Black Tennis Pros

Based upon American Donald Young's recent tournament history, it was my expectation that fellow American James Blake was going to come out and blow this kid off the court. By the time the first set was over and Blake had beaten Young 6-1, I knew that this match would be wrapping up quick fast and in a hurry. By no stretch of the imagination did I figure this would be a five setter. Talk about being wrong.

Over the course of five sets both Blake and Young gave one another as good as they got. One minute Blake was up and taking it to the Young one, then after a commercial break Young would be playing as if his life depended on it. After the third set you could tell that Olympic fatigue was creeping up on Blake. As with most champions though, he dug deep and found the strength somewhere.

When it was all said and done, the elder Blake sent the Young one packing to the tune of 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.

Earlier in the day, the very muscular Frenchman Gael Monfils advanced to the second round after defeating Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay 6-4, 6-4, 6-1.

I purposely left the photos of the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Earth, Wind and Fire out of the first set of U.S. Open Opening Ceremony photos because they are always in a class by themselves.

If you have a musical bone in your body I know that you were rocking, dancing, tapping or something when they dedicated "Shining Star" to all of the champions last night. I know that I was! Earth, Wind and Fire has always brought the house down whenever and wherever they were playing, and they did no less last night. The only thing missing was Maurice White doing that lil' dance he used to do. I am so glad to see them around, still in good musical form, still relevant and appearing at events like this.

I halfway expected Phillip Bailey to hit one of those sound-barrier-breaking notes of his and clear the stadium. He didn't do that, but he did deliver a beautiful rendition of "God Bless America."

“On behalf of the city of New York, welcome to the one and only U.S. Open,” said Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg.

This year’s Open celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the tournament and the first tournament of the Open Era. From 1881 until 1968, the U.S. National Championship was limited to amateurs. In 1968 the modern era of tennis was born when the US Open replaced the U.S. National Championship and opened its doors to all who qualified to compete.

Since 1968, Bloomberg said that the US Open is “the best attended annual sporting event in the world.”

The host of the evening's festivities was Oscar winning actor Forrest Whitaker, who spoke about the history of the tournament and the tumultuous year of 1968.

In 1968, the U.S. became even more embroiled in the Vietnam War, protests and social unrest erupted throughout the country, Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed, and the highly politicized summer Olympic games took place in Mexico City. And in 1968 Arthur Ashe became the first ever men’s champion and the first ever African American Champion of the U.S. Open, which was held at West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York, for the first time, becoming one of the only bright spots during a difficult year for the country.

In honor of that special moment in tennis history, Whitaker introduced a procession of 25 past champions of the tournament including Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe and her daughter Camera Ashe as well as Virginia Wade, the first women’s singles US Open champion.

Widow and daughter of Arthur Ashe, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe and Camera Ashe

Venus Williams

Serena Williams

Billie Jean King

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg

Forest Whitaker

Martina Navratilova, Gabriela Sabatini, John McEnroe

Boris Becker

Gabriela Sabatini

Monica Seles

Marat Safin

Roger Federer

Forest and Keisha Whitaker

Oscar de la Renta

Martha Stewart

Anna Wintour, Editor of Vogue

Awwww man!

American Ahsha Rolle was defeated in round one of the U.S. Open by Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark to the tune of 2-6, 1-6. Sheeeesh.

The match was not televised, but the stats say it all. Ahsha had seven double faults and 36 unforced errors in an hour match. She had one attempt at a break point but could not convert.

I'm actually glad that I didn't see this match, it was obviously very ugly. Now we know that this young woman has the goods, why can't she turn them into something useful on the court?

I'll keep watching, supporting and hoping that at some point she will be able to deliver on those skills.

I must say that I am truly sorry not to see American Asia Muhammad progress in singles at the U.S. Open. Earlier today Asia became one of the first round casualties, falling to Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai 2-6, 4-6. It wasn't a total beat down, so I take solace in the fact that she put forth an effort. Asia is playing doubles, perhaps she can make a few inroads there.

I became very fond of watching her play at the end of 2007 and was hoping that she could parlay her upswing into something major this year. Fortunately Asia is very young and has plenty of time to improve her game.

Keep your head up Asia!

Asia Muhammad will be sporting a big of bling at the U.S. Open this year.

Las Vegas tennis sensation Asia Muhammad is making her professional debut this week at the U.S. Open as a wild card. She is a product of Andre Agassi's Las Vegas Academy and has been consistently ranked in the top 10 throughout her junior career.

But it is a famous Las Vegas jeweler that is making this debut extra special, as he adorned Asia's signature pink racquet with grand Diamond initials before her father took it to New York to present it to his daughter before she plays in the tennis tournament of her life and begin her professional career.

"I've known and watched Asia develop for several years now," said Michael E. Minden, owner of Michael E. Minden Diamond Jewelers in Las Vegas. "We are all so proud that she is representing Vegas and wanted to mark this very special occasion with something that has never been done before; so, as a special gift, we custom fitted her racquet with 1.00ctw of VS quality pave set Diamonds in 2 letter A's above her grip."

"This is the first time I've actually put Diamonds on a piece of athletic equipment," notes Minden. "However, we came up with a special process to affix it to the racquet, with a special technology to transfer the letters to a new racquet, when Asia wears out the first one. The same Diamonds can be added to a golf club, and makes a very exclusive gift for any exceptional athlete in most any sport."

This promotion is too cute! Have you seen the commercial with the American tennis superstar sisters Venus and Serena Williams in a press conference across from American football superstar brothers Peyton and Eli Manning? It is hilarious! I love when Peyton and Eli say "it's on, like Donkey Kong..." and "stop copying us!"

If you have not seen the commercial and some hilarious outtakes, check it out:



This is one of the best sport and product promotions I've ever seen. In this promotion, The sisters join famous quarterback brothers Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, the league's first "two sport" athletes, who launched the DSRL earlier this year. The DSRL puts a new spin on the classic Oreo and milk ritual by bringing friends and families together to "lick race" - a friendly competition where racers see who can twist, lick and dunk a single Oreo Double Stuf cookie and drink a glass of milk the fastest.


"Oreo cookies and milk were a tradition in our house growing up, and my sister and I fondly remember twisting, licking and dunking them together," said Venus. "It was only natural to continue that tradition as adults, which is why we jumped at the chance to be a part of the DSRL."

MEN'S SINGLES*

Round 1

James Blake, USA vs. Donald Young, USA

Gael Monfils, FRA vs. Pablo Cuevas, URU

Scoville Jenkins vs. Jarkko Nieminen, FIN

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA vs. Santiago Ventura, ESP
Welcome back Tsonga!


MEN'S DOUBLES

Round 1

Donald Young, USA and Jesse Levine, USA
vs.
Robert Lindstedt, SWE and Jarkko Nieminen, FIN

Jeff Coetzee, RSA and Rosier Wassen, NED
vs.
Maximo Gonzalez, ARG and Juan Monaco, ARG


*Eliminated during Men's Qualifying Singles:

Josselin Ouanna, FRA
Nicholas Monroe, USA


WOMEN'S SINGLES*

Round 1

Serena Williams, USA vs. Kateryna Bondarenko, UKR

Jamea Jackson, USA vs. Alona Bondarenko, UKR

Venus Williams, USA vs. Samantha Stosur, AUS

Asia Muhammad, USA vs. Aravane Rezai, FRA

Ahsha Rolle, USA vs. Caroline Wozniacki, DEN

Shenay Perry, USA vs. Jie Zheng, CHN


WOMEN'S DOUBLES

Round 1

Shenay Perry, USA and Christina Fusano, USA
vs.
Lucie Hradecka, CZE and Renata Voracova, CZE

Angela Haynes, USA and Ahsha Rolle, USA
vs.
Liga Dekmeijere, LAT and Tsvetana Pironkova, BUL

Raquel Kops-Jones, USA and Abigail Spears, USA
vs.
Yung-Jan Chan, TPE and Chia-Jung Chuang, TPE

Stephanie Foretz, FRA and Camile Pin, FRA
vs.
Eva Hrdinova, CZE and Vladimira Uhlirova, CZE

Asia Muhammad, USA and Melanie Oudin, USA
vs.
Sorana Cirstea, ROU and Monica Niculescu, ROU


*Eliminated during Women's Qualifying Singles:

Raquel Kops-Jones, USA
Sloane Stephens, USA
Stephanie Foretz, FRA
Alexandra Stevenson, USA
Angela Haynes, USA