A silk spinner.

© Bob's iPhone

BEIJING (AP) — James Blake could shrug off the three match points he failed to convert, and even the misfire on an easy forehand that would have given him a berth in the Olympic final.

What stuck in his craw was the notion his opponent didn't play fair.

Blake came up one shot short Friday, losing in the semifinal to Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 4-6, 7-5, 11-9. Afterward he accused Gonzalez of failing to fess up on a disputed point two games before the finish.

"I've spoken all week about how much I've enjoyed the Olympic experience, how much I love the spirit of it," Blake said. "That's a disappointing way to exit the tournament, when you not only lose the match, but you lose a little faith in your fellow competitor."

Actually, the No. 8-seeded Blake remains in the tournament. A first-time Olympian at 28, he'll play for a bronze Saturday as the last hope for a U.S. medal in men's or women's singles.

Gonzalez, seeded 12th, will play in Sunday's final against Rafael Nadal, who clinched his first Olympic medal by beating Novak Djokovic 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.

Venus and Serena Williams won twice to reach the semifinals in doubles, but the U.S. team lost its other matches. Top-seeded Mike and Bob Bryan were beaten in the semifinals by Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka, 7-6 (6), 6-4. The Swiss team clinched at least a silver — the first medal for Federer in the three Olympics he has played.

Americans Lindsay Davenport and Liezel Huber were eliminated in the doubles quarterfinals.

The incident that upset Blake occurred with Gonzalez serving at 8-9 in the final set. On the first point, Blake hit a backhand passing shot long but contended the ball ticked Gonzalez's racket before landing, as TV replays confirmed.

Blake appealed in vain to the chair umpire, and said Gonzalez should have conceded the point. Blake went on to lose the game to make it 9-all.

"Playing in the Olympics, in what's supposed to be considered a gentleman's sport, that's a time to call it on yourself," Blake said. "Fernando looked me square in the eye and didn't call it."

Gonzalez said he was uncertain whether the ball hit his racket.

"I didn't feel anything," Gonzalez said. "I mean, it's just one point. There is an umpire. If I'm 100 percent sure about it, I mean, I will give it. But I'm not sure."

Blake described Gonzalez as a great player who does everything in his power to win, "usually" within the rules.

"Whatever he wants to say is fine," Blake said. "Whatever is going to get him to have some sleep tonight, then that's fine."

New No. 1 Jelena Jankovic lost in the women's quarterfinals to No. 6 Dinara Safina of Russia, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3. Safina won her 14th match in a row and will play Li Na of China in the semifinals Saturday.

The other women's semifinal will be an all-Russian matchup between No. 5 Elena Dementieva and No. 9 Vera Zvonareva.

Nadal came to Beijing assured of earning the No. 1 ranking for the first time next week, ending Federer's 4 1/2-year reign. Now the Spaniard is one win from adding an Olympic title to the French Open and Wimbledon championships he has already claimed this year.

It was after midnight when Nadal closed out his latest victory in dramatic fashion. On match point he scrambled to retrieve two overhead slams by Djokovic. When the flustered Serb shanked a third overhead, Nadal collapsed to the hard court in jubilation.

"When I arrived here, I didn't expect for sure to be in this final. I arrived very tired," Nadal said. "But when the week is coming, I felt better and better. I'm very happy to have this experience in my life."

Federer, eliminated in singles Thursday by Blake, kept alive his bid for a medal by winning a rain-interrupted match with Wawrinka over Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes of India 6-2, 6-4. Six hours later the Swiss team defeated the Bryan brothers.

"Having beaten the best in the world and going for gold, it's an incredible scenario," Federer said. "This is a big moment in my career."

The Williams sisters, both eliminated in singles Thursday, completed a suspended second-round doubles match and beat Ayumi Morita and Ai Sugiyama of Japan, 7-5, 6-2. The Williamses then defeated Zvonareva and Elena Vesnina 6-4, 6-0.

Davenport and Huber lost to Anabel Medina Garriguez and Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain 5-7, 7-6 (6), 8-6.

Blake and Gonzalez played the first match on center court, and there was tension between them as early as the second set, when Gonzalez slammed an easy forehand at his opponent's head from point-blank range.

Blake glared at Gonzalez, who apologized. Afterward Blake said he was upset only in the "heat of the moment."

As for the later point of dispute, the match wouldn't have reached that stage had Blake converted one of his three match points after Gonzalez fell behind 5-6, love-40 serving in the final set.

At 10-9 it was Gonzalez who struggled to convert match points, but on the fifth one he smacked a service winner for the victory.

"It was really one or two points, and who played those one or two points better," Blake said. "Today he did at the end."

After beating Federer, Blake showed no sign of an upset hangover. He served well, winning 15 consecutive service points at one stretch, and repeatedly negated the big-swinging Chilean's forehand by pinning him deep in baseline rallies.

Blake even pulled off a nifty trick shot, retreating to retrieve a lob and hitting a back-to-the-net, between-the-legs forehand. Gonzalez was so startled he dumped an easy forehand into the net.

Three times in the second set, Blake was two points from victory. But the best opportunity came in the third set, when he went for a winner on his first match point and sailed a forehand long.

Gonzalez then hit four winners in a row to hold for 6-all, and eight games later he was thrusting his arms to sky after clinching a medal.

I traveled ALL day yesterday and don't know what the heck is going on in the world of tennis, so I'll play catch up today and try to get up to date this evening.

Right now I'm watching the match between American James Blake and Switzerland's Roger Federer. Blake is holding his own and looking good.

Everyone have a great day!