American Venus Williams and Oscar winning actress and singer Jennifer Hudson attend Andre Leon Talley's toast honoring Jennifer Hudson for her upcoming debut album on September 9, 2008 at Morgans Hotel Penthouse in New York City. 
Serena poses backstage at the Vivienne Tam Spring 2009 Fashion Show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at The Promenade, Bryant Park on Wednesday September 9, in New York City.
Serena in the crowd at the Vivienne Tam Spring 2009 after-party.
MADRID, Spain (AP) — James Blake was left off the defending champion U.S. Davis Cup team because of exhaustion and replaced by Sam Querrey on Tuesday.
Querrey was chosen ahead of Blake for the best-of-five series against Spain on outdoor clay Sept. 19-21 in Madrid.
Andy Roddick and doubles specialists Bob and Mike Bryan round out the U.S. team selected by captain Patrick McEnroe.
"James is just exhausted physically and mentally after a grueling summer," McEnroe said. "He said he needed a break and we respect that. This is also a great opportunity for Sam, who has had a solid year, strong results on clay and has been a loyal practice partner for this team."
Last year, Blake teamed with Roddick and the Bryans to lead the Americans their record 32nd Davis Cup title.
Spain captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario selected top-ranked Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez.
Querrey was listed on the official nomination released by the International Tennis Federation, but it noted it was still awaiting confirmation on his eligibility. Querrey, ranked No. 40, has never played in the Davis Cup.
Last week, McEnroe said Blake would be on the team with Roddick and the Bryan brothers for a record 11th straight time.
Nicolas Almagro was listed as a reserve for Spain, while 16th-ranked Tommy Robredo was left off the team.
Nadal, who lost to Andy Murray in the semifinals of the U.S. Open on Sunday, may get a few days rest before joining the team.
"He lost a match, but the tiredness and stress are within the usual limits," Sanchez Vicario said of Nadal, who may not attend practice Saturday. "He is very enthusiastic about this tie."
Argentina will host Russia on outdoor clay in Buenos Aires in the other semifinal series.
Sixth-ranked Nikolay Davydenko of Russia will play alongside Igor Andreev, Dmitry Tursunov and Igor Kunitsyn. Marat Safin was again passed over.
Argentina will counter with David Nalbandian, Juan Martin Del Potro, Agustin Calleri and Guillermo Canas.
In the World Group playoffs, U.S. Open champion Roger Federer will lead Switzerland, and Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic will guide Serbia.
Federer rebounded from losses in the French Open and Wimbledon finals to win his 13th Grand Slam title on Monday at the U.S. Open — one shy of Pete Sampras' all-time record.
Federer will play against visiting Belgium on indoor hardcourts in Lausanne, and Murray will help Britain against Austria on the grass at Wimbledon.
Murray will team with brother Jamie Murray, Alex Bogdanovic and Ross Hutchins against Austria's Jurgen Melzer, Alexander Peya, Martin Fischer and Julian Knowle.
Djokovic, who lost to Federer in the U.S. Open semifinals, will team with Janko Tipsarevic, Viktor Troicki and Nenad Zimonjic on outdoor hardcourts against Slovakia.
The Davis Cup final will be played Nov. 21-23.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ayona Anderson
The Axis Agency
469-396-2638
DONALD YOUNG GIVES BACK TO THE ATLANTA TENNIS COMMUNITY
WITH FUNDRAISER AND MOVIE SCREENING
ATLANTA -- September 8, 2008 -- Donald Young, a 19-year-old rising African-American tennis player, gives back to Atlanta tennis community fresh off an exciting stretch at the U.S. Open. The Sunset Showtime is a charitable event with a special fundraiser, movie screening and tennis exhibition held on September 10, 2008, in the Georgia Tech Tennis Center. This first-time screening of "Unstrung", the ESPN-produced and critically acclaimed documentary, features Donald Young and highlights the unique and exciting U.S. Hardcourts Championship.
"I’m really excited about the "Unstrung" movie. I have gained lots of valuable experience from playing with some of the best players in the sport and I'm glad to share that in this movie," said Young. "My parents and I started Tennis in Motion to try and help kids find strength and power through tennis. We hope to give back to aspiring kids in the Atlanta community and nationwide."
A resident of Atlanta, Young is currently ranked No. 102 in the world and John Isner, the 2007 NCAA Singles finalist and former University of Georgia All-American will play a pro set exhibition at the event. The event tickets are $100 and benefiting the Atlanta Youth Tennis Foundation and the Tennis in Motion Academy. Tennis in Motion Academy was started by the Young family to help aspiring kids have meaningful experience with tennis as taught by the entire Young family: father, mother and son.
Most recently, Young competed in the U.S. Open for the third consecutive year. He enjoyed an epic battle with fellow American James Blake, the ATP #1 player from the U.S., forcing him to five sets before falling in the first round of the U.S. Open on Monday, Aug. 25. This transcending match was especially moving with two of sports rising African-American tennis players' playing together for the first time in the legendary Arthur Ashe tennis stadium.
For more information on this event and ticket purchases, please call 239-593-3900.
Donald Young
Donald Young started playing professional tennis in 2004 and a year later was the youngest year-end world number tennis player on in the ITF junior rankings. He is now a 19-year-old rising African-American tennis player and the youngest player in the ATP Top 100. His major career achievements include: winner of the Junior Australian Open in 2005, Junior Wimbledon in 2007, two-time winner of the USTA Junior Boys Hardcourt Championships in Kalamazoo (2005 and 2006), winner of the ATP Challenger event in Aptos, California (2007), and an ITF Futures event in Little Rock, Arkansas (2007). Donald Young, Jr. was born July 23, 1989 to Donald Sr. and Illona Young in the South Side of Chicago. He now resides in Atlanta with his family where they have started a tennis academy, Tennis in Motion, to teach children the values in playing tennis. He also gives back to the community by participating in tennis clinics like, USTA, Pilot Pen and First Serve, which uses tennis to empower youth with positive values and experiences. He is managed by Octagon, a worldwide sports management and marketing company. For more information on Donald Young visit www.octagon.com.
About The Axis Agency
Axis is a leading multicultural marketing agency with bilingual and bicultural marketing professionals in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Dallas. Axis creates a connection between the general market and the Hispanic, African American and Asian markets by combining strategy, creativity and diversity in strategic planning, public relations, marketing communications and visual communications. Axis is a unit of the Interpublic Group of Companies, which is among the world's largest advertising and marketing services organizations. For more information, visit www.theaxisagency.com.
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Venus Williams at Carolina Herrera Spring 2009
Venus Williams and Vogue editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley 
Venus Williams and Actress Renee Zellweger 
Venus Williams and her mother Oracene Price, and Fashion Designer Carolina Herrera
Venus Williams and Fashion Designer Carolina Herrera
Venus Williams and her mother Oracene Price in the tents in Bryant Park
Serena Williams at the Luca Luca Spring 2009 Fashion Show at The Promenade, Bryant Park
Fashion Designer Raul Melgoza, Ms. USA Crystle Stewart and Serena Williams backstage
Serena Williams backstage getting mobbed by the press
Serena Williams attending the Luca Luca Spring 2009 Fashion Show
Serena Williams and Ivana Trump backstage
There's really not much to say here. American Serena Williams took her third U.S. Open Championship Sunday night in the Arthur Ashe Stadium by defeating Serbian Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 7-5. It was a well contested match on both sides.
When asked which title was the most exciting, Serena said "every one is so exciting, believe me. This is cool because I'm at No. 9. I'm pushing the doors closer to double digits, which of course I want to get to."
"I think this title meant more to Serena than any title she's ever won," her father and coach, Richard Williams said.
At the net, Serena said to Jankovic, "I'm sorry I got so excited."
U.S. Marines unfurl U. S. flag
Anita Baker singing America The Beautiful before the match.
Venus Williams
Tennis Champion Jennifer Capriati, Model Christie Brinkley
Rob and Marisol Thomas
Glenn Close
Rapper and actor Common and Sir Richard Branson
Tennis Champion Martina Navratilova
Actors Stuart Towensend and Charlize Theron
Fashion Model Naomi Campbell and Vladislav Doronin
Actor Will Ferrell
Tennis 'Everything' Billie Jean King
Shoutbox
Hounds Good
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